April's average temperature was 52.9 degrees, which is 3.6 degrees above normal. The warmest temperature last month was 81 degrees on April 17. Each of the first 22 days last month was warmer-than-normal, including a three-day stretch (April 15 through April 17) which featured average daily temperatures of 14 to 19 degrees above normal. However, the last eight days of April were cooler-than-normal as the weather pattern changed dramatically.
Last month was also much drier than normal, too. There were nine days with measured rain, but three of those had just one-hundredth of an inch and one other had two-hundredths of an inch. The heaviest rain happened during the storm of April 22 and 23 when a total of 2.55" fell. We measured just under three inches (2.97") of rain last month, which is more than an inch below normal (4.13"). May is beginning on a much wetter note.
Spring is usually the windiest time of the year across the region, especially from mid-March through mid-April. Last month was certainly no exception. Peak maximum winds of 30 miles an hour or greater were recorded on 13 days, including a peak wind of 41 miles an hour from the West on April 9. A peak wind of 38 miles an hour happened during the rainstorm of April 22, and a peak wind of 37 miles an hour occurred on April 27.
Any rain should taper off by midday today, but skies will remain mostly cloudy with high temperatures in the upper 50s to lower 60s. Tonight will be mostly cloudy with patchy fog and a low of 45 to 50 degrees. Tomorrow will become partly sunny and seasonable with a high in the 60s. We'll experience a warm-up by the end of the week as temperatures climb into the 70s Friday and Saturday. There is a chance of thunderstorms Friday, and some showers are possible Saturday night into early Sunday.
Paul
