by John Simpson
April 2020 was hotter and drier than normal for most of southeast Arizona. The Tucson airport recorded 0.07” of rain and their 30-year average is 0.31.” I recorded 0.25” of rain and my 9-year average is 0.26.” This rain fell on one day, April 11th, with the rest of the month being dry. April is typically a dry month and is my second driest month behind May. Vail was a “hot” spot for rain in southern Arizona with 0.2 to 0.5” being recorded in the central part of Vail along Wentworth and Colossal Cave roads. Rainlog.org recorded drier 0.1” amounts on either side in Rita Ranch and Mescal. On the temperature side, the first two-thirds of the month was quite pleasant, then a late April heat wave hit resulting in the last eight days of the month being the hottest in Tucson history. Some noteworthy statistics include the airports first 90+ degree day on April 23rd, which is about three weeks later than average. The heat continued and just six days later, the airport recorded its first 100+ degree day on the 29th, which is about three weeks early. In addition, the 100+ high on April 29th was the 5th earliest 100+ degree high in Tucson airport history. The airport went from October 17th 2019 to April 23rd 2020 between the last and first 90+ degree high, a span of 188 days, which is the longest stretch since 1997-1998. I was definitely not ready for the intense warm up we saw this past April. I will discuss the May climate report for next month’s article, which is typically the driest month in southern Arizona.
