If you happen to live in North America's mid-section, or perhaps in central Europe or the land Down Under, it may come as no surprise that this past month was kind of chill compared to Aprils of recent years.
Mind you, none of Earth's land or ocean areas had a record-cold April, but as the map above shows, significant portions of the globe were cooler than average. Even so, other parts of the world were unusually warm — for example, a large part of Siberia, which already is experiencing wildfires that may portend yet another ferocious burning season.
How did it all pan out on average globally? According to separate analyses released yesterday by NOAA and NASA, it was the coolest April since 2013. By NOAA's reckoning, eight other Aprils have been warmer in records dating back to 1880. (By NASA's independent analysis, nine other Aprils were.) Looking ahead, 2021 is likely to turn out much cooler globally than last year, which was the second warmest year on record.
