Burlington, Vermont – A newly released climate summary shows April 2026 brought near-normal precipitation but above-average temperatures across Vermont and northern New York, along with a rare tornado event.
According to the National Weather Service in Burlington, most locations experienced temperatures a few degrees above normal during April, driven in part by a stationary weather boundary that lingered over the region mid-month. Burlington recorded an average temperature of 47.6°F, about 2 degrees above normal, while Montpelier saw a larger departure at 3.3 degrees above average.
Precipitation totals were generally close to seasonal norms, though some variation was reported. Massena, New York recorded nearly 4 inches of rain—about 136% of normal—while Plattsburgh saw below-average totals at just under 90% of typical April rainfall.
The month also featured a period of active weather between April 14 and April 17. During that stretch, an EF-1 tornado was confirmed in Williamstown on April 16, marking the first April tornado on record in Vermont, according to the weather service.
Despite the active mid-month pattern, snowfall totals remained limited. Burlington recorded about 2.6 inches of snow for April, below normal levels, while higher elevations like Mount Mansfield saw more substantial late-season snowfall.
Meteorologists also noted a significant rainfall event on April 29 in Massena, where nearly one inch of rain fell in a single day—the first time such a total had been recorded there since July 2025.
Overall, officials described the month as “fairly typical,” though punctuated by notable extremes, including the rare tornado and fluctuating temperatures.
