National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Storm Impacting the Northwest U.S.; Fire Weather Conditions in Southern California; Severe Weather in the South

A Pacific storm is bringing areas of low elevation rain, moderate to heavy mountain snow, and high winds to the Northwest. Strong Santa Ana winds and very dry conditions are producing elevated to critical fire weather conditions in southern California. Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms are possible through early Wednesday morning across parts of northeast Texas into western Tennessee. Read More >

Easter can occur anywhere from March 22nd to April 25th.  The next time that Easter will occur on the earliest date is 2285.  Meanwhile, it will not occur on the latest date until 2038.  Below are some Easter climate statistics for La Crosse, WI, and Rochester, MN. All referenced temperatures are Fahrenheit.

La Crosse, WI:


The following statistics comprise 151 years of data. From 1873 through 1950, the data came from various locations in downtown La Crosse. Since 1950, the data has been gathered at the La Crosse Regional Airport.

Easter in La Crosse, WI
(Period of Record 1873-2023)
1991-2020 Normals
Records
Maximum Temperature
49° to 64°
(March 22 to April 25)
Warmest High Temperature
86°
April 10, 1977
Coldest High Temperature
16°
March 25, 1894
Minimum Temperature
29° to 42°
(March 22 to April 25)
Warmest Low Temperature
63°
April 13, 1941
Coldest Low Temperature
March 24, 1940
Average Temperature
39° to 53°
(March 22 to April 25)
Warmest Average Temperature
72.0°
April 10, 1977
Coldest Average Temperature
11.0°
March 24, 1940
March 25, 1894
Precipitation
0.07" to 0.14"
(March 22 to April 25)
Wettest
1.90"
April 12, 1903
Snowfall
0.2" to 0.1"
(March 22 to April 25)
Snowiest
8.3"
March 31, 1929
Snow Depth at 7 AM
1" to 0"
(March 22 to April 25)
Most Snow on the Ground at 7 AM
6"
March 31, 1929

 

The odds of having any precipitation at all on Easter are 45% (68 out of 151).  There has been measurable (0.01" or greater) precipitation on 51 Easters (33.8%) and trace amounts of precipitation on another 17 Easters (11.3%).  

Since 1897, it has snowed on 23 out of 127 (18.1%) Easters.  Measurable snow (0.1" or greater) has fallen on 12 Easters (9.4%) and trace amounts fell on another 11 Easters (8.7%). The last time measurable snow fell on Easter was in 2020 (April 12). when 1.5" fell.

Since 1893, residents have woken up with measurable snow (1/2" or greater) on the ground 15 times (11.5%), trace amounts (less than a 1/2") 7 times (5.3%), and no snow 109 times (83.2%).  The last time that there was measurable snow on the ground on Easter was in 2008 (March 23rd) when there were 3 inches of snow on the ground at 7 a.m.

In 2024, Easter will be on March 31.  This will be the first Easter in March since 2016 (March 27). Since 1873, Easter has occurred on March 31, 6 times (1907,1918, 1929, 1991, 2002, and 2013). 

 Easters on March 31 in La Crosse, WI
Year High Temperature Low Temperature Precipitation Snowfall Snow Depth
1907 36°F 19°F 0.00" 0.0" 0"
1918 65°F 37°F 0.00" 0.0" 0"
1929 32°F 23°F 1.03" 8.3" 6"
1991 53°F 30°F 0.06" 0.3" 0"
2002 43°F 30°F Trace 0.0" 0"
2013 43°F 29°F Trace Trace Trace
  • The next time Easter will occur on this date is 2086.  After that, it will not fall on this date again until 2097.
  • In 2025, Easter will fall on April 20.  The last time it has fallen on that date was in 2014.

Last Easter (April 9, 2023), the high temperature was 72°F and the low temperature was 42°F.  No precipitation fell. The average wind speed was 10.4 mph and there was no snow on the ground at 7 a.m.

Rochester, MN:


The following statistics comprise 111 years of data. From 1887 through 1931, the data came from several cooperative observers in the Rochester area. Since 1932, the data has been gathered at the Rochester International Airport. No data was taken on Easter from 1889 to 1891, 1908, and 1921 to 1928.

