Fairbanks April 2012
Highlights
In Fairbanks the average April temperature was 36.9°F, a substantial 4.4°F above the long term mean. The high temperature for the month was 61°F on the 16th, which is also a new record high for this day. The previous maximum for this day was 59°F observed in 1993. The low temperature for the month was -8°F observed on the 4th. The beginning of the month was much colder than normal, followed by above normal temperatures, especially around the middle of the month, while the end of April reported seasonally normal temperatures. It was the 13thwarmest April on record, and above normal temperatures resulted in an early breakup of the Tanana River. The ice went out at Nenana on the 23rdof April.
Precipitation in April was far below normal with only 0.07" water-equivalent, which represents only 23% of the expected precipitation. The snow cover, measuring 22" at the beginning of the month, had disappeared at the airport by the 20th. The mean wind speed was 4.2 mph, with the highest gust of 32 mph occurring on the 24thApril, blowing from a northwesterly direction.