Have you ever wondered if April showers really do bring May flowers?

The poetic phrase dates back to the 1600s and is suspected to have originated in the UK and Ireland, as the month of April is notoriously rainy for us.

This is partly due to the position of the jet stream, as it begins to move northwards bringing us unsettled weather. An increasing number of low pressure systems are then driven across the British Isles.

But it isn’t the only reason we get showers in April, it's also a result of strengthening daytime heating over land through spring and summer.

A perhaps more important factor over rain, is temperature. As soon as the average temperature becomes spring-like, flowers will begin to bloom, regardless of how much rain falls in April.

Our cooler climate also tends to mean flowers bloom a little later on average, so the old weather folklore doesn't necessarily ring true for warmer climes.

Early warm spells, such as the mild winter we just experienced, could then be responsible for harming flowers if a late-season frost then follows.