Easter in Rochester, MN
(Period of Record 1887-2023)
1991-2020 Normals
Records
Maximum Temperature
43° to 60°
(March 22 to April 25)
Warmest High Temperature
85°
April 10, 1977
Coldest High Temperature
15°
March 24, 1940
Minimum Temperature
26° to 39°
(March 22 to April 25)
Warmest Low Temperature
59°
April 13, 1941
Coldest Low Temperature
March 24, 1940
Average Temperature
35° to 49°
(March 22 to April 25) 
Warmest Average Temperature
69.5°
April 13, 1941
Coldest Average Temperature
8.0°
March 24, 1940
Precipitation
0.07" to 0.13"
(March 22 to April 25)
Wettest
1.20"
April 16, 2006
Snowfall
0.3" to 0.1"
(March 22 to April 25)
Snowiest
9"
March 31, 1929
Snow Depth at 7 AM
2" to 0"
(March 22 to April 25)
Most Snow on Ground at 7 AM
18"
March 25, 1951

 

The odds of having any precipitation at all on Easter are 44.9% (48 out of 107).  There has been measurable (0.01" or greater) precipitation on 39 Easters (36.4%) and trace amounts of precipitation on another 9 Easters (8.4%). 

It has snowed on 20 out of 103 (19.4%) Easters. Measurable snow (0.1" or greater) has fallen on 14 Easters (13.6%) and trace amounts of snow fell on another 6 Easters (5.8%). 

Residents have woken up with measurable snow (half-inch or greater) on the ground 12 times (14.6%), trace amounts (less than a half-inch) 12 times (14.6%), and no snow 58 times (70.7%). 

In 2024, Easter will be on March 31.  This will be the first Easter in March since 2016 (March 27). Since 1886, Easter has occurred on March 31, 6 times (1907,1918, 1929, 1991, 2002, and 2013). 

 Easters on March 31 in Rochester, MN
Year High Temperature Low Temperature Precipitation Snowfall Snow Depth
1907 NA NA NA NA NA
1918 68°F 34°F 0.00" 0.0" 0"
1929 34°F 26°F 1.00" 9.0" NA
1991 50°F 33°F 0.01" 0.0" Trace
2002 35°F 24°F 0.02" 0.1" Trace
2013 38°F 25°F Trace 0.0" 2"
  • The next time Easter will occur on this date is 2086.  After that, it will not fall on this date again until 2097.
  • In 2025, Easter will fall on April 20.  The last time it has fallen on that date was in 2014.

Last Easter (April 9, 2023), the high temperature was 68°F and the low temperature was 43°F.  A trace of rain fell. The average wind speed was 16.1 mph and there was no snow on the ground at 7 a.m.

 
Easter
Weather History
 


In 1929 (March 31st), snow began falling on the evening of March 30th in Wisconsin and continued to fall through March 31st (Easter) and into the morning of April 1st.  Snow amounts ranged from 2 inches in southwest Wisconsin to two feet or more in some northeastern localities.  Prior to this storm, the snow had practically disappeared from central and southern counties.  This snow was accompanied by high wind, and in the southern and southwestern sections by sleet and glaze.  In addition, thunder was reported at La Crosse on Easter.  Roads were blocked and traffic was seriously delayed over a wide area.  Trees and overhead wire systems suffered severely.  The drifting snow isolated small towns for several days.  Damage was estimated in the millions of dollars.  Some snow totals included: Plymouth (18.0"), Eau Claire (10.5"), La Crosse (10.3"), Madison (7.9"), West Bend (7.0"), Merrill (7.1"), Viroqua (7.0"), and Darlington (6.0").  The image below is courtesy of the Midwestern Regional Climate Center and it shows how much and where the snow fell from March 30 through April 1, 1929. The following weather events affected southeast Minnesota, northeast Iowa, and western Wisconsin on Easter:

Snowfall from March 29 through April 1, 1929
  • In 1952 (April 13th), precipitation began falling across northern and western Iowa, southern Minnesota, and much of Wisconsin on April 12th and continued on Easter (April 13th).  The precipitation was in the form of heavy snow that fell from northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota northeast into central and eastern Upper Michigan.   Some roads in parts of northeast Iowa were only open to one-way traffic which was an unwelcome reminder of the winter just past.  Meanwhile, freezing rain and sleet fell over the extreme eastern portions of Wisconsin.  The freezing rain caused many breaks in power transmission and telephone lines.  More than 200 poles of the Wisconsin Telephone Company were broken because of ice-coated wires and high winds.  Northeasterly gales caused erosion damage along the west shore of Lake Michigan during the storm. The following snow totals were reported with this storm:
     
    • In Iowa: Charles City (6.1") and Cresco (6").
    • In Minnesota: Rochester (6.5") and Spring Grove (6.1").
    • In Wisconsin: La Farge (12", tied for greatest one-day snowfall with 2/23/1994), Hatfield (10"), Gays Mills (9"), La Crosse (7.3"), Lancaster (7"), Sparta (6"), and Viroqua (6").
    • The image below is courtesy of the Midwestern Regional Climate Center and it shows how much and where the snow fell from April 12 through April 14, 1952.
       
