Traverse City, MI weather in April
April in Traverse City: chilly, with frequent rain and some snow. Highs 54°F, lows 33°F, about 11 days with rain or snow and about 6.4 in of snow.
- Normal high
- 54°F
- Normal low
- 33°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 2.8 in total
- Snowfall
- 6.4 in
- snow on the ground 4 days
How April changes from start to finish
| April 1 | April 30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 48°F | 61°F |
| Normal low | 28°F | 38°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 35% | 38% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:23 am / 8:09 pm | 6:33 am / 8:45 pm |
| Daylight | 12.8 h | 14.2 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Eastern Time).
A typical April day
- 6 am37°Fdew point 30°F
- 9 am43°Fdew point 32°F
- Noon49°Fdew point 31°F
- 3 pm50°Fdew point 31°F
- 6 pm48°Fdew point 30°F
- 9 pm42°Fdew point 31°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Traverse City Cherry Cptl Airport (2 mi away); average wind 8 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F5 of 30
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph0 of 30
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 30
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 30
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow11 of 30
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 of 30
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below16 of 30
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more4 of 30
Average days per April, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in April
Normal precipitation is 2.8 in; a dry April brings about 2.1 in and a wet one about 3.4 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 6.4 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How April varies from year to year
- Warmest April, 1991-20202010: average high 61°F
- Coolest April2018: average high 44°F
- Wettest April2011: 5.2 in
- Driest April2000: 1.1 in
- Highest reading88°F (April 16, 2002)
- Lowest reading4°F (April 6, 2003)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
April compared with March and May
| March | April | May | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 41°F | 54°F | 67°F |
| Normal low | 23°F | 33°F | 43°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 5 | 13 |
| Daylight | 11.9 h | 13.5 h | 14.8 h |
Highs change by +13°F from March and +13°F into May.
Nearby alternatives in April
- Warmer: Ann Arbor, MI197 mi · high 60°F · 14 wet days
- Cooler: Sister Bay, WI79 mi · high 47°F · 10 wet days
How Traverse City ranks in April
- Normal high344th warmest of 378 cities; 7th of 8 in Michigan
- Wet days264th driest of 378
- Comfortable days289th most of 340
What to pack for Traverse City in April
- A warm jacket – lows near 33°F, highs near 54°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- Waterproof boots – about 6.4 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 16 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
April has 651 heating degree days and 2 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 9% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Traverse City in April?
The normal high is 54°F and the normal low is 33°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest April reading was 4°F (April 6, 2003).
Does it rain a lot in Traverse City in April?
About 11 days in April have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.8 in. The wettest April in 1991-2020 was in 2011 (5.2 in); the driest was in 2000 (1.1 in).
Does it snow in Traverse City in April?
Yes. Normal snowfall in April is 6.4 in, and snow covers the ground on about 4 days.
Is April a good time to visit Traverse City?
April ranks 6th of 12 months on our comfort score for Traverse City (55 out of 100). It has about 5 comfortable days. The best months are May and June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Traverse City Cherry Cptl Airport (USW00014850), 2.4 mi SE of the city center, 618 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall: Maple City 1E (USC00205097), 12 mi WNW of the city center, 799 ft (203 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Traverse City Munson (USC00208249), 1.2 mi W of the city center, 635 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Cherry Capital Airport (726387-14850), 3.1 mi ESE of the city center, 608 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).