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April snow in Kansas City? It’s rare, but does happen. Here’s what history has to say

Snow? In April? In Kansas City? It sure does happen, but it’s rare.

A late-season winter storm reminded metro area residents on Tuesday that snow is more than possible in Kansas City, even April.

The National Weather Service in Kansas City reported that 3.2 inches of snow had fallen at Kansas City International Airport by about 10:15 a.m., which was around the time the last of the snow was moving out of the area.

“So today is officially the largest snowfall this late into spring on record in Kansas City,” the weather service said on Twitter.

The pink blossoms of a red bud tree were blanketed in snow Tuesday, April 20, in Lenexa, Kansas. A hard freeze is predicted for Wednesday morning in the Kansas City area.
The pink blossoms of a red bud tree were blanketed in snow Tuesday, April 20, in Lenexa, Kansas. A hard freeze is predicted for Wednesday morning in the Kansas City area.

The previous record was 2.7 inches on this date in 1992. Tuesday’s snow also tied for the 10th latest snowfall on record.

“This is more than any daily snow total over the past winter season,” the weather service said in an earlier on Twitter. The highest was 2.2 inches on Jan. 1.

Since KCI became the official weather reporting station for the metro area in the fall of 1972, there have only been 25 times that the snowfall has been measurable in April, according to local climate data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Even then, only on 11 occasions has an inch or more of snow fallen in April.

DATE

AMOUNT

April 4, 1983

3.2

April 20, 1992

2.7

April 5, 1994

2.6

April 9, 1983

2.5

April 2, 1972

2.3

April 3, 1979

1.6

April 8, 1983

1.5

April 10, 1997

1.1

April 1, 2018

1.1

April 8, 1973

1

April 14, 1996

1

In Kansas City’s history, there has been some significant snowfall in April, according to winter data from the National Weather Service in Kansas City. Here’s a look at the top daily snowfall totals, not including Tuesday’s snow, in the metro since 1888.

DATE

AMOUNT

April 8, 1938

7

April 3, 1899

4.7

April 1, 1970

4.6

April 4, 1920

3.6

April 3, 1903

3.5

April 3, 1920

3.4

April 1, 1926

3.4

April 1, 1901

3.2

April 4, 1983

3.2

April 2, 1926

3.1

The snow on Tuesday created slick conditions for the morning commute. Officials urged drivers to take it easy and allow plenty of time getting to their destinations because of the road conditions.

By mid-morning, though, the snowfall was coming to an end, said FOX4 meteorologist Karli Ritter.

“We’re going to see an end to the winter weather throughout the day today,” she said. “In fact, we’ll have enough sunshine late in the day that whatever snow is still lingering will likely melt as we try to climb back up into the low 40s.”

Tulips were covered with snow at the Kauffman Memorial Garden on Tuesday morning, April 20, 2021, after a spring storm moved through the Kansas City area.
Tulips were covered with snow at the Kauffman Memorial Garden on Tuesday morning, April 20, 2021, after a spring storm moved through the Kansas City area.

As the snow moves out, a drier and significantly colder forecast moves in.

“Our attention shifts to the freeze warning that’s in effect for our entire viewing area,” Ritter said. “Overnight tonight, we’re going to be getting rather cold, dropping into the upper 20s.”

Despite the cold start, Wednesday will finish rather nice with highs in the low 50s, she said.

“And then on Thursday, we’re expecting 30 (degrees) in the morning, 58 (degrees) in the afternoon,” she said. “And believe it or not, as we get close to 80 next Monday, we’re dry but then we’ll focus on next Tuesday for the potential for storms.”

Before you put away those snow shovels, know that the latest snowfall in Kansas City’s history was 1.7 inches on May 3, 1907. The most recent May snowfall was a half-inch on May 2, 2013.

The white blossoms were covered in snow Tuesday morning, April 20, 2021, as a quick Spring snow moved through the Kansas City area.
The white blossoms were covered in snow Tuesday morning, April 20, 2021, as a quick Spring snow moved through the Kansas City area.
Snow blanketed the shrubs and trees on Tuesday, April 20, along Prairie Star Parkway in Lenexa after a storm dropped about two inches of snow.
Snow blanketed the shrubs and trees on Tuesday, April 20, along Prairie Star Parkway in Lenexa after a storm dropped about two inches of snow.
The calendar says spring, but the scenery surrounding a small pond off of Prairie Star Parkway displayed a snowy, winter-like scene Tuesday, April 20, in Lenexa, Kansas.
The calendar says spring, but the scenery surrounding a small pond off of Prairie Star Parkway displayed a snowy, winter-like scene Tuesday, April 20, in Lenexa, Kansas.
The roads turned slick as spring snow fell across the Kansas City area Tuesday morning, April 20, 2021.
The roads turned slick as spring snow fell across the Kansas City area Tuesday morning, April 20, 2021.
Karrie Dean captures the snow scenery in photographs on Tuesday, April 20, 2021, at the The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City.
Karrie Dean captures the snow scenery in photographs on Tuesday, April 20, 2021, at the The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City.
Liz Matherson takes her nephew Grant Farro, 2, to check out the snow covered tulips on Tuesday, April 20, 2021, at Kauffman Garden in Kansas City.
Liz Matherson takes her nephew Grant Farro, 2, to check out the snow covered tulips on Tuesday, April 20, 2021, at Kauffman Garden in Kansas City.
A heavy wet snow blanketed the blossoms on a service berry tree on Tuesday, April 20, in Lenexa, Kansas.
A heavy wet snow blanketed the blossoms on a service berry tree on Tuesday, April 20, in Lenexa, Kansas.
Snow clings to the flowers on a redbud tree in Overland Park Tuesday morning.
Snow clings to the flowers on a redbud tree in Overland Park Tuesday morning.
The buds of a bald cypress tree were blanketed in snow on Tuesday, April 20, 2021, as a snow storm with freezing temperatures moved through the Kansas City region.
The buds of a bald cypress tree were blanketed in snow on Tuesday, April 20, 2021, as a snow storm with freezing temperatures moved through the Kansas City region.