The temperature was smack-dab, but April saw less rain than what’s usual for the fourth month of the year.
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“The month, as is typical of April, was unsettled,” summarized Ron Lakeman, forecaster for the Southeast Fire Centre.
“The mean monthly temperature was bang on normal, while the total amount of precipitation, all rain, was only 69 per cent of normal.”
Temperatures were highly variable, however no records were set.
Further, the average daily temperature of 8.8 C expected for April, is the exact mean Lakeman noted in his month-end report.
The warmest day was 20.8 C on April 21, and the coldest it got was -2.7 C on the last day of the month.
The 39-year record high of 28.2 C still stands from April 27, 1980. And -7.5 C remains the coldest day in the history books for the month, set on April Fools Day, 1979.
Precipitation-wise, measurable rain was recorded 16 of the 30 days, though trace amounts were noted another six days.
“Several Pacific disturbances pushed across southern B.C. for relatively frequent showers, but generally light amounts of rain,” Lakeman explained. “High pressure allowed for a few dry and fairly sunny days, most notably the fist two days of the month, (as well as) April 17 and April 21.”
The greatest amount of rainfall for one day was 8.8 millimeters, recorded on April 5.
Growing degree days (GDD) currently sit at 95 per cent of normal, according to Lakeman’s summary.
GDD are a measure of heat accumulation used by horticulturists, gardeners, and farmers, throughout the year, to predict plant and animal development rates such as the date that a flower will bloom, a crop will reach maturity, or a turkey is ready for the roasting pan.
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