Temperature
The statewide average temperature for April was 51.9 degrees, and only 0.7 degrees below average. While it continues the string of below-average months that stretches all the way back to November, this month had the smallest departure from average.
The year to date statewide temperature was 31.2 degrees, which is 6.6 degrees below average and the fourth coldest January-April on record.
Precipitation
The statewide average precipitation for April in Illinois was 5.11 inches, 1.33 inches above the 1971-2010 average. This is the wettest month for Illinois since June 2013. Harrisburg reported a monthly total of 12.96 inches, the highest monthly total in the state.
Snowfall was light in April and confined to the northeast quadrant of the state. Amounts of 1 to 2 inches were common in the Chicago area.
Here are the April precipitation and precipitation departure maps for Illinois. While southern Illinois received the most rain, some parts of north-central Illinois were slightly below average (area in light tan). At this time, the US Drought Monitor shows Illinois to be drought-free with only a small amount of “abnormally dry” conditions near the Quad Cities area.
