April showers bring May flowers

Apr 11, 06:38 PM

We all know this old saying and the sight of colorful flowers really is a wonderful treat in springtime. Is this saying always true when it comes to precipitation? Sure, April can be a fickle month just like March. It can range from chilly, wet weather (even some snow) to warm, dry days. But April tends to be a transitional month for much of the United States, including the Midwest. The subtropical jet stream begins to shift northward and become more of an influence in our weather here. Think of the jet stream as a fast moving river of air high above us in the atmosphere, ranging from 33,000 ft. to up to 46,000 ft.! Jet stream “currents” usually set up between sharp contrast in temperature and also help steer storm systems across the country.

April has been fairly quiet for us so far with below average temperatures and below normal precipitation amounts. We have seen 0.45” of precipitation (normal is 1.35”) and high temperatures have averaged about 52 cool degrees (60 degrees is normal). However, as April continues to chug along, there is a good chance that the subtropical jet stream will become more of a player in our region.

With the jet stream flowing quickly high above us, that typically means a more active weather pattern and usually warmer temperatures. The combination of rain and warmer days is a darn good formula for some pretty May flowers.

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