Abundant April Showers For Some

April average temperatures ranged from 2°F below normal to 6°F above normal.

While average temperatures were not as far above normal as the past few months, April managed to average out to be warmer than normal for a majority of the Northeast. Overall, April average temperatures ranged from 2°F below normal in a few mostly coastal locations like much of Rhode Island to 6°F above normal in interior locations like western Pennsylvania. At the Northeast’s 35 major climate sites, April average temperatures ranged from 0.6°F below normal in Providence, RI, one of two cooler-than-normal sites, to 5.4°F above normal in Pittsburgh, PA. This April ranked among the 20 warmest Aprils on record for 28 of the sites.

This April was among the 20 warmest Aprils on record for 28 major climate sites.

April precipitation ranged from 25% of normal to more than 200% of normal.

There was a wide range of precipitation amounts during April, from less than 50% of normal in places like northern Maine to over 200% of normal in places like western Pennsylvania. April precipitation for the 35 major climate sites ranged from 34% of normal in Caribou, ME, to 239% of normal in Pittsburgh, PA, with 20 sites landing on the wet side of normal for the month. This April ranked among the 20 driest Aprils for two major climate sites but was among the 20 wettest for seven of the sites.

This April ranked among the 20 driest for two major climate sites but among the 20 wettest for seven sites.

April snowfall ranged from 9 inches below normal to more than 12 inches above normal.

An early April storm pushed snowfall totals above normal in portions of northern New York and northern New England, where the greatest monthly snowfall surpluses of over 12 inches were found. Outside of these spots, April snowfall was generally below or near normal, with the largest deficits of up to 9 inches in parts of northern Maine. April snowfall at the 35 major climate sites ranged from 6.9 inches below normal in Caribou, ME, to 9.5 inches above normal in Concord, NH. This April ranked among the 20 least snowy Aprils for two major climate sites but was among the 20 snowiest for two other sites.

This April ranked among the 20 least snowy for two major climate sites but among the 20 snowiest for two other sites.

For May, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center says there’s a slightly increased likelihood of wetter-than-normal conditions for southern parts of the Northeast including most of West Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware. Elsewhere, equal chances of below-, near-, or above-normal precipitation are predicted. Above-normal temperatures are favored for May for the entire Northeast, with the highest chances for much of Pennsylvania and New York.

For May, southern areas shaded green could be wetter than normal. The entire region is expected to be warmer than normal. Click to enlarge.