April Can Bring a Variety of Weather, Including Tornadoes, Snow and Even Tropical Storms

Linda Lam

Published: March 31, 2021

 

April often brings a variety of weather conditions as winter tries to hang on and temperatures warm up.

The collision of seasons can lead to severe storms, flooding and snow. Tropical storms have even formed in the Atlantic in April.

Here's a closer look at what has occurred in the weather in April.

Warmer Temperatures Finally Emerge

From the beginning to the end of the month, many locations experience a noticeable jump in average temperatures. New York City sees its average high rise from 56 degrees on April 1 to 66 degrees on April 30. The average high in Minneapolis increases from 50 degrees to start the month to 65 degrees to close it out. Average lows here also rise from the lower 30s to the mid-40s during April.

By the end of April, the South, mid-Atlantic, Ohio Valley and parts of the central Plains have generally experienced their last freeze of the season. Much of the Northeast, upper Midwest and Intermountain West wait until mid-May or later to see the last freeze.

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But not every April is dominated by spring warmth. Below-average temperatures dominated April 2020 for much of the Midwest and Northeast. April 2018 was the 13th-coldest on record in the contiguous United States; Iowa and Wisconsin both shivered through their coldest April on record.

This April, most of the country is expected to see warmer than average temperatures, especially across the central U.S.

(MORE: April 2021 Temperature Outlook)

April 2021 Temperature Outlook

Tornado Risk Increases

As temperatures rise, moisture increases and thunderstorms become more common. The risk of tornadoes also increases as the ingredients for severe weather are more often in place.

Tornado outbreaks often occur when a low-pressure system accompanied by a strong, southward dip in the jet stream punches into the Plains, Midwest or South. In addition, warm and humid air flows northward out of the Gulf of Mexico.

In April, the tornado threat is highest from southeastern Kansas, Oklahoma and northern Texas eastward into parts of Alabama.

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April is typically the third-busiest month for tornadoes, with May and June coming in first and second, respectively. April 2011 set a record for most tornadoes in any month with 758, due in large part to the April 26-28 super outbreak.

A couple of severe weather outbreaks have already occurred in March this year. Last April was very busy and included a tornado outbreak on Easter. So now is a good time to get prepared for severe weather.

Typical Tornado Risk in April

More Rain Can Lead to Flooding

April is often an active weather month with low-pressure systems tracking across the U.S.

These low-pressure systems can bring rounds of rain which, when combined with snowmelt due to the warming temperatures, can result in river flooding. In addition, flash flooding is also a more widespread concern as thunderstorms become more common.

Limited moderate flooding is anticipated this year, according to NOAA's spring flood outlook, and no areas have a greater than a 50% chance of major flooding for the first time in three years. Areas of greatest concern for spring flooding this year include parts of the lower Missouri and lower Ohio river basins and the coastal plain of the Carolinas.

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Precipitation this April is generally expected to be near or below average for much of the U.S., especially across parts of the South and West. Abnormally dry conditions stretch across more than half of the Lower 48, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, so the drier-than-average trend could lead to an expansion of drought this spring while limiting flood concerns.

Spring Flood Outlook

It Can Still Snow

Although temperatures increase in April, snow is still possible, especially in the higher elevations of the West.

There are a few spots where April is the snowiest month. These include Breckenridge, Colorado; Casper, Wyoming; and Mount Rushmore, South Dakota. Denver can also experience some of its heavier snowfalls in April.

Snow from Winter Storm Sadie blanketed areas from the Rockies into parts of the Midwest and Northeast in mid-April 2020. This was the third-biggest snowfall so late in the season for Providence, Rhode Island.

In 2018, the record-breaking cold in April helped to set new snow records. In mid-April, Winter Storm Xanto brought 15.8 inches to Minneapolis/St. Paul, making it the heaviest April snowstorm on record there. Xanto was also the heaviest April snowstorm in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where 24.2 inches accumulated and blizzard conditions were observed.

This year, snow is expected to start the month in parts of the interior Northeast.

The average snowiest month in areas that typically pick up over 3 inches of snow each year, based on 1981-2010 average snowfall data.

Tropical Storms Can Develop in the Atlantic

Although the Atlantic hurricane season officially begins June 1, tropical cyclones sometimes develop before then.

Two tropical storms have developed in the Atlantic in April. Ana formed in 2003, and Arlene occurred in 2017. A subtropical storm also developed in April 1992. There are no Atlantic hurricanes on record during April.

Conditions are often not favorable for tropical development in April, but sometimes an area with the right environmental conditions emerges and a tropical cyclone can form.

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Preseason tropical systems are frequently lopsided and fairly shallow in height.

In 2020, the Eastern Pacific Basin recorded its first tropical depression in April, based on reliable records since weather satellites began regularly watching the tropics in the late 1960s. Tropical Depression One-E was short-lived and did not impact land.

Tracks of April Atlantic Basin tropical cyclones in records dating to 1851.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.