April 2026 Climate Summary

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Overview and Graphics

April 2026 Climate Review:

Temperatures averaged well above normal by 7 to 8 degrees. This was the warmest April on record for many locations in our region, including 4 of our 5 climate sites. 80s were a common occurrence with Paducah and Evansville registering 15 such days. An average April typically sees around 4 to 6 days reaching 80. There were only 8 days that finished below normal, the 5th-7th, 18th-20th, and 29th-30th. Temperatures dipped into the 30s several of these nights. There were 6 daily record highs and 24 record warm lows across our 5 climate stations for the month.

Precipitation was drier than normal across most of our region with amounts only ranging from 2 to 5 inches for most areas, which was to 1 to 3 inches below normal for April. Highest totals were more focused across southeast Missouri and southern Illinois with lowest amounts in west Kentucky from the lakes eastward and southwest Indiana. The highest observed amount in our forecast area was 6.32” at a CoCoRaHS Station 1.7 miles ENE of Sikeston, MO. Drought worsened across the Quad State with extreme (D3) levels being introduced across southern portions of southeast Missouri and western Kentucky by the end of the month. Most of the rest of the region experienced moderate to severe drought conditions by the end of the month (although some much needed heavier rains did occur on the 27th and 28th which helped across the north half of the area).

The 6 month period from November through April officially finished as the 2nd driest on record in Paducah, Cape Girardeau, and Carbondale. Amounts were generally 8 to 15 inches below normal in this 6 month period.