April showers indeed brought May flowers as well as
sizeable drought relief for the United States, with a near-record low of
2% coverage for the country.
April 2019 was also, however, a climatological mixed bag: A
major, late-season blizzard hit the northern Plains, while unusual
warmth was felt in Alaska and across the Mid-Atlantic.
Here’s a snapshot of highlights from NOAA’s latest monthly climate report:
Climate by the numbers
April 2019
The average temperature during April across the contiguous
U.S. was 52.9 degrees F (1.8 degrees above average), placing the month
in the upper third in the 125-year temperature record for the month of
April. Delaware had its second hottest April on record, while Maryland
and New Jersey had their third and fourth hottest, respectively.
The average precipitation was 3.17 inches (0.65 of an inch
above average), ranking in the top 10 percent on record for the month.
Much of the Northwest, South and parts of the upper Mississippi Valley,
Great Lakes, Southeast and New England experienced above-average
wetness.
Year to date I January through April
The average U.S. temperature for the year to date (January
through April) was 39.4 degrees F (0.3 of a degree above average),
ranking in the middle third of the record.
Total precipitation was 11.24 inches (1.76 inches above average), making it the seventh wettest YTD on record.
An annotated map of the United States showing
notable climate events that occurred across the country during April
2019. For details, see the bulleted list below in the story and online
at http://bit.ly/USClimate201904.
Other notable stats
-
A balmy Alaska:
Alaska had its 10th hottest April on record; Kotzebue, a city in the
northwest section of the state, tallied its warmest April on record.
-
And, yes … even record snowfall: Watertown, South Dakota, saw its highest three-day snow total on record, with 25 inches that fell from April 10–12.