U.S. Is 5th Warmest On Record in 2024 So Far

Highlight: 5^th Warmest April on Record for West Virginia/Virginia. Indiana and Pennsylvania were 5^th wettest for mid-spring. U.S. is 5^th warmest on record for 2024 so far.

Discussion: April 2024 ranked 12^th warmest in the 1895-2024 climatology. MUCH ABOVE normal temperatures were observed across Missouri and Kentucky plus Ohio to Virginia during mid-spring (Fig. 1). West Virginia and Virginia observed their 5^th warmest April on record. The entire U.S. (except California and Washington) was warmer than normal.

MUCH ABOVE normal rainfall was observed in South Dakota and Minnesota plus the Ohio Valley to Pennsylvania during April 2024 (Fig. 2). Nationally, the U.S. ranked 42^nd wettest in the 1895-2024 climatology. April was wet across the Midwest and Texas and marginally dry across some western states. The driest climate during April was in North Carolina (13^th driest on record).

So far in 2024, the U.S. is 5^th warmest on record. Of the 48 contiguous states, 34 ranked MUCH ABOVE normal for the first 4 months of 2024 (Fig. 3). Northern New England and New York have encountered their 2^nd warmest first 1/3 of the year on record. Michigan and Wisconsin are also the 2^nd warmest on record for the 4-month period.

So far in 2024, the U.S. climate has been wet. Through April, the U.S. ranks 11^th wettest in the 130-year climatology. There are no states that are drier than normal and 34 of the 48 contiguous states are wetter than normal so far in 2024 (Fig. 4). Pennsylvania is the 2^nd wettest on record while Massachusetts and Rhode Island are 4^th wettest on record.

Contributing to the warmer and wetter than normal climate is a decelerating El Nino during early 2024 and much warmer than normal ocean surface outside of the tropics.

Fig. 1: NOAA state rankings for temperature during April 2024.

Fig. 2: NOAA state rankings for precipitation during April 2024.

Fig. 3: NOAA state rankings for temperature during 2024 so far.

Fig. 4: NOAA state rankings for precipitation during 2024 so far.