April showers bring May flowers. It’s a common idiom that has withstood the test of time: its first recorded use was in a poem from 1610. But this saying originated in England, all the way across the ocean, so how true is it for the Philadelphia area?
Many factors affect rainfall, such as distance to the ocean and wind patterns. In the Northern Hemisphere, springtime jetstreams cause a change in air pressure that creates cumulus clouds, which are prime rainclouds. While these showers happen more frequently, April is far from the month with the most rainfall. In Philadelphia, March, September, and December have the most precipitation on average.
This April, it rained for six days out of the month with a total of 3.7 inches of precipitation, a fairly average amount. However, as May begins, the forecast is looking gloomy. Rain is predicted nearly every day from Friday, May 3 to Sunday, May 11.
This might come as an unwelcome surprise given our faith in the famous saying, but worry not. While rainy weather can be a nuisance, many flowers do not mind the excess water. And if you look on the bright side, now you won’t need to go out and water your plants so frequently this May!
Looking beyond the weather, April showers bringing May flowers is a reminder that the best is yet to come. With its green trees and budding daffodils, we can get in the mindset of summertime, which is right around the corner.
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