A record-breaking April

Our streak of warmer than average months continued in a big way in April - it was the warmest April on record in Victoria.  The mean temperature at Victoria Gonzales was 12.4 degrees, easily beating the old record of 12.1 degrees set back in April 2004, and well above the 30-year average of 9.9 degrees.  The temperatures this April were more like May - in fact the mean temperature equaled the 30-year average for May.  The average daily maximum and minimum temperatures were 15.9/8.8 vs. the April normal 13.4/6.3.   The warmest temperature was 25.5 degrees on April 20 (close to the all time April maximum of 27.0).  The coolest temperature was 7.1 degrees on April 9.  That is the warmest extreme monthly minimum ever recorded for April.

The chart below compares the daily maximum and minimum temperatures for April with the 30-year average temperatures.  Maximum temperatures cycled between being close to average and being well above average.  The overnight minimum temperatures were consistently above average.

Daily maximum and minimum temperatures, April 2016

The warmth wasn't limited to Victoria Gonzales.  April 2016 was also the warmest on record at the Victoria Airport, as well as in Vancouver, Seattle, and Portland.

April was also much drier than normal, with just 8.8 mm of rain at Victoria Gonzales, compared with the 30-year average of 31.5 mm.  There was measurable rainfall on 7 days in April compared with the normal of 11 days.

The chart below shows the daily and cumulative rainfall at Victoria Gonzales for April 2016.  Clearly, it was much drier than normal.

Daily and cumulative precipitation, April 2016

It was generally dry throughout the region in April, although, as is typical, other areas did get more rain than Victoria.  The chart below compares April rainfall totals.  Compared with 8.8 mm at Victoria Gonzales, amounts at the Victoria Airport were quite similar (10.4 mm).  Somewhat higher amounts were recorded at Saltspring Island (24.1 mm), Vancouver Harbour (26.3 mm) and Seattle Airport (30.2 mm).