How Does Our Spring Rain/Temperatures Compare To Year's Past?

Rainfall amounts officially at NWS Cleveland from March 1 through April 30 versus last year (2025) are very similar. 

Now 2026:

The high amount of rain this early spring wasn't relegated to just Ohio.  Most of the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and mid-west experienced the same with most spots seeing their top 5 rainiest March and April ever!

April of 2025 saw more than DOUBLE the number of lightning strikes across Ohio than 2026.

Using the aridity index, a good comparison to how the overall temperature + rainfall departure conditions evolved from March 1 to late June. Notice how we have slowly trended to zero this year as the frequency of rain has dropped.  Included is last year and 2011 (the wettest year on record).

The rest of the country continues to experience drought conditions as of June 23.

Looking at the temperatures, what's interesting is that April was one of the warmest on record not only across Ohio but across much of the US as a whole.

Since early May, temperatures have been above normal out west and near/slightly below normal across the Ohio Valley/Great Lakes

The wet conditions have continued across the corn belt in May and early/mid June.

Above normal number of severe storms across the same region this year:

2025 storm reports:

Tornadoes this year from March 1 through June 23:  Illinois leads all states with 200 as of June 23

Tornadoes last year from March 1 through June 23:

Ohio has had only 12 this year so far.  Compared this to 2024 with 59 at the end of June!