British Isles weather in late April?

[GloriaF]

We are considering a British Isles cruise in mid to late April and are wondering what to expect weatherize?  My first thought was cold and rainy but with global warming changes, I'd like to hear first hand experiences.  Thank you!

[exlondoner]

40 minutes ago, GloriaF said:

We are considering a British Isles cruise in mid to late April and are wondering what to expect weatherize?  My first thought was cold and rainy but with global warming changes, I'd like to hear first hand experiences.  Thank you!

It is unlikely to be cold during the daytime, at worst cool. But definitely bring a Mac and lots of layers. Sometimes we can sit outside for lunch, sometimes we are turning the heating up indoors. Late April is a complete lottery. We are in Southern England, North of Scotland will probably be quite a lot cooler. So lots of layers, as I say.

[GloriaF]

Thanks for the reply.  I had hoped for warmer but it won't be terrible. We want to take advantage of catching the transatlantic repo cruise from FLL leaving on April 4 and avoid a dreaded flight.  Much rather have a 14 day cruise being wined, dined and entertained vs the flight for crossing the Atlantic!  No avoiding the flight home.  Will definitely pack layers and a raincoat per your comments. 

Edited Monday at 05:58 PM by GloriaF

[CruiserBruce]

Google search "London April weather".

[John Bull]

Monday will be cloudy but dry.

Tuesday morning will start bright & clear but rain will set in.

Overnight there'll be a small surprise April snowfall but all trace will be gone by 9am

Wednesday will start off cloudy but will become warm & sunny later.

Thursday, the day I chose to organise a barbeque, will start bright but will turn chilly, wet & windy by the afternoon

Friday of course will be glorious.

Saturday will be glorious but with a cold breeze late in the day

Sundays it always rains.

 

Weather in Scotland is usually cooler & less-reliable than the south of England, but sometimes the weather-gods turn that upside down.

The west is usually more rainy than the east - but not always.

 

Overall, my forecast, which is only for the weather within 50 miles of Southampton because elsewhere it will be totally different, will be correct but which weather on which day is a lottery. 

The west is warmer than the east, but gets more wind & rain. But not necessarily when you're in the UK. 

 

So pack for most eventualities - don't be dismayed if a day doesn't start well cos it's likely to change, but carry a pac-a-mac in case a great day doesn't stay that way.

 

JB 🙂

[Planning to cruise]

My crystal ball is lost.

 

There is no such thing as UK weather.  Though we are geographically a small country there are so many areas, regions, each with its own micro climate and other characteristics.  

 

As a rule of thumb the south is likely to be warmer than the north.  The west is likely to be wetter than the east.  It is not unusual to "have 4 seasons in one day".  Weather can change quite quickly hour by hour.

 

I live in a hilly area.  It can be fine here and rainy and foggy over the hill and vice versa.  

 

Its a joke that if I go anywhere to stay I have to take stuff for wet, cold, warm, whatever.  Most Brits rarely leave home without an umbrella.   

[GloriaF]

Okay, I know I was asking for a future prediction like no-one can give, but I wanted generalities.  Checking what the tourism board will tell me is not always accurate, often a bit rosy.  It sounds a lot like our Florida weather (except colder) in that usually not even the weather forecast knows for sure and it can change in an instant.  Thanks for the humorous and the sincere posts.

[Harters]

21 hours ago, GloriaF said:

My first thought was cold and rainy

I would generally stick with your first thought. Anything better would be a bonus. If there is a burst of good weather, that'll be the week we decided on a holiday in Spain

[ontheweb]

Talk about unpredictable weather, the first time we cruised from the UK (actually Dover) and were in London pre-cruise, we had the remnants of a hurricane. Now it was in the month of August, and a hurricane in the Caribbean would not have surprised us, but the remnants of one in the UK did.

[John Bull]

2 hours ago, Harters said:

If there is a burst of good weather, that'll be the week we decided on a holiday in Spain

 

Not coming to my BBQ then ? 😀

 

JB 🙂

[Harters]

Sorry, mate, but I'll be in Mallorca that week. 

[Globaliser]

On 9/16/2024 at 4:06 PM, GloriaF said:

British Isles weather in late April?

Yes, we will have some then.