Record Warmth in April

April average temperatures ranged from 2°F below normal to 8°F above normal.

Most of the Northeast experienced a warmer-than-normal April, with areas such as West Virginia, western Maryland, western and central Pennsylvania, and western New York up to 8°F warmer than normal. However, a few locations like eastern Massachusetts and coastal and northern Maine were slightly cooler than normal. This April became the warmest April on record for five of the Northeast’s 35 major sites - Pittsburgh, PA, and Beckley, Charleston, Elkins, and Huntington, WV. It ranked among the 20 warmest Aprils on record for another 24 major sites. Average temperatures for all 35 major sites ranged from 0.9°F below normal in Portland, ME, to 7.1°F above normal in Huntington, WV, with 32 of the sites being warmer than normal.

This April was record warm for five major sites and among the 20 warmest for another 24 of the sites.

April precipitation ranged from less than 50% of normal to over 200% of normal.

Precipitation during April varied, ranging from less than 50% of normal to over 200% of normal. The driest locations included eastern West Virginia, southern and eastern Maryland, parts of Delaware, New York’s Long Island, and portions of southern New England. Conversely, the wettest locations included parts of western and central New York. At the Northeast’s 35 major sites, April precipitation ranged from 40% of normal in Boston anf Worcester, MA, to 166% of normal in Buffalo, NY, with 26 of the sites being drier than normal. This April ranked among the 20 driest Aprils on record for nine major sites but was among the 20 wettest for five others. Both below-normal precipitation and above-normal temperatures contributed to intensifying drought conditions in the Mid-Atlantic during the month.

This April ranked among the 20 driest Aprils for nine major sites but was among the 20 wettest for five others.

April snowfall ranged from more than 4 inches below normal to near normal for most of the Northeast.

April snowfall was below or near normal for almost the entire Northeast, with the largest deficits of over 4 inches in places like eastern West Virginia, western and northern New York, northern New Hampshire, and parts of Maine. At the Northeast’s 35 major sites, April snowfall ranged from 3.1 inches below normal in Binghamton, NY, to normal in Baltimore, MD, and Washington, D.C. This April ranked among the 20 least snowy Aprils on record for Binghamton and Rochester, NY.

This April was the 20 least snowy Aprils for Binghamton and Rochester, NY.

According to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, interior locations spanning from West Virginia to northern New York are expected to average out to be cooler than normal for May. Areas closer to the coast have equal chances of below-, near-, or above-normal temperatures. For precipitation, there is a tilt toward wetter-than-normal conditions this May for parts of northern and eastern Maine. The rest of the Northeast falls into the equal chances category.

May is expected to be cooler than normal for interior areas shaded blue.

Parts of Maine shaded green are predicted to be wetter than normal this May.