April 2025 Overview – Midwestern Regional Climate Center

Temperature

The average April temperature for the Midwest was 49.7°F, which was 1.0°F above the 1991-2020 normal (Figure 1). Across the region, average April temperatures were generally close to normal across the upper Midwest and in the east, whereas temperatures were above normal in the far lower Midwest and the west (Figure 2). Statewide average temperatures ranged from 2.1°F above normal in Kentucky to 0.2°F below normal in Wisconsin (Figure 1). The first half of the month was dominated by near- to below-normal temperatures regionwide (Figure 3), which gave way to above-normal temperatures regionwide during the second half of April (Figure 4). There were no notable station-level or state-level monthly records for April.

Precipitation

April precipitation totaled 4.71 inches for the Midwest, which was 1.04 inches above normal, or 128 percent of normal (Figure 1). Final rankings indicate that the Midwest had its 8th wettest April on record (dating back to 1895). Precipitation was abundant across the lower Midwest, with monthly totals 3 to 12 inches above normal (Figure 5). Across the upper Midwest, total April precipitation ranged from within 2 inches above or below normal. Statewide precipitation totals ranged from 0.34 inches below normal in Iowa to 3.81 inches above normal in Kentucky (Figure 1). Final rankings indicate that Kentucky had its 2nd wettest April on record (the wettest April occurred in 2011), and Missouri had its 4th wettest. Indiana had its 10th wettest April. Two specific events contributed greatly to the extraordinary wetness across the lower Midwest. For Kentucky, the bulk of the monthly rain came from April 2-6, when about 3 months of rain fell over just a 5-day period (details below) (Figure 6). Southern Illinois and southern Indiana measured 6 to 8 inches of precipitation during that time. Then, from April 18-21, Missouri picked up 3 to 6 inches of widespread rain (Figure 7). Most weather stations across the lower Midwest recorded a top five wettest April (Figure 8). St. Louis and Springfield, Missouri, had their wettest April in 151 and 138 years, respectively. Bowling Green, Kentucky, had its wettest April in 126 years after picking up 11.58 inches for the month. With 117 years of data, Rushville, Indiana, measured a record-setting 12.26 inches in April. Cincinnati, Ohio, reported five consecutive days with over a half inch of rainfall each day, setting a new record for April.

Drought

There were notable improvements in drought and abnormal dryness across the month. April started with about 62 percent of the region dry or in drought (Figure 9) and ended with about 31 percent affected (Figure 10). Kentucky, Missouri, Indiana, and Ohio were completely drought-free. The remaining five Midwestern states had just isolated pockets of drought.

Severe Weather Outbreak April 2-3

An intense low pressure system traversed the Midwest on April 2-3, bringing widespread severe weather across the lower Midwest, 2 to 3 inches of drenching rain across the eastern Midwest, and 8 to 15 inches of snowfall across Minnesota. The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed 75 tornadoes in the Midwest alone that resulted in at least one fatality, about a dozen injuries, over 250,000 customers without power, and damage to structures and trees. Twenty-three of the confirmed tornadoes touched down in the NWS Paducah area, setting a new single-day tornado record for that area (Figure 11).

Excessive Kentucky Rainfall April 2-6

In the wake of the April 2-3 severe weather outbreak (noted above), multiple waves of thunderstorms and heavy rain continued to affect the lower Midwest, with Kentucky taking the brunt of the rainfall and flooding (Figure 6). The Kentucky Mesonet recorded 5-day precipitation totals of 10 to 16 inches for a broad swath covering the state's western half. Flash flooding, along with moderate to major river flooding, inundated central and western Kentucky. Many locations had their worst flooding in over 60 years. Stranded residents were rescued from homes, businesses, and vehicles. Countless roads became impassable from flooding and landslides, and many roadways were closed for weeks as the flooding persisted into mid-month. At least seven flood-related fatalities have been reported across the state.