By Paul Stevens, Huddersfield weatherman

April was very dry and colder than normal with a record number of night frosts and snow on five occasions from outbreaks of Arctic air with high pressure becoming established at times near to Greenland.

High pressure was the dominant feature of the weather and the dry conditions led to numerous moorland fires in tinder dry conditions. One devastating fire across Marsden Moor took several days to extinguish. 

Rainfall for the month was finally 23.6mm with 19mm of this falling in one period of concentrated showers during the evening of the 27th with rainfall rates up around 38mm per hour at times. 

The coldest night was -2.9c on the night of the 6th. Temperatures fell below freezing on a record 12 nights. Snow was reported on five days in the month. The highest temperature was just 16.3c.

Snailsden Reservoir near Holmfirth. Pictures by: Sean Doyle

All said even though the month was chilly it was rather pleasant at times in the strengthening sun.

The weather is set change from Monday with the jet stream reinvigorated with wind rain and some snow for a time spreading from the west before a more mobile unsettled spell becomes established.

It will remain cold for the time of year and some of the showers may well be wintry at times well into the first week of May.