April 2026 Observations and Discussion

[Madtown]

Happy April...dumping out there atm

 

[Clinton]

Latest drought monitor.

[westMJim]

Merry month of May

May is the fifth month of the year and here in the Northern Hemisphere it is the last month of spring. Late May typically marks the start of the summer vacation season in the United States and Canada. At Grand Rapids we start the month off with a length of day time of 14 hours and 7 minutes and end the month with 15 hours and 7 minutes for a gain of one hour.

In Grand Rapids the average high starts out at 64.3 and ends the month at 74.9. The average low starts out at 43.2 and ends the month at 53.8. The all-time high for May is 95 on May 31, 1934, on May 28, 2018 the high reached 94. The record low of 21 was set on May 1st, 1903. The most snow fall on any day in May is 5.5” and that amount fell on May 10th in 1902 and that same amount of 5.5” was reported on May 9th, 1923. On May 32nd 1929 3” of snow fell and in May of 1954 snow fell for 3 days in a row. The record wettest May is 10.01” and that fell in May of 2001 and the driest May was in 1936 when just 0.72” fell. Here are some May top 5’s There have been a total of 12 years when measurable snow fell in May The last time was on May 1st, 1994.

The average May mean at Grand Rapids is 59.2

Warmest mean temperature

1.       1977   65.7

2.       1896   65.3

3.       1982   65.0

4.       2018   64.8

5.       1991   64.6

Coldest mean temperature

1.       1997   50.3

2.       1924   50.7

3.       1945   50.7

4.       1947   51.1

5.       1917   51.7

Snowiest May’s of record

1.       1902   5.5”

2.       1923   5.5”

3.       1954   3.0”

4.       1940   0.8”

5.       1935   0.4”

Wettest May’s of record

1.       2001 10.01”

2.       2000   9.59”

3.       2004   9.29”

4.       1981   8.29”

5.       1911   7.18”

Driest May’s of record

1.       1936   0.72”

2.       2023   0.84”

3.       1987   0.94”

4.       1925   0.89”

5.       1961   1.03”

 

Last year the mean for May at Grand Rapids was 57.2 that was a departure from average of -2.2° the high for the month was 85 on the 15th There were 3 days of 80 or better 13 days of 70 or better there were 6 days of highs only in the 50’s the low for the month was 33 on the 9th there were 3 nights with lows of less than 40. The month had 3.35” of rainfall that is a departure from average of 0.65”

It looks like according to the CPC that May 2026 will be chilly and that is a common occurrence with a May leading into a strong or very strong El Nino.

https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/30day/

The overnight low here in my yard was 38 and the 7AM temperature is 39 with cloudy skies. There remains a good chance of a freeze tonight with lows around 30 and frost once again tomorrow with lows in the low 30’s next week looks cold with highs only in the 50’s and low in 30’s and lower 40’s there is a chance of rain each day.

Detailed Forecast

Today

A 20 percent chance of showers after 2pm. Areas of frost before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 52. Light north northeast wind becoming northwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 21 mph.

Tonight

Widespread frost, mainly after 2am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 30. Northwest wind 5 to 9 mph becoming light north northwest after midnight.

Saturday

Widespread frost, mainly before 9am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 52. Light north northwest wind becoming west northwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 21 mph.

Saturday Night

Widespread frost, mainly between midnight and 5am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 34. West wind 5 to 7 mph becoming south southwest after midnight.

Sunday

A 30 percent chance of showers. Areas of frost before 7am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 59. Southwest wind 8 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.

Sunday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Monday

A 30 percent chance of showers after 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 69.

Monday Night

A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44.

Tuesday

A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 57.

Tuesday Night

A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40.

Wednesday

A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 57.

Wednesday Night

A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38.

Thursday

A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 56.

[chescowxman]

Today will be our 7th consecutive below normal temperature day with our temperatures remaining below normal through this weekend before we warm to above normal by Tuesday. We then turn cooler again for the rest of the first week of May. Overall, the long-range models see a chillier than normal month with some models continuing the relative chill into June. We have some slight shower chances tonight with rain chances increasing toward the middle of next week.

