April 2024 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 1st, 2024

April 2024 in Review - A typical April month was experienced along the central Gulf Coast. Monthly temperatures came in a couple degrees warmer than normal on average at Mobile. At Pensacola, monthly temperatures were closer to normal. There were larger swings in the low temperatures with a few periods seeing lows dipping down into the lower to mid 40's and well below normal, just to return well above normal after each instance at Mobile. A similar outcome was observed at Pensacola with below normal numbers settling down to a range of 47 to 51 during the cooler periods, followed by a typical Gulf Coast warmup. No record temperatures were reached at both Mobile and Pensacola.  

"April Showers" were not enough for both Mobile and Pensacola to reach normal April rainfall. Monthly deficits of a little over two inches were reported in the rain gauge at Mobile and a hair over an inch short of normal at Pensacola.      

Mobile Alabama Area [Climate Normal Period 1991-2020, Climate Record Period 1872 to Present]- The average monthly high of 80.3° was 2.5° above normal. The average monthly low was 58.1° or 2.1° above normal. The average monthly temperature of 69.2° was 2.3° above normal. The highest temperature for the month, 89° on the 30th, was 8° above the normal daily high temperature for this date. The lowest temperature for the month, 41° on the morning of the 4th was 13° below the normal daily low temperature on this date. (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 only 3.31", 2.40" below normal (Fig. D). Annual rainfall (Fig. E) has returned to deficit status at Mobile by nearly the same amount, 2.44" below normal to date. 

April top records for the month during the Period of Record for the Mobile Area:

• High 94° occurred on the 21st/1987.
• Low 32° occurred on the 2nd/1881, 5th both in 1891 and 1987.
• Highest one day rainfall - 13.36" occurred on the 13th/1955.
• Highest monthly record rainfall - 18.08"/2014.
• Lowest monthly record rainfall - 0.08"/1999.
• Highest monthly snowfall - Trace/2007.  

Click on the Mobile Alabama area climate graphics below to expand:

Figure A.

Figure B.

Figure C.

Figure D.

Figure E.

Pensacola Florida Area [Climate Normal Period 1991-2020, Climate Record Period 1879 to Present] - The average monthly high of 76.7° was 0.9° below normal. The average monthly low was 60.2° or 1.2° above normal. The average monthly temperature of 68.5° was 0.2° above normal. The highest temperature for the month, 82° was reached on the 20th and again on the 25th, 3° and 2° above the normal daily high temperatures for these days respectively. The lowest temperature for the month, 47° occurred on the mornings of the 4th and 5th, 9° and 10° below the normal daily low temperature on these days respectively. (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 4.38", 1.14" below normal for April (Fig. I). Pensacola's year to date rainfall deficit has increased since March (Fig. J) to 3.28" below normal to date. 

April top records for the month during the Period of Record for the Pensacola Area:

• High 96° occurred on the 22nd/1987.
• Low 33° occurred on the 4th/1987.
• Highest one day rainfall - 15.55" on the 29th/2014.
• Highest monthly record rainfall - 29.53"/2014.
• Lowest monthly record rainfall - 0.06"/1915. 
• Highest monthly snowfall - Trace/2007.  

Click on the Pensacola Florida area climate graphics below to expand:

Figure F.

Figure G.

Figure H.

Figure I.

Figure J.

Additional April 2024 Climatology and Topics

There were pockets of higher rainfall totals for the month generally along and southeast of the I-65 corridor and lower amounts focused over interior, north central zones. Outside of spotty near normal monthly rainfall, much of the local area saw below normal precipitation. (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 2024 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. 

Figure K.

Figure L.

Figure M.

Eglin AFB/Duke Field Climate Summary - April 2024

KVPS - April 2024

KEGI - April 2024

May 2024 Climatology, Seasonal Climatology and Outlooks:

The outlook for May calls for temperatures to lean above normal over the southern states with Florida, Texas, and the Great Lakes seeing probabilities higher for above normal temperatures. Appears an active corridor of above normal precipitation is favored to be positioned well to the north of the Gulf Coast from the southern Plains, eastward to across the Appalachians. The month of May also signals that the start of the Atlantic Basin Hurricane Season is knocking at the door. There are indications pointing to tropical cyclone activity being above normal this year. Be on the lookout for NOAA's official hurricane season outlook, coming by the middle of May.    

Click on the snap shots below to expand:

May Normals

Temperature Outlook

Precipitation Outlook

Additional Climate Links:

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.

Questions or Comments:

Contact: Joe Maniscalco - Observation Program Leader WFO Mobile, AL at joe.maniscalco@noaa.gov