since 1986.

That was verdict for the month yesterday of the Naval Oceanography Command Facility.

Commanding Officer Lt. Cmdr. Jim Bancroft said abnormally warm temperatures prevailed in April.

But the daily average temperature, 68.2 degrees, was the coolest since 1986.

Sun lovers lapped up a maximum temperature of 76.6 degrees -- although this was far short of the record-breaking 81 in 1972 and 1989.

At the other end of the scale, a bone-chilling 50.4 was the absolute minimum.

This was the coldest since 1976, within sight of the record low of 48 in 1971.

Lt. Cmdr. Bancroft said the month saw an above normal rainfall for Bermuda.

The Island received 4.59 inches of rainfall, or 1.09 inches more than normal.

"This monthly total was greatly helped by the 2.28 inches of rain that fell on April 14, the heaviest daily rainfall since 1985,'' said Mr. Bancroft.

He added a wet April and February compensated for a dry March, pushing Bermuda over the "break even'' mark.

Rainfall for 1992 was now the highest year-to-year total since 1988. It was an amazing 11.1 inches more than 1990's total as of the end of April.