[summerrules]

Indianapolis had its warmest April on record this year.

The final week of the month was a bit cooler than anticipated, which prevented a top 5 warmest April here, though it was still phenomenally warm (and active) overall.

[Hoosier]

41 minutes ago, summerrules said:

Indianapolis had its warmest April on record this year.

The final week of the month was a bit cooler than anticipated, which prevented a top 5 warmest April here, though it was still phenomenally warm (and active) overall.

March + April combined was the 8th warmest on record for Chicago.  Pretty nice.  #1 is March-April 2012... of course that was basically entirely driven by March.

[Niko]

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Detroit/Pontiac MI
1258 PM EDT Fri May 1 2026

MIZ047>049-053>055-060>063-068>070-075-076-082-083-020415-
/O.UPG.KDTX.FZ.A.0002.260502T0400Z-260502T1300Z/
/O.NEW.KDTX.FZ.W.0002.260502T0400Z-260502T1300Z/
Midland-Bay-Huron-Saginaw-Tuscola-Sanilac-Shiawassee-Genesee-
Lapeer-St. Clair-Livingston-Oakland-Macomb-Washtenaw-Wayne-
Lenawee-Monroe-
Including the cities of Midland, Sandusky, Owosso, Bay City,
Lapeer, Adrian, Ann Arbor, Flint, Monroe, Caro, Howell, Warren,
Pontiac, Saginaw, Port Huron, Bad Axe, and Detroit
1258 PM EDT Fri May 1 2026

...FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 9 AM EDT
SATURDAY...

* WHAT...Sub-freezing temperatures as low as 27 expected.

* WHERE...All of southeast Michigan.

* WHEN...From midnight tonight to 9 AM EDT Saturday.

* IMPACTS...Frost and freeze conditions could kill crops, other
  sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor
  plumbing.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.

[Niko]

Feels like autumn w temps being this chilly. Lows tanite in the 20s.

 

[Niko]

On 4/30/2026 at 8:15 AM, Tom said:

Hello from Chicago!  I’m visiting family for a little while and wouldn’t ya know, the colder pattern shows up!  It’s a brisk 36F…brrr!  I will say, however, it feels really nice and the smell of moisture is noticeable.

My flight was quite interesting.  First off, it started by our plane not being able to depart on time because our pilots did not arrive from their previous flight from Tampa.  Our plane was completely boarded but no pilots.  We waited an extra 45 min before they did their safety checks and logged their books.
 

Once we took off out of PHX, it was clear skies and with a roaring jet stream we were booking.  It only took us less than 3 hours flying time (2 hours and 30 min).  That is probably a record for me to have experienced.  Interestingly, there was barely any turbulence which made it a comfortable flight.  
 

At one point, I happened to look outside my window and asked myself “where are we now?”  Low and behold, I was directly over our KC peeps!

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for sharing. Cool vids!

[summerrules]

4 hours ago, Hoosier said:

March + April combined was the 8th warmest on record for Chicago.  Pretty nice.  #1 is March-April 2012... of course that was basically entirely driven by March.

I’m honestly surprised it was only 8th warmest. Surely must rank higher than that if going by max temps only.

[Hoosier]

27 minutes ago, summerrules said:

I’m honestly surprised it was only 8th warmest. Surely must rank higher than that if going by max temps only.

If going by max temps, it is tied for 3rd place.  Only behind 2012 and 1946.  

[Black Hole]

Probably will get a few showers or a storm in here Tuesday, but I don't see any likely severe weather for a while now. Temperatures are not bad for May. 

[chescowxman]

April finished as the 12th warmest (POR 133 years) first month of spring here in Chester County PA below are the Top 20 warm years. Our average of 55.0 was +2.8 degrees above our 1991-2020 climate normal of 52.2 degrees.