Warmest April on Record
By Russell Russ
The month’s high temperature of 85 degrees was observed on April 7. The low temperature of 31 degrees was observed on April 14. There were two record high temperatures set this month. The high temperature of 72 degrees on April 2 beat the 1934 record of 70 degrees for that date and the high of 85 on April 7 beat the 1991 record of 81 degrees for that date. At the weather station there were only two days at or below 32 degrees. The average mean temperature this month was 49.4 degrees, 6.5 degrees above normal.
It was Norfolk’s warmest April in the last 79 years, as far back as our records go. The second warmest April was 1945 with an average mean temperature of 48.7 degrees. Three of our top four warmest and five of our top ten warmest Aprils have all occurred within the last nine years. Windsor Locks, CT reported it as their warmest April in 105 years.
The total precipitation recorded for the month was 1.94 inches, 2.41 inches below normal. With only two days with light flurries there was no measurable snowfall this month, making it 6.3 inches below normal. It is unusual, but not unheard of, to have no snow during the month of April.
The snowfall total for this winter season, October through April, is now at 73.3 inches, 17.5 inches below normal. For the calendar year the snowfall total of 53.2 inches is 12.7 inches below normal. Our total precipitation of 18.95 inches since January is 2.42 inches above normal. The precipitation has come, but with record warmth in both March and April, it just hasn’t come as much in the form of snow.