The monthly weather summary is starting to sound like a broken record.
Above average temperatures and below average rainfall. Three of the first
four months of the year have had above average temperatures. Likewise,
three of the first four months of the year have had below average
precipitation. For the record, January had above average precipitation and
February had below average temperatures.

The average daily high during April was 67 degrees, 1.1 degrees above
average. The average overnight low was 45.1, 2.9 degrees above normal.
These gave us a monthly mean temperature of 56.1, 2.0 degrees above
average. The highest temperature for April was the high of 78 degrees on
April 1st. The lowest temperature for April was the morning reading of 29 on
April 3rd. All in all there were some very nice spring like days during April this
year! There was one temperature record set during April. The overnight low
of 59 on the 17th broke the record high low temperature for that date. The
old record was 57 and was set in 1964 and then again in 1996 and 2004.
The hottest April on record was in 1955 when we had a monthly mean
temperature of 63.2, The coldest April was in 1983 with a chilly monthly
mean temperature of 45.9. Our average last frost date, since 1950, is April
15th. Our latest frost has been on May 14th (1953).  Our earliest last frost
was March 10th (2012). Barring an unusual cool down in the coming two
weeks, it appears that our last frost will have been on April 4th this year,
about a week and a half earlier than average but well within the expected
range.

April showers historically have delivered us 2.95 inches of rain. We fell short
of that this year. Junction City received 2.15 inches during the month and
Milford Lake 2.05 inches. Year to date Junction City has received 4.14 inches
of precipitation and Milford Lake 3.98 inches. Normal year to date
precipitation through April is 7.06 inches. The driest April on record was the
drought year of 1989 when we only had 0.36 inches of rain. The wettest April
was in 1944 when 12.59 inches flooded the region. Long term average
snowfall for April is 0.7″. The area hasn´t seen snow since mid February and
this effectively brings the snowfall season to a close with a mere 7.2 inches
of snow recorded. Average seasonal snowfall for our area is 18 inches.

May brings us more spring weather with an occasional hint of summer.
Average daily highs in May start with 72 on the 1st and by month´s end are
up to 81. Overnight lows start the month with a chilly 48 and by the 31st are
up to a comfortable 58 degrees. May and June are our wettest months of the
year. Average May rainfall is 4.79 inches. It isn´t uncommon to see
temperatures above 90 in May, but temperatures of 100 or above are
uncommon. In fact 100 has only been reached twice in May. May 21, 1956
and May 30, 1998 both had high temperatures of 100 degrees.

Released by Chuck Otte, Geary County Extension Agent.