AUSTIN (KXAN) — We’re experiencing one of the top five warmest starts to March, which may not bring additional rain until the last day or two of the month. Needless to say, Central Texas needs rain and we’re looking for any signs of it’s arrival.
The preliminary April outlook may spell cause for some optimism should it come to fruition.
April is typically one of our driest months of the year, but this year, it could be wetter than normal for parts of the area.
The April forecast, released Thursday, suggests a more active pattern than the one we have had most of March and leans wetter than normal for the eastern Hill Country, Austin metro and our eastern counties.
April rainfall forecast (CPC)
At the same time, a continuation of the warmer-than-normal weather we’ve had most of the year should continue into April.
April Temperature Forecast (CPC)
What’s normal for April in Austin?
Average high: 80.3º (sixth-coldest month on average)
April 1 average high: 78º
April 30 average high: 83º
Average low: 58.9º
April 1 average low: 56º
April 30 average low: 62º
Average rain: 2.42″ (third-driest month on average)
Drought worsening
The latest drought report brought slight worsening to Milam County with an unchanged map for the majority of the area, despite some rain and storms last week that weren’t included in the previous report.
Exceptional drought in parts of Central Texas
Severe weather season typically ramps up in April
While we typically get less rain in April than in March, usually we get more severe weather.
Typically, this is a result of warmer temperatures and higher humidity contributing to more instability in the atmosphere. So while it doesn’t rain much, when it does rain, it usually brings a severe threat with it.
Severe weather season in Central Texas
Severe weather season peaks in May in Central Texas.
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