WARMEST APRIL ON RECORD IN U.S. - Drought Persists Across South and Southwest

WARMEST APRIL ON RECORD IN U.S. - Drought Persists Across South and Southwest: "The contiguous United States experienced its warmest April ever based on records dating back to 1895, according to scientists at the NOAA National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. Drier-than-average conditions and severe drought persisted across large portions of the southern and southwestern United States. April also was marked by a series of tornado outbreaks during the first half of the month impacting large parts of the Midwest and central Plains, into the Deep South. The global surface temperature was the seventh warmest April on record. "