The amazing Spring of 2010 continues. April 2010 was one of the warmest Aprils in Minnesota history. Phenology is far ahead of schedule. In the Twin Cities, lilac bushes and crabapple trees are blooming two weeks ahead of average and are close to the earliest dates seen in the past 40 years.
April 2010 finished with an average temperature of 54.9 degrees at the Twin Cities International Airport. This was warm enough to be the second warmest April on record going back to 1891. The warmest April back to 1891 is 1915 with 56 degrees. Checking pioneer records, there is another April that was even warmer than 1915. April 1839 was 57.3 degrees.
Below are listings of where April 2010 ranks in the historical record for the Twin Cities.
Twin Cities Warmest Average April Temperatures from 1820-2010 Rank Temp Year --------------- 1. 57.3...1839 2. 56.0...1915 3. 55.2...1825 4. 54.9...2010 5. 54.0...1832 6. 53.9...1955 7. 53.5...1897 53.5...2006 (tie) 9. 53.2...1925 10. 53.0...1895 53.0...1977 (tie)