      Total Snowfall from April 12 to April 13, 1952
  • In 1958 (April 6th), a winter storm produced 6 to 13 inches of snow across northern Wisconsin.  The highest snow totals were at Breakwater (13"), Laona (12'), Long Lake Dam (12"), Minocqua (12'), Rhinelander (12'), and South Pelican (12").  Locally, 1 to 2 inches of snow fell across Clark and Taylor Counties.  Also on this date, both Owen, WI (2.80") and Medford, WI (2.07") had their wettest April day.
     
    Total Snowfall from April 8, 1958
  • In 1960 (April 17th), Prairie du Chien, WI (2.15") had their wettest April day.
  • In 1974 (April 14th), a narrow band of snow fell across the southern tier of counties in Minnesota, northeast Iowa, and from southwest Wisconsin northeast into northern Lower Michigan.  Most locations saw less than 2 inches of snow; however, there were higher snow reports in parts of southwest and central Wisconsin.  Some of these snow reports included 7 inches in Mauston, and 4 inches in Viroqua and Necedah.  Also on this day, Platteville, WI (2.42" liquid equivalent) had their wettest April day.  The image below is courtesy of the Midwestern Regional Climate Center and it shows how much and where the snow fell on April 14, 1974.
     
    Total Snowfall from April 14, 1974
  • In 1976 (April 18th), Charles City (3.06") had itsr wettest April day. Also, just over 3 inches of rain fell in New Hampton, IA (3.04") and Decorah, IA (3.03").  The image below is courtesy of the Midwestern Regional Climate Center and it shows how much and where the precipitation fell on April 18, 1976.
     
    Precipitation on April 18, 1976
  • In 1986 (March 30th), unusual warmth was seen across the Upper Mississippi River Valley on March 29th and continued into March 30th (Easter).  The following locations had their warmest March temperatures:
     
    • In Iowa: Decorah (84) and Cresco (83).
    • In Minnesota: Caledonia (86) and Preston (82).
    • In Wisconsin: Mather (84), Richland Center (84), Sparta (84), Theilman (83), and Owen (78).
       
      High Temperatures on March 30, 1986
      Departures from Normal of March 30, 1986
      High Temperatures
      on March 30, 1986

      (Compliments Midwestern
      Regional Climate Center)
      Temperature Departures
      on March 30, 1986
      (Compliments Midwestern
      Regional Climate Center)
  • In 2004 (April 11th), a narrow band of snow produced 3 inches in Friendship, WI and 1.8 inches near (2 miles southeast) Necedah, WI on Easter (April 11th) morning.  The image below is courtesy of the Midwestern Regional Climate Center and it shows how much and where the snow fell on April 11, 2004.
     
    Total Snowfall from April 11, 2004
     
  • In 2019 (April 21), the high temperature climbed to 84°F at La Crosse (their second warmest Easter) and 83°F at Rochester (their third warmest Easter).
     
  • In 2020 (April 12), a late-season storm system brought a swath of significant snow to parts of northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota, and western into north-central Wisconsin. Snow fell heavily at times, with even a few lightning strikes noted, while farther east much of the precipitation was initially in the form of rain before changing to wet snow during the late afternoon and evening hours. Snowfall totals ranged from 1 to as much as 10 inches, with significant travel disruption noted across the region.  This was the 2nd snowiest Easter on record for Rochester, MN with 7.5 inches.  In addition strong north to northwest winds behind the storm caused blowing and drifting snow, especially in the open country late in the day into the evening hours.  Many roads were snow-covered and treacherous. https://www.weather.gov/arx/apr1220
     
    April 12, 2020 Snowfall
     
  • In 2021 (April 4), it was an unusually warm Easter across the Upper Mississippi River Valley.  High temperatures ranged from the mid-70s to the lower 80s.  The highest temperature was 83°F at Black River Falls, WI.  Both La Crosse WI (80°F) & Rochester MN (81°F) had their 5th warmest high temperature on Easter.  
     
    Easter 2021 High Temperatures