April 2019 Observations and Discussion

[Tom]

I've been busy on the road over the past number of days....I started a May Observation thread...this will be an active and cool month to say the least.

 

http://theweatherforums.com/index.php/topic/2034-may-2019-observations-and-discussion/

[westMJim]

It is a cool 39.9° here at my house with rain falling. It looks like April 2019 will end up very close to average. As of this AM the departure here in Grand Rapids is +0.4° and today will be below average we will have to see how tomorrow turns out. This could be the 4th month in a row that has been cooler then average here at Grand Rapids.

[Tom]

North Texas has the potential for rain for the next 6-7 days.

High Temps will range from the high 70's to mid 80's. Prime Spring storm conditions.

 

It looks like the Southern Plains are in the storm window with Oklahoma joining the party.

We'll see how the severe storm picture sizes up as the dry line moves in.

I'm seeing a relentless active pattern in your state.  My gut may be right, "year without a real summer" down in your neck of the woods may be reasonable.  I mean, it's not like you won't get days with upper 90's but a typical summer with heat is not looking likely.  I'm not seeing any heat waves in your area.

[CentralNebWeather]

Had rain here last night and looks like another cold and rainy system starting late tonight through all of Tuesday.  More postponements and cancellations of activities are on tap tomorrow for sure.  Running out of days this school year to make these up.

[Stormy]

My rain gauges varied between just over 2" to 2.20". I'll probably go by 2.10". Very little runoff, but if it rains another time as much there could be some flood issues. Now I'm above average precip for the month.

[Niko]

Currently some rain w temps on the cool side (40s).

[Iowawx]

A decent 0.86" of rain last night. That brings my April rainfall total so far to 3.87"

[Hawkeye]

The 3k nam has moved the heavy rain tues/night well south, out of Iowa.  It's showing a half inch around here.

[OKwx2k4]

[OKwx2k4]

I'm seeing a relentless active pattern in your state. My gut may be right, "year without a real summer" down in your neck of the woods may be reasonable. I mean, it's not like you won't get days with upper 90's but a typical summer with heat is not looking likely. I'm not seeing any heat waves in your area.

This. Basically repeating my last post. (I guess I should read first, lol) I think the "Spirit of 76" would be a great way to describe this one upcoming. (Cool, wet, humid, foggy)

 

The SE and NE on the other hand....scorchy.

[Andie]

I'm seeing a relentless active pattern in your state. My gut may be right, "year without a real summer" down in your neck of the woods may be reasonable. I mean, it's not like you won't get days with upper 90's but a typical summer with heat is not looking likely. I'm not seeing any heat waves in your area.

Tom,

That's a remarkable statement.

I can't say I recall a similar summer. Not that it didn't happen, I just don't remember a summer like that here.

I suppose that may mean rain with that ?

 

Also, will we not see rough storms due to cooler conditions?

[Minny_Weather]

My definition of perfect outside right now. Overcast, humid, slight breeze, 44.2°F. These dreary days are my favorite.

[CentralNebWeather]

Locations in Nebraska woke up to 3-5" of snow.  Was about 75 miles west and northwest of my location.  Winter continues on.  My area of Central Nebraska looks to miss out on any snow, but a cold rain is anticipated later this morning and especially this afternoon and evening.

[Hawkeye]

It's looking like much of the rain from Today's system will pass south of Cedar Rapids.  The spots just south/southeast that received 2-3" a couple days ago are getting it again.

 

The garden centers have to be praying for better weather.

[Stormy]

Looks like the best rain is past for now. Got just over 0.50" here so far today. Wouldn't be surprised if parts of southern Washington county got over 3" yesterday and more than I got today.

The grass is in that rapidly growing stage.

[Stormy]

[Andie]

My definition of perfect outside right now. Overcast, humid, slight breeze, 44.2°F. These dreary days are my favorite.

It's okay, I love winter days in Texas. The colors and temps are nice.

Everyone questions my sanity, but it's a nice golden landscape and the humidity and temps drop.

[Tom]

Tom,

That's a remarkable statement.

I can't say I recall a similar summer. Not that it didn't happen, I just don't remember a summer like that here.

I suppose that may mean rain with that ?

 

Also, will we not see rough storms due to cooler conditions?

Precip seems to be bountiful this year and looks to be on the increase next month. If you keep those soils wet, your almost banking on a cooler than normal Summer down by you. Prob a lot of humidity which is typical and plenty of rumbling storms. I’m wondering if the pattern relaxes as you head into August.

[snowstorm83]

Are you serious or is that sarcasm? It's hard to tell, but it doesn't matter .

 

Lol that why he's going to Toledo! 

[CentralNebWeather]

Now seeing reports of 10” of snow south of North Platte and 8” south of Valentine. Pretty impressive for April 30th.

[Andie]

Precip seems to be bountiful this year and looks to be on the increase next month. If you keep those soils wet, your almost banking on a cooler than normal Summer down by you. Prob a lot of humidity which is typical and plenty of rumbling storms. I’m wondering if the pattern relaxes as you head into August.

Interesting question.  If it remains wet through August you should buy a Lottery ticket as that woud be very unusual !

But that said, Hurricane season can create some wild weather here in Aug. and Sept..  I've not heard much on the hurricane outlook yet.

 

We have 10 days of straight rain forecast right now.  Not totally strange for the first of May and we get some nasty storms this time of year. But so far just rain.  Temps will run between mid 70's- mid 80's.  Wind is strong and tons of Gulf air being pumped into the atmosphere.   Strong wind between 20-30 mph, gusting higher. 

