[summer '85]

April 1986 was the coldest April for England and Wales since 1922 with a CET of 5.8

Here's some data for that chilly month.

Heathrow

Mean Max: 10.9 (-2.3), Mean Min: 3.2 (-1.4)    Ground frosts: 12   Highest Max: 16.7

Cardiff

Mean Max: 9.2 (-2.7), Mean Min: 2.4 (-1.9)   Ground frosts: 13  Highest Max: 13.9

Birmingham

Mean Max: 9.6 (-2.3), Mean Min: 1.6 (-1.7)  Ground frosts: 16  Highest Max: 15.9

Manchester

Mean Max: 9.3 (-2.6) , Mean Min: 2.6 (-1.6) Ground frosts: 12  Highest Max: 14.5

Glasgow

Mean Max: 9.5 (-2.4), Mean Min: 1.2 (-2.0)  Ground frosts: 12  Highest Max: 13.3

Aberdeen

Mean Max: 8.4 (-2.0), Mean Min: 1.2 (-1.2) Ground frosts: 24  Highest Max: 14.7

Belfast

Mean Max: 9.2 (-2.4), Mean Min: 1.3 (-2.2)  Ground frosts: 19 Highest Max: 12.6

 

[Peter H]

As a beekeeper I remember '86 was the last truly terrible bee killing (in that it was continually cold, flowers were delayed and often washed clean by rain - it's long winters that tests bees) spring. This year has been worse for colony losses, though other and very serious disease factors are now at play so perhaps the weather has played somewhat less of a role that '86. Still, atm this April is somewhat better down here than '86.