MUWIC Newsletter - May 2007

(Issued: May 2, 2007)

 

Millersville University Weather Information Center (MUWIC)

Eric J. Horst, Director

************************************************************************

 

MONTH IN REVIEW: “Coldest April since 1975”

 

April ended with a near-perfect day featuring bright sunshine, a pleasant breeze and a high temperature of 82 degrees. The warm weather of recent days is in stark contrast to the persistent chill that enveloped the region for much of the month. Snow flurries and near-record cold settled over the Northeast during the first week of April, before a major Nor’easter pounded the region with heavy rain and mountain snows on the 15th. Remarkably, the magnitude and persistence of the early- to mid-month chill was such that April concluded as the coldest since 1975 and the 13th coldest on record!

The silver lining of April’s cool, turbulent weather was the copious precipitation that fell region-wide. Over five inches of rain and melted snow fell in the Lancaster area, bringing the local year-to-date precipitation total to 13.48 inches. Plentiful soil moisture and the developing warm-weather pattern will make for a great start to the growing season and little threat of repeating the droughty conditions of last Spring.

************************************************************************

 

EVENT OF THE MONTH

 

A potent Nor’easter produced heavy rain and mountain snowfall on April 15th. Over two inches of rain fell across much of Lancaster County as the barometric pressure dropped to 20.02 inches. Up to twenty inches of snow fell over the high terrain of northeastern PA and central NY; in fact, several inches of slushy snow even fell in the hills of extreme eastern Lancaster County!

 

************************************************************************

 

APRIL CLIMATOLOGY (MU Weather Station)

 

Average High Temp: 58.3 F

Average Low Temp: 39.8 F                                                   

Average Monthly Temp: 49.0 F                                         

(Departure from Normal: -2.9 F)

                 

Snowfall: Trace

(Departure from Normal: -0.3)              

Precipitation: 5.04 inches  

(Departure from Normal: +1.57)   

Annual Precipitation: 13.48 inches              

(Departure from Normal: +.15)

 

************************************************************************

 

MAY NORMALS, RECORDS & FACTS

 

Normal daily temperatures will shoot up 9 degrees this month. The normal high/low ranges from 70/44 on May 1st to 79/54 by month’s end. The record high for May is 98 degrees (on 5/23/25) and the record low is 27 F (on 5/1/78). Normal monthly rainfall is 3.62 inches. The rainiest May on record occurred in 1989 (10.07 inches) while the driest May was in 1939 when just a half-inch fell.

 

************************************************************************

 

MAY OUTLOOK

 

I sense that the global weather pattern is on the verge of a major realignment. The three-month period of January 19th to April 19th averaged well below normal across our region. Unseasonable warmth has developed in recent days and the overall pattern now looks to favor above-normal conditions for the next few months.

 

The first ten days of May will continue the recent warm-weather trend. May 1st and 2nd will feature mild temperatures, before a slightly cooler air mass settles in for May 3rd and 4th. The first weekend of May is looking brilliant across the Commonwealth with temperatures warming into the low 70s. A summer-like pattern will then establish itself in the East from May 7 to 10th. Temperatures will hit the 80s and even approach 90 in warm spots to our south and west. Other than a passing shower or thunderstorm, the first ten days of May looks mainly dry.

 

As the month progresses, the amount of precipitation we receive will help determine our fate for early summer. Wet May’s often lead to a cool early summer period, whereas a dry May can lead to early warmth. Right now, I see a better chance of the warm, dry scenario evolving across the Mid-Atlantic region, despite occasional backdoor cold fronts and isolated showers. In summary, I foresee May breaking the late-winter into early-spring trend of cool, moist conditions—above-normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation should prevail in the mean.

 

COPYRIGHT 2007 Millersville University

 

Published monthly by the Millersville University Weather Information Center.

Subscribe on our homepage at www.atmos.millersville.edu/~wic

 

**********************************************************************

          *** Bookmark our web site at: www.atmos.millersville.edu/~wic ***

**********************************************************************