April 2014 Saint Cloud Weather Summary

Saint Cloud Weather Summary for April 2014

Wet or White, It's Been More Than Showers

St. Cloud Reaches Top 4 in Snowfall, Top 3 in Precipitation

It wasn't as cold as much of the winter, but the gloom dominated April. There were 5.90 inches of measurable precipitation in April 2014, more than double the average of 2.57 inches. This rainfall placed third among the 10 wettest Aprils. Only April 2001 (8.42 inches) and April 1896 (6.31 inches). The lion's share of the rain fell during the last week of the month with 4.34 inches of rain during April 23-30, including 1.88 inch on the 27th and a daily record of 1.58 inch on the 28th. The cold rain was from a large storm that stalled in the Central US, producing 3-5 inches of rain across much of Minnesota, most of which fell in a 3 day period.

However, 1.38 inch of that 5.90 inch total was locked up in the 12.0 inches of snow received at the St. Cloud Prison. That was nearly 10 inches higher than the April average of 2.9 inches and placed fourth among among the 10 snowiest Aprils. This was the 4th April since 2002 that has made it into the top 6. Most of that snow (8.5 inches) fell during the April 16-17 snowstorm, that produced 15-20 inches just to the south and east of St. Cloud and was St. Cloud's heaviest snowfall of the season. The 8.5 inches also broke the record for April 16 snowfall. However, St. Cloud barely missed another major snowstorm on April 3-4 that also hit the region between St. Cloud and the Twin Cities and the I-35 corridor hard.

For the second straight spring, the snowfall total of February, March, and April was among the 10 snowiest on record. There were 34.7 inches of snow, which places 8th. Last spring had the second highest total.

For the second straight cold-season, St. Cloud has climbed into the 5 snowiest cold seasons. The total season snowfall of 75.5 inches tied 1916-1917 for 5th place, but was still 3 inches short of last winter. Besides the past 2 seasons, there hasn't been a season with at least 70 inches of snow in St. Cloud since 1965. The average snowfall for the entire cold season is 46.1 inches.

The first snowstorm marked the last part of the continuous snow season. Two days later, St. Cloud had its first 60-degree high of the season with the first 70-degree high 4 days later on the 9th. That finally melted all of the snow on the ground after April 8, the 4th latest date for the end of the continuous snow cover streak that began on December 3. That marked 127 consecutive days with an inch of snow on the ground, 2 days short of cracking the top 10. There were three more days with a snow cover after the April 17 storm, making a total of 131 days with at least an inch of snow on the ground for the cold season, tying 2010-2011 for 16th place.

There have been 50 days so far this cold season with measurable snow, the 5th highest total on record and the most since 1978-1979.

Temperature-wise, April 2014 continued the colder than average trend seen since November. The average temperature was 40.8°F, 3.7°F colder than average, but 4.6°F warmer than last April, the second coldest April on record. There were three main cold periods in April: April 1-5, including a pair of lows in the teens and 3.5 inches of snow, April 13-18, which established deep cold air in advance of the April 16-17 snowstorm and produced a pair of lows in the teens, including the record low of 16 degrees on April 15, (April 14-18 each were at least 10 degrees colder than average) and the rainy period at the end of the month with 6 lows stuck in the 40's.

St. Cloud did reach both its first 60-degree high (April 6, two days later than average) and its first 70-degree high (April 9, 8 days earlier than average).

The complete cold season of October through April averaged 21.9°F, 4.8°F colder than average. That ranks as the 5th coldest Oct-Apr average in St. Cloud records and the coldest since 1978-1979.

Ice Out?

The cold temperatures will likely produce one of the latest ice out dates on many northern and central Minnesota lakes. You can see average and latest days of ice out in Minnesota lakes and follow the progress this year from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. This comes on the heels of last year, which set many records for the earliest ice out, most before the end of March.

April 2014 Statistics