Maps and Graphics:

April Most Recent 3 Months Most Recent 6 Months
Annual summary for 2003 Most Recent 12 Months US Percent Area Very Wet/Dry/Warm/Cold

It should be emphasized that all of the temperature and precipitation ranks and values are based on preliminary data. The ranks will change when the final data are processed, but will not be replaced on these pages. Graphics based on final data are available on this page: National Temperature and Precipitation Maps

For graphics covering periods other than those mentioned above or for tables of national, regional, and statewide data from 1895-present, for April, last 3 months or other periods, please go to the Climate At A Glance page

National Overview:

Monthly and Seasonal Highlights:

  • National:

  • April 2004 ranked as the 24th warmest April in the 1895 to present record. The preliminary nationally averaged temperature was 53.6°F (12.0°C), which was 1.5°F (0.8°C) above the long-term mean.
  • April 2004 was near average for precipitation nationally, ranking 45th wettest.

    For tables of national, regional, and statewide data from 1895-present, for April, last 3 months or other periods, please go to the Climate At A Glance page

  • February-April temperature was also above average and ranked as the 17th warmest such period in the 1895 to present record. The preliminary nationally averaged temperature for February-April was 45.2°F (7.3°C) which was 2.2°F (1.2°C) above the long-term mean.
  • February-April was near average for precipitation, ranking 45th wettest in the last 110 years.

  • The May 2003-April 2004 temperature was much above average and ranked as the 9th warmest such period in the 1895 to present record. The preliminary nationally averaged temperature was 54.1°F (12.3°C) which was 1.3°F (0.7°C) above the long-term mean.
  • Precipitation was near average for May-April, ranking 37th driest for the last 12 months based on a record of 109 such periods.

    Regional and Statewide:

  • April 2004 temperatures ranked much above average for 4 states and only Florida ranked below average in the continental U.S. states.
  • Alaska temperatures were above average for April with an anomaly of 4.1°F (2.3°C)
  • April was much drier than average for Indiana, and much wetter than average for 6 states.
  • The 3 month period, February-April, was warmer than average for all northern states while the Gulf coast and Southeast remained near average.
  • February-April 2004 was dry for much of the East Coast and Northwest, while wetter than average conditions prevailed across much of the Great Plains.
  • The last 12 months were much warmer than average for No state averaged significantly cooler than the long-term mean.
  • The last 12 months were record wet for Dry conditions prevailed across parts of the West and Northwest.

    See NCDC's Monthly Extremes web-page for weather and climate records for the month of April.

    An in-depth annual review of U.S. climate in 2003 is available at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/national/2003/ann

It should be emphasized that all of the temperature and precipitation ranks and values are based on preliminary data. The ranks will change when the final data are processed, but will not be replaced on these pages. Graphics based on final data are available on this page: National Temperature and Precipitation Maps

Citing This Report

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Monthly National Climate Report for April 2004, published online May 2004, retrieved on May 7, 2024 from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/monthly-report/national/200404.