April 2023 Climate Summaries
Mobile Alabama and Pensacola Florida Area
Joe Maniscalco - Observation Program Leader (OPL)/Meteorologist
POC for Observation, Climate, and COOP
National Weather Service Mobile Alabama
May 4th, 2023
April 2023 in Review - The month started off on a warm note the first week at Mobile and Pensacola, with daytime highs averaging 7.8° above normal between both sites and lows averaging 12.9° above normal from the 1st to the 7th. Within this period, both Mobile and Pensacola saw two new day record highs and two successive mornings of record high low temperatures. Following the warm start to the month, a brief cold spell caused a downward spike in temperatures most noticeably on the 9th when high temperatures where near 15.0° off the pace on average. The remainder of the month saw high temperatures recover to close to normal. After another brief cold spell with below normal low temperatures the middle of the month, overnight lows also recovered to near normal at the close of April. Overall, average monthly temperatures were within a degree or two of what is expected for April.
After a lengthy spell of dry months, six of the last seven months seeing below normal monthly rain, plenty of "April Showers" at both Mobile and Pensacola produced a comfortable surplus above the normal monthly rainfall. On the 27th at Pensacola, over half the monthly total rainfall fell on this record setting day for daily precipitation when a little over four inches was collected in the rain gauge.
Mobile Alabama Area [Climate Normal Period 1991-2020, Climate Record Period 1872 to Present]- The average monthly high of 79.0° was 1.2° above normal. The average monthly low was 58.2° or 2.2° above normal. The average monthly temperature of 68.6° was 1.7° above normal. The highest temperature for the month, 88° on the 6th, was 12° above the normal daily high temperature for this date and also broke the previous record high set on this date of 86° back in 1967 and 1956. The other record high broken was a toasty 87° reached on the 1st, topping the previous record of also 86° back in 2017 and 1966. The lowest temperature for the month, 43° on the morning of the 17th was 13° below the normal daily low temperature on this date. Two other records were set and these were record high low temperatures. On the 4th, 73° broke the previous record of 71° set on this date back in 1968 and on the morning of the 5th, 71° tied the last occurrence set way back in 1880. (Fig. A) shows a graphical representation of how the Mobile area temperatures compared to the seasonal normal daily highs and lows, which are shown by the colored dashed lines. Bar graphs reflecting the daily high/low temperature departures from normal are provided in the table below (Figs. B and C). The rain gauge collected 8.57", 2.86" above normal (Fig. D). Annual rainfall (Fig. E) though remains in deficit status at Mobile by 3.91" below normal to date.
April top records for the month during the Period of Record for the Mobile Area:
Click on the Mobile Alabama area climate graphics below to expand:
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Pensacola Florida Area [Climate Normal Period 1991-2020, Climate Record Period 1879 to Present] - The average monthly high of 78.8° was 1.2° above normal. The average monthly low was 62.0° or 3.0° above normal. The average monthly temperature of 70.4° was 2.1° above normal. The highest temperature for the month, 86° on the 1st, was 11° above the normal daily high temperature for this date and also broke the previous record high of 84° set on this date in 2012. The other record was a daily high of 84° on the 6th which equaled the previous occurrence reached back in 1956 and again way back in 1889. The lowest temperature for the month, 49° on the morning of the 17th was 10° below the normal daily low temperature on this date. Two other records were set and these were record high low temperatures being smashed. On the 4th, 73° broke the previous record of 70° set in four other years, 2008, 1957, 1927 and 1880. On the 5th, 74° broke the previous record of 70° set way back in the 1880's, 1888 and 1880. (Fig. F) shows a graphical representation of how the Pensacola area temperatures compared to the seasonal normal daily highs and lows, which are shown by the colored dashed lines. (Figs. G and H) shows the daily high/low temperature departures from normal. The rain gauge measured 7.34", 1.82" above normal for April (Fig. I). Pensacola's year to date rainfall (Fig. J) remains at a deficit, 3.72" below normal to date.
April top records for the month during the Period of Record for the Pensacola Area:
Click on the Pensacola Florida area climate graphics below to expand:
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Additional April 2023 Climatology and Topics
The higher rainfall totals for the month was mostly concentrated from southeast Mississippi to across coastal southwest Alabama and pockets of higher totals along portions of US Highway 84. Within these areas, a few locales saw several inches of above normal rains and 200 to 300% of normal rainfall. (Fig. K) shows the areal monthly rainfall total, (Fig. L) shows the areal rainfall departures from normal and (Fig. M), the areal percent of normal rainfall. The latest April 2023 monthly summary for Eglin Air Force Base (AFB) - KVPS and Duke Field - KEGI has been received and provided in the table below. The temperatures in the daily tables consists of numbers both in °F/°C. Data courtesy of Mr. David Biggar, Staff Meteorologist, 96th Weather Squadron. Provided by permission.
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May 2023 Climatology, Seasonal Climatology and Outlooks:
The temperature outlook for May calls for above normal temperatures mainly focused over the southern states and from there extending north over the eastern US. Within this corridor, the coastal plain into the Florida Peninsula appears to see monthly temperatures likely above climatological means (50 to 60% probability). As for precipitation, the southeast US appears to lean above normal (40 to 50% probability). NOAA's 2023 Atlantic Basin Hurricane Season Outlook comes the middle of the month of May and a link will be added to this section when received.
Click on the snap shots below to expand:
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Additional Climate Links:
The links below are intended to provide additional climate information, education and outlooks. The National Weather Service Mobile Alabama's Climate and Past Weather page provides climate data at your fingertips for many observation points in the local forecast area by accessing the NOWData tab as well as many other climate resources. The Climate Prediction Center Link provides short and longer range climatic outlooks and education about the larger scale global circulations that impact temperatures and weather. With the large agriculture and farming presence along the central Gulf coast, the Drought Monitor link provides updates on drought trends and impacts. Another very helpful resource is the Community Collaborative Rain Hail and Snow (CoCoRaHS) network, which is a large group of volunteers working together to measure and map precipitation (rain, hail and snow). The aim of CoCoRaHS is to provide the highest quality data for natural resource, education and research applications. You can be a part of the CoCoRaHS team by becoming a volunteer rainfall observer. To learn more click on the CoCoRaHS link below.
WFO Mobile/Pensacola Monthly Climate Summary Archive
National Weather Service Mobile AL Climate and Past Weather
Climate Prediction Center (CPC)
CoCoRaHS Network Water Year Summaries
Questions or Comments:
Contact: Joe Maniscalco - Observation Program Leader WFO Mobile, AL at joe.maniscalco@noaa.gov
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