As you can see below April can bring some volatile weather ranging from snowstorms to severe weather outbreaks.
April 1
1923: Winter persists into April as temperatures fall to a record cold 8 degrees at Lansing and 9 degrees at Muskegon.
1970: An April Fool’s Day snowstorm drops 10 inches of snow on Lansing. Another 7 inches of snow falls the next day.
April 2
1977: A tornado outbreak in southern Lower Michigan kills one person and injures about 50 others. One thunderstorm spawned two violent tornadoes in Kalamazoo and Eaton Counties. Several homes and businesses were destroyed on the southwest edge of Augusta by the first tornado. The second tornado destroyed 21 homes and 28 outbuildings as it moved from near Bellevue to Eaton Rapids. Other tornadoes hit near north of Bath in Clinton County and southeast of Dansville in Ingham County.
April 3
1956: Eighteen people are killed and over 300 injured as four powerful tornadoes strike western Lower Michigan. Hudsonville and the northwest suburbs of Grand Rapids are the hardest hit areas with 17 fatalities as homes and businesses were completely swept away by an F5 tornado. Michigan recorded the strongest winds in all the world for the year this day. Below is a video of the tornado outbreak.
1974: The worst tornado outbreak in United States history strikes from Illinois to Alabama, with 148 tornadoes killing over 300 people. In Michigan, a tornado kills two people as it tracks across Hillsdale and Jackson Counties.
April 4
2003: A devastating ice storm strikes central Lower Michigan. Heavy rain from thunderstorms falls into a layer of cold air near the ground and freezes on contact, creating sheaths of ice up to 3 inches thick that brings down thousands of tree limbs. It was estimated that 450,000 homes and businesses lost power during the storm and that nearly 50,000 people were without power for a week as persistent cold temperatures keep the heavy ice on the trees for 4 days after the storm. Crews came from four different states to help local utility companies restore power.
April 5
1982: Arctic air pours into Lower Michigan in the wake of a snowstorm and lake effect snows pile up over a foot across western Lower Michigan. The 12 inches of snow at Muskegon makes this the snowiest April day on record there.
April 6
1882: A tornado outbreak strikes Lower Michigan, killing 10 people and injuring more than 50 others. Tornadoes struck Midland and Kalamazoo Counties, killing one person each. Four people were killed in a tornado that moved between Bedford and Charlotte. Three people were killed in Oakland County by a tornado that passed between Clyde and West Highland. A tornado that struck east of Dansville in Ingham County killed one person. A barn and home were destroyed by a tornado a mile west of Charlotte, but no one was killed.
1997: A strong cold front moved through with a line of thunderstorms producing wind gusts to 70 mph and causing widespread damage across much of southern Lower Michigan.
April 7
1954: A tornado destroyed two barns and damaged a house and apartment building near Fulton in Kalamazoo County.
1982: Temperatures plunge to near zero as arctic high pressure persists over the Great Lakes states. Lansing falls to 2 below zero for a record low for the date and the latest sub-zero temperature on record. Muskegon falls to one degree above zero and Grand Rapids to 3 above for their coldest April temperatures on record.
The winter weather advisory for Allegan, Barry, Van Buren and Kalamazoo counties will expire at 11am.
Snow this morning will gradually exit the area, although some persistent lake effect bands could persist into early afternoon. Otherwise, blustery conditions are expected today with highs ranging from upper 20s to lower 30s, which is at least 20 degrees below normal for this time of year. Below normal temperatures are expected to continue well into next week with some additional snow expected Thursday night.
Less than 1 week away from the turn to WARMER weather!!!! Get Ready!!!
https://weather.com/weather/tenday/l/USMI0344:1:US
Now this is more like it!! Just in time for when I get back from Spring Break in Florida!!!
http://www.cpc.noaa.gov/products/predictions/814day/814temp.new.gif
I think we are in for a nice warm-up soon. Anybody see the beautiful sunset! It was awesome after all the snow flurries today.
Is this April or February?
April in Michigan.
Amazing April Cold!
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/threats/hazards_d3_7_contours.png
What a storm! More cold and snow is in our future! I love it!
Open up slim Jims basement and find out go deep downstairs slim if this is the worst week ever for Detroit Tigers baseball opening week.. starting out 1-4 don’t help with all the cold and rain snow postoments . INDYDOG14
Why even play the make up games? They are going to finish last regardless.
Chance to make it in the 40’s late next week heat wave it will feel like lol!! INDYDOG14!!
👍
Warm up coming late next week. Near 50 degrees. 🙂
33* out at thee YARDofBRICKS 23* degrees below normal for April standards .. INDYDOG14!!
Another 2 to 4 inches of snow coming tomorrow will put me well over 80 inches of snow this winter not bad at all out at thee YARDofBRICKS!! Above Average snowfall this winter INDYDOG14!
Don’t look now, but Accuweather has 70 degrees in two weeks! We’ll see if it comes true, but a big switch is coming.
Not much snow out there given all the complaining and what not! In fact, most has already melted.
Most of what little snow we received is gone from the sun. The wind has calmed some too, but it’s still cold.
20* degrees cooler today then normal nice spring day lol! INDYDOG14!!
The wind is so COLD!!!!
ADA – 2 inches of snow in most places.
Getting blizzard conditions out at thee YARDofBRICKS INDYDOG!!
So far April has above normal snowfall and well below normal temps! Forget golf – I am making pans to go skiing!
Wow .. it’s snowing outside! INDYDOG14!
Who would have thought?
Not only will we see more snow total but we have more on the way later this week and beyond! Bring it! Forget golf!
http://www.instantweathermaps.com/GFS-php/conussfc.php?run=2018040406&time=PER&var=ASNOWI&hour=240
Winter Returns? I am not sure it ever left. We have been in an incredible cold stretch for this time of year and now we are above normal for seasonal snowfall! Who knew?
We got hammered with SNOW last night! A solid 3 inches! Do we have any other snowfall totales out there? It looks awesome outside right now!
A solid 3 at my house, between Sparta & Cedar Springs
+1
Grass is pretty well covered with blades poking through. It was windy and snowing hard on the drive into work this morning. Now the sun is shining (for the moment) and still very windy.