Chilliwack April Weather in Review – Just An Average Month

Chilliwack – (Roger Pannett, Volunteer Weather Observer for Environment Canada at Chilliwack) – With re-occurring large upper level troughs of low pressure, weather conditions throughout the month were generally cloudy, cool and showery. To mid month, low freezing levels contributed to heavy snowfalls on the high mountain passes. A symptom of the remaining La Nina. Atmospheric instability resulted in 3 days with hail, plus thunder storms west of Chilliwack.

Only two transient high pressure ridges occurred, early and late in the month. On April 24^th, temperatures peaked at 20.8 °C (+4.2 °C) with a relative humidity of 29%.(Well below the record for the date of 28.3°C in 1905.) It was the warmest day since the 25.0 °C on September 25^th, 2021.

The minimum temperature for the month was 0.6 °C on April 13^th with a ground frost. Mid month a total of 4 ground frosts occurred.

No temperature records were observed. However the cool maximum temperature of 7.1 °C (7.5 °C below normal) on April 12^th was the coolest for the date since the record cold, snowy 4.0 °C in 1981.

Mean temperatures for the month were 0.86 °C below normal (+ or – 1.1°C standard deviation). It was the coolest April since 2011, which was an unusual 1.84 °C below normal.

The overall cooler weather pattern has delayed the spring time high elevation snow melt throughout much of the Province, with several storm systems increasing the mountain snow packs. The Provincial average snow pack has increased from 103% on April 1^st to 114% on April 22^nd.

It was the 3^rd consecutive April and the 5^th consecutive month with total precipitation below normal.

The 2022 precipitation total to date is 573.2 mm on 74 days compared to the average of 760.8 mm on 68 days.