When April Isn't Much Warmer Than March

 

 

The month of April is typically 10.5 degrees milder than the month of March.  April 2020, however, was just 2.4 degrees milder, making its average temper the third closest to March of any April (going back to 1869).  The closest April came to March was in 1946 when April was 0.8 degrees milder than March.  The chart below lists the six Aprils that were closest to March's average temperature.

 

And although April 2020 wasn't chillier than March, it had no days in the 70s while March had three (making this the first April since 1940 not to have any readings of 70° or warmer).

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March 2016 - New York City's Fourth Mildest, Sixth Driest

 

 

After two unusually cold Marches in 2014 and 2015, this year's was at the other end of the temperature spectrum, finishing as the forth mildest and sixth driest on record.  It joined two other recent Marches in the top 10, from 2012 and 2010.  The month was 6.4 degrees above average, with five days in the 70s and eight in the 60s; ten days (from 3/10 onward) had mean temperatures that were 10 degrees or more above average.  Below is a quick analysis of the ten mildest Marches.

 

• 2016 knocked March 1973 out of the top 10

• Only three of the top 10 had any measurable snow and all had less than an inch.  This year's 0.9", which fell on two separate occasions, made this the "snowiest" of the mildest Marches.

• March 2016 also stood out among the others because it had five days in a row with lows of 32° or colder.  And then a few days later, on March 9, the temperature rose to 77° - the earliest date for a reading this warm (followed by a high of 79° the next day).  

• Three Marches had a day or two in the 80s.  However, one March, 2000, had no days in the 70s or 80s.

• Two of the top 10 were very dry - 2012 (0.96") and 2016 (1.17") while two were very wet - 2010 (10.69") and 1977. (7.41").

• Although March 1946 is the mildest overall, March 2012 had the mildest average low.

• March 1979 had the coldest reading of the ten mildest, a low of 20°.

 

 

 

 

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