The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its monthly “State of the Climate” report on Wednesday, showing that last month was the 23rd coolest April on record and also the 19th wettest.
Temperatures across the nation averaged 49.7 degrees F, making it the coolest April since 1997. The country’s precipitation averaged 2.9 inches.
The Midwest in particular felt the impact of the lingering winter conditions. Cool weather and wet conditions delayed planting for weeks, which at one point tied 1984 for the slowest planting season reported. In the Upper Midwest the increasing number of alfalfa crops killed by the cold start to spring has forced some livestock producers to replace it with other grains or to pay “historically high prices” for more hay. Read more here.
Not all regions experienced such a wet, cool April though. Parts of California and the Southwest not only saw little rain but also above-average temperatures. California in particular had its driest January to April period on record with just 27 percent of the average precipitation.