Fifth Warmest April on Record

By Russell Russ 

April’s weather this year was highlighted by summer-like conditions early in the month. Unlike last year, when April started off cool and ended warm, this April started off warm, went to hot, then went to cool. After a very snowy March, it was quite the rebound to be seeing 80-degree temperatures less than a month later. The early spring warmth provided a jump start for trees and plants, but cooler temperatures later in the month slowed their progress. New England weather is always interesting.  

With an average monthly mean temperature of 48.0, April was 4.9 degrees above normal. It was Norfolk’s fifth warmest April over the last 92 years. April’s low temperature of 21 degrees was observed on April 3 and the high of 87 was observed on April 14. New daily record-high temperatures were set on April 13 with 83 (was 82 in 1945) and on April 14 with 87 (was 78 in 1938). A high of 73 on April 6 was one degree shy of the 1942 and 1991 record of 74. Norfolk’s warmest April was in 2010 with 49.4 degrees and the coldest was in 1943 with 36.8 degrees. 

The total precipitation recorded for the month was 3.71 inches, 0.57 inch below normal. It was a very dry month up to April 22 and 23, when Norfolk received 2.32 inches in a two-day span, then received another 0.72 inch during the last few days of the month. Had it not been for a good rain effort during the last week of the month, this April would have ranked as Norfolk’s driest on record. Norfolk’s driest April was in 1941 with 1.15 inches, the wettest was in 1983 with 10.79 inches. Through April, the total precipitation for the year was 15.30 inches, 0.97 inch below normal.   

This April saw no actual snowfall. There was just one day with brief scattered sleet and graupel showers, which are considered wintry precipitation and are recorded as “snowfall”. Norfolk’s average April snowfall amount is 6.1 inches. There have been many Aprils with very little or no snowfall. The snowiest April was in 1997 when Norfolk accumulated an impressive monthly total of 31.1 inches.

Through April, the 2023 calendar year’s snowfall total of 49.0 inches was 15.4 inches below normal. The 2022-2023 winter season (October-April) snowfall total of 63.3 inches was 25.4 inches below normal. This winter season has been below normal for snowfall, but it totaled 20 inches more than last winter. This winter would have been near record low for snowfall had it not been for March’s impressive total of 31.3 inches. The winter season technically runs through May, but it is not looking like Norfolk will see any May snowfall this year. Norfolk’s top three least snowy winters are: 2015-2016 with 35.5 inches, 1994-1995 with 40.9 inches, and 2021-2022 with 43.7 inches. Norfolk’s snowiest winter season was in 1955-1956 with 177.4 inches. 

A look ahead at May’s weather through nearly four weeks showed that temperatures and precipitation were running a little below normal. There was one day with brief sleet showers, but there was no snowfall this May. Weather forecasts are showing nice weather for Memorial Day weekend. Having nice weather for local parades and the Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department’s annual William F. Kelley Memorial Road Race is always a good thing. 

Weather observations are recorded by the Great Mountain Forest at Norfolk’s National Weather Service Cooperative Weather Observer Station, Norfolk 2SW.