A European robin (erithacus rubecula) in snowfall sits on a branch in early spring.
getty
The great musician Prince penned a song called “Sometimes It Snows In April.” That masterpiece came to mind while I looked through the weather maps Thursday, as snow is expected in parts of the United States.
What’s happening and how unusual is late April snowfall?
On Sunday into Monday, a rare snowstorm hit Moscow. Several records were broken as heavy, wet snow caused downed trees and temporary power outages. It’s unusual to see nearly 8 inches of snow there this late in the season. Media outlets reported that it was the most snowfall on record for the date.
A pattern called an “omega block” was the culprit. A sustained high-pressure ridge sitting over the northern Atlantic ocean assisted in allowing frigid polar air to seep into the region.
An omega block in the north Atlantic allowed cold air to penetrate into parts of Europe this week.
Tropical Tidbits and European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasting
Parts of the U.S. have already seen snow this week. A shortwave trough of lower pressure brought snowfall to the mountain regions of the Rockies and up to a half-foot of additional snow could fall in the Colorado Rockies before the system moves into the Central Plains.
Later this week, high pressure over the Plains could cause upsloping winds from the east. "This is a classic setup for mountain snow (and valley/Plains rainfall) in a region that could sorely use any precipitation of note," wrote NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center discussion. The Colorado Front Range and the Rockies could see over 8 inches of snow Thursday into Friday. Some of the tallest peaks in Colorado could see over 20 inches. Parts of Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico could also see snow.
Weather map for Thursday April 30, 2026, features snow in the Rockies, rainfall n the southern tier and northeast. Heavy rain and storms are also possible in the southern part of the U.S.
NOAA
Prince was from Minneapolis, so he clearly understood that April snow is possible. The map below shows the typical amount of snowfall expected on April 29. Climatologist Brian Brettschneider’s analysis illustrates that a significant percentage of snow falls in the Rockies at this time of year. However, there are small chances of snowfall on this date in the upper Great Plains, mountain West, Midwest and Northeast.
“April ranks as the 5th or 6th snowiest month for a majority of the Midwest and Northeast,” wrote The Weather Channel’s Chris Dolce.
Percent of normal precipitation that falls as snow on April 29
Brian Brettschneider and ECMWF
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