Rain will begin late this afternoon and should see 3-4" over the next 10 days.

[Tom]

This 500mb illustration of the Stratospheric PV is something else, esp in late April and into early May.  Check out how it comes down off the Arctic circle near the Archipelago and pinwheels itself South, then west, then SE and finally East towards Hudson Bay.  This stuff fascinates me, esp with all the high lat blocking going. 

[Stormhunter87]

Quite the thunderstorm outbreak going on. Several tornado warnings.

[OKwx2k4]

Getting bumpy around here. Why one tornado when you can have 2?

[Andie]

They just issued a flash flood watch for over 20 counties in Texas.  Rain of 1 to 2"  with 6" in isolated areas are possible. 

Should be an interesting evening.

[OKwx2k4]

Stuff can change very very quickly in a storm. This is an example of how. Always pay attention.

[Andie]

Well, add a tornado watch to the festivities !

 

expires 11pm

[Andie]

Tornado warning now.  Circulation spotted 15-20  mi. west of me.  

No funnel cloud reported as yet.

 

I thought it had gotten strangely quiet all of a sudden. 

The storm is sucking all the energy into it.

 

Well, they spotted a rotating wall cloud but it sure would like to grow up and be a tornado.

Lot's of rotation.  It slipped just west of me. 

[Minny_Weather]

Are you serious or is that sarcasm? It's hard to tell, but it doesn't matter .

Completely serious. Gloomy weather is my unironic fave 

[Tom]

Stuff can change very very quickly in a storm. This is an example of how. Always pay attention.

Screenshot_20190430-160522.png

Screenshot_20190430-155137.png

Stay safe! That goes to you as well Andie.

[OKwx2k4]

I'm loving the thunder tonight. Just roaring, rumbling power. Lots of rain about to get underway. Got about 7" coming. Lol. Long soggy 10 days coming.

[Stormy]

Completely serious. Gloomy weather is my unironic fave 

I enjoy gloomy weather during heavy rain and thunderstorms ⛈, but if there's nothing exciting going on then give me sunshine unless it's hot!

[Andie]

Small touchdown of a funnel cloud north of me last night near Denton, Tx.

 

The strong circulation tracked just west of me last night. The atmosphere always takes on the very distinct "breathless" feeling. I love and hate it because if you aren't looking at the radar, you're left wondering where is it? Tornados are often cloaked in a curtain of heavy rain between you and it and it's very unnerving.

 

I will as watching 2 different radars last night so I knew I was okay, but the clouds were quite something.

[East Dubzz]

Another .20" fell yesterday / last night. 1.89" fell over the last 5 days of April. 4.15" in April. 

[Stormhunter87]

Small touchdown of a funnel cloud north of me last night near Denton, Tx.

 

The strong circulation tracked just west of me last night. The atmosphere always takes on the very distinct "breathless" feeling. I love and hate it because if you aren't looking at the radar, you're left wondering where is it? Tornados are often cloaked in a curtain of heavy rain between you and it and it's very unnerving.

 

I will as watching 2 different radars last night so I knew I was okay, but the clouds were quite something.

Rain wrapped tornadoes are definitely always a nightmare situation.

[Iowawx]

An additional 0.23” of rain last night brings my final rainfall total to 4.00”. I sure hope this wet pattern continues into May. I am disappointed that last nights rain for the most part was south of us, for whatever reason.

[westMJim]

Welcome to May 2019. Here is a summery of how April 2019 ended up in southwest Michigan. At Grand Rapids the mean was 47.7° (-0.3°) the highest was 77 and the coldest was 19° the total precip was 4.05” and 4.9” of snow fall. At Muskegon the mean there was 47.1° (+0.5°) the highest was 80 and the coldest was 26° there was 3.38” of precip and 7.8” of snow fall. At Kalamazoo the mean was 48.5° the highest was 77 and the coldest was 20° there was a total of 3.90” of precip there is no report on snow fall. In central Michigan at Lansing the mean there was 47.2 (-0.2) the warmest was 76 and the coldest was 20 they reported a total of 3.50” of rain and snow with a reported 1.6” of snow fall. As you can see April’s temperatures were near average but there were some wild swings as the daily departures at Grand Rapids ranged from +16.4° to -13.0° there were 5 days of departures of departures of more then 10° below average and 3 days of departures of 10° above average.

I would hope that the 2018/19 snow season is now over. If so here are the numbers for total seasonal snow fall. At Grand Rapids 81.3”. Muskegon 77.2” and off to the east Lansing reported just 38.8” but their report is missing the last 10 days of January and the total should be higher. Not sure if the NWS will update that or not. Note Kalamazoo does not keep an official snow fall record.

[Stormy]

I ended up with .94" additional rainfall yesterday bringing my total this week to just over 3" and 3.67" since Saturday. Monthly total ended up being well above normal at 5.59" if I remember right.

[Stormy]

April climate review:

 

https://www.weather.gov/dvn/Climate_Monthly_04_2019

[OmahaSnowFan]

Here's my stats from my backyard for April:

Average low: 41.3

Average high: 65.0

precip: 1.68"/0" snow

coldest low: 26.4

coldest high: 40.1

warmest low: 57.6

warmest high: 86.4

 

Had precip on 13 of 30 days, but mainly light qpf events. Heaviest single day precip was .84" on the 28th. Had one severe tstorm watch on 4/10. Believe averages from what I saw were between 2-3 degrees above average and precip was about 1.3" below normal for the month.