April 2021 was much drier and slightly warmer than normal, on average, across the contiguous U.S., according to the National Centers for Environmental Information. The month saw the lowest number of tornadoes in nearly three decades.
Climate by the numbers: April 2021
The average April temperature across the contiguous U.S. was 51.9 degrees F (0.9 of a degree above the 20th-century average), which ranked in the middle third of the record.
Above-average temperatures blanketed much of the West Coast, Southwest, Northeast, Great Lakes and parts of southern Texas and Florida. Maine saw its fifth-warmest April on record.
Year to date (YTD) | January through April
The average U.S. temperature for the year to date (January through April) was 40.7 degrees F (1.6 degrees above average), which ranked in the warmest third in the climate record.
Above-average temperatures blanketed much of the West, northern Plains, Great Lakes, Northeast and Southeast. Maine saw its fifth warmest YTD on record.
