APRIL 1-10, 2020 – TYPICALLY VARIABLE UP AND DOWN TEMPERATURES WITH A COOL BEGINNING AND END AND MILD MIDDLE WITH CONTINUED FREQUENT LIGHT RAINS; ENDING WINDY PERIOD IN WEST ROCKVILLE MARYLAND

APRIL 1-10, 2020 – TYPICALLY VARIABLE UP AND DOWN TEMPERATURES WITH A COOL BEGINNING AND END AND MILD MIDDLE WITH CONTINUED FREQUENT LIGHT RAINS; ENDING WINDY PERIOD IN WEST ROCKVILLE MARYLAND

The mixture of mild to warm days interspersed with cooler periods with frequent light rains continued through the beginning of April. We had only 0.42 inches total of rainfall during this period, with 9.17 inches for the year through April 10. Once again we had no days with minimum temperatures at or below the freezing mark (extreme low only 38.4 degrees on the 2nd) during this latest 10 day period. The highest temperature of this period was 75.7 degrees on the changeable 8th.

Daily precip, max/min temperature values, general sky condition, and Peak Wind Gust for each day of the period include:

4/1   0.02 53.2 39.3 Cloudy – 17 NE

4/2  0.00 60.9 38.4 PCloudy – 40 NW

4/3  0.00 66.5 44.2 PCloudy – 32 NW

4/4  0.00 61.3 47.9  PCloudy – 16 E

4/5  0.01  70.4 43.8 PCloudy, RA-, warmer – 17 W

4/6  0.00  71.8 50.6 PCloudy, warm 17 NE

4/7  0.15   71.0 50.8 Mostly Cloudy, RA 1530-1630 – 20 NE

4/8  0.11   75.7 55.2 Cloudy, TSRA- 0400-0430, Clearing late – 31 W

4/9  0.13   67.4 42.6 PCloudy, RA- AM; becoming very windy late – 58 NW

4/10 0.00  49.4 39.7 PCloudy, remaining very windy – calming late – colder – 60 NW

There was light precipitation on five of the days of this period, with a pronounced windy period late, brought on by a strong cold front and a strong coastal LOW pressure system. The lowest dew points in the 20s occurred during the colder end period and highest in the warmer middle period. With the increase in daily rainfall, fire danger remained low for the most part but the strong, dessicating, drying winds over the last few days ramped us up a bit. 

I think my seasonal snowfall of only 3.0 inches of snow with no March accumulation is unfortunately complete. There has been a bit of snow falling in the area over the last few days of the period but nothing was observed at my station.  

Other than the light, brief thundershower early on the 8th, no severe weather was encountered in the period.

April weather looks to continue with a cool down heading into the middle of the period, with frequent light rains continuing. Cherry and other tree blossoms are in peak bloom now, with “leaf out” not too far in the future.  

The current temperature is 35.6 degrees at 0633 as winds have abated. There are areas of frost out there this morning, and some freezing temperatures.  The temperature should rebound briefly over the next few days before another cool period settles in by mid-week. 

I took the featured image picture back on April 2, showing the area around my rain gauge, yours truly, and the rain gauge itself amidst “green up” of the grass occurring at this time.  

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