AFTER the exceptionally warm, extremely dry and very sunny April, May was a bit of a letdown, notable only for its lack of anything to boast about.

At the time of year when it should be getting appreciably warmer month by month, mean maxima were a little lower than April's. However, this was mainly an indication of April's brilliance as May was on the mild side. April was much sunnier, too, but on this count, May didn't quite achieve its expected sunshine quota.

Rainfall was generally around the average though somewhat above to the south and west. Here at Carlton, near Stokesley, there was under half the accumulation that teemed down 12 months ago, the wettest May in my 24-year record, yet measurable quantities fell on the same number of days.

Thanks largely to the outstanding April, this spring was in marked contrast to the previous cool, wet one. With about two-thirds of the normal rainfall typically over our region, it was the driest spring for ten years.

Despite the disappointing May, it still managed to be the warmest spring for 30 years or so. At Carlton, it equalled that season in 2003, which was 0.5C (1F) milder by day but cooler at night. The warmth of the spring was also conveyed by the fact that the last air frost here was on March 27, the earliest that this has happened in any year - unless we have one in June for the first time.

The anticyclone situated over Scotland towards the end of April retreated into Scandinavia at the start of May but gave us another five fine days. The 5th saw Atlantic weather systems invading the British Isles.

Rain fell everyday for the following fortnight in most places. To begin with it was rather disorganised, mainly in the form of showery outbreaks and with little to the east of the Pennines. Then on Sunday the 13th, 15mm to as much as 30mm up in the Dales (0.6-1.2ins) tumbled down providing the wettest day not only of the month but since October. "The gardens did need it."

Soon after this the anticyclone over Greenland disappeared and the one near the Azores made its presence felt again. South-westerlies now prevailed. One of the depressions was particularly intense and brought a very breezy spell. However, over the coming week pressure built further, so it dried up and turned warmer.

Unfortunately, the weather saw the holiday weekend approaching and a deep low headed up the English Channel. This generated prolonged heavy rain and strong winds, especially in the South-East, where up to 50mm (2ins) of rain poured down on both the Sunday and Monday.

Here in the North-East we escaped relatively lightly but it was still dull and miserable in the brisk north-easterly that carried in some showers. It was cold enough for sleet in one or two of these early on the Monday, down to about 100m (330ft). The bulk of the rain destined for us arrived that night and continued into Tuesday but produced no more than about 13mm (0.5ins).

The next low took a path to the west of Ireland introducing a southerly breeze on the last day of the month. Temperatures reached the highest in May but well short of April's peak of around 23C (74F) that occurred as early as the 15th. Nevertheless, it was hot enough to spark off a few thunder showers.

April Temperatures and Rainfall at Carlton in Cleveland. - Mean Maximum: 15.3C, 59.5F (+0.3C, 0.5F); Mean Minimum: 7.2C, 45F (+0.7C, 1.3F); Highest Maximum: 20.4C, 68.5F, 31st; Lowest Minimum: 1.8C, 35F, 1st; Total Rainfall: 48mm, 1.9ins (+3mm, 0.1ins); Wettest Day: 15mm, 0.6ins, 13th and No of Rain Days, with 0.2mm (0.01ins) or more: 16 (+3).

(Figures in brackets show the difference from the 23-year mean, 1984-2006).