Below is an article that I wrote, with the help of my professor, Dr. Croft, which was published in a newspaper at my school. It mainly focuses on the extremes that the month of April can bring, this is because April is a transitional month, which is later described in the article. I would have posted this earlier but the last week of finals consumed my life. I’m out for the summer now, with one more year to go! Enjoy!
The spring season is in full swing. Flowers and plants have begun to bloom, trees have started to bud, and the birds and other wildlife have become more active. While many think of spring weather as sunny and pleasant days with temperatures in the 70s, the atmospheric reality is quite different. Spring is a time of transition from winter to summer and “pop-up” showers or thunderstorms are often an indication of the instability that can result from two very different types of weather conditions doing battle—cold, dry air from the north and warm, moist air from the south. This battle often leaves us scrambling as to what to wear and whether we will need a sweater, umbrella, or shorts from day-to- day.
April is a prime example of spring’s variable nature as temperatures in New Jersey have soared into the 90s, sunk into the teens, and the atmosphere has produced strong winds and hail. While “April Showers” is a familiar phrase to most people during April, the thought of snow is not often mentioned. Although getting several inches of snow is relatively rare in New Jersey in April, it has occurred, and Newark averages just less than one inch (0.8”) of snow in April. It is this variation that sometimes makes spring a ‘difficult’ season for some, as Kean University student Danielle Fadeski points out “April can be disappointing” given the chaotic variation of weather conditions from day-to-day. So far this month the temperature at nearby Newark Airport has ranged from as high as 93 to as low as 33 degrees. Nearly two-and-one-half inches of rain have fallen, some with severe thunderstorms and hail, and a trace of snow has been observed.
In some sections of the state up to an inch of snow has been observed. Other days have been downright dreary with overcast skies, rain, and strong winds. Yet these are reflective of past April’s in New Jersey and not ‘records’ by any means. What will the remainder of the month bring? While difficult to know precisely, it is clear that large variations are to be expected during a spring transition month.
The spring season is in full swing. Flowers and plants have begun to bloom, trees have started to bud, and the birds and other wildlife have become more active. While many think of spring weather as sunny and pleasant days with temperatures in the 70s, the atmospheric reality is quite different. Spring is a time of transition from winter to summer and “pop-up” showers or thunderstorms are often an indication of the instability that can result from two very different types of weather conditions doing battle—cold, dry air from the north and warm, moist air from the south. This battle often leaves us scrambling as to what to wear and whether we will need a sweater, umbrella, or shorts from day-to- day.
April is a prime example of spring’s variable nature as temperatures in New Jersey have soared into the 90s, sunk into the teens, and the atmosphere has produced strong winds and hail. While “April Showers” is a familiar phrase to most people during April, the thought of snow is not often mentioned. Although getting several inches of snow is relatively rare in New Jersey in April, it has occurred, and Newark averages just less than one inch (0.8”) of snow in April. It is this variation that sometimes makes spring a ‘difficult’ season for some, as Kean University student Danielle Fadeski points out “April can be disappointing” given the chaotic variation of weather conditions from day-to-day. So far this month the temperature at nearby Newark Airport has ranged from as high as 93 to as low as 33 degrees. Nearly two-and-one-half inches of rain have fallen, some with severe thunderstorms and hail, and a trace of snow has been observed.
In some sections of the state up to an inch of snow has been observed. Other days have been downright dreary with overcast skies, rain, and strong winds. Yet these are reflective of past April’s in New Jersey and not ‘records’ by any means. What will the remainder of the month bring? While difficult to know precisely, it is clear that large variations are to be expected during a spring transition month.
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