According to scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Climate Data Center, the continental United States experienced its warmest April ever based on records dating back to 1895. The average temperature for April (based on preliminary data) was the warmest in the 1895-2006 period of record, breaking the previous record for the month, set in 1981.

April was 4.5°F above the 20^th century (1901-2000) average. The uncharacteristic warmth was particularly concentrated over the south-central United States. Texas and Oklahoma had their warmest April on record, while New Mexico, Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee recorded their second warmest. Twelve other states recorded one of their top five warmest Aprils on record. None of the 48 continental states was cooler-than-average. However, temperatures across Alaska were cooler-than-average during April, with a statewide temperature of 0.85°F below the 1971-2000 mean.

Precipitation was near average for the continental United States, ranking 45^th wettest in the 1895-2006 record. Wetter-than-normal conditions occurred in 12 states, mostly across the western and north central United States. California, Nevada, Idaho and Montana experienced one of their top 10 wettest Aprils on record, continuing a pattern of wetter-than-normal conditions that has persisted in that part of the country for much of the past six months.

However, 10 states were drier-than-normal, primarily in the southwestern and southeastern United States. Only Colorado experienced well-below-normal precipitation, recording its 11^th driest April.

Source: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)