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This April was the driest of three dry years in a row. Only 1.2” fell, 28% less than 2020’s 1.6”. There were eight rain events, grouped April 7-9, when 0.5” fell, and April 24-26, when 0.65” fell. The 0.4” of wet April 24 was the month’s single largest amount.

This was the third driest April this century. Rainfall was 61% below the 2.8” 21 year average. Four of the six driest have been since 2015. Six of the 10 driest Aprils have been since 2010.

The two weeks in between the rain brought 12 days of 61 degrees or higher and lots of tulip tourists. Highs topped 71 degrees, April 16-19, the middle of the 12 day warm spell. The 75.7 degrees April 18 was hottest day of the month. Highs were over 60 degrees 15 days.

The month’s average high was 59.7 degrees, solidly above the century average of 57.2 degrees. The 49.1 average daily temperature was about normal for the century, pulled down by cold mornings.

April’s average low of 38.6 was 2.6 degrees below the century average. The month’s low of 27.5 degrees on April 11. While it only frosted three nights, temperatures were in the 30s degrees consistently the first three weeks.

Overnight temperatures finally stayed above 40 degrees the last eight days, with the morning low on the 30th at 51.1 degrees.

Data are from Washington State University’s Memorial Highway weather station in Mount Vernon.