Detroit weather in April

In April, Detroit sees average daytime highs of 55°F and overnight lows near 41°F, with 3.6 in of precipitation across 12 wet days and about 13.1 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 50°F in the first days to 60°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time in April, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 24 min at the start of April to 13 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, April is Detroit's 7th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Detroit's year-round climate.

Daytime high
55°
7th warmest
Overnight low
41°
6th coldest
Precipitation
3.6 in
12 wet days
Daylight
13 h 06 min
5:58 AM – 7:07 PM
Cloud cover
68%
7th clearest
Wind
11 mph
3rd windiest
Solar energy
5.03 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.4
out of 10

Detroit is city in and county seat of Wayne County, and largest city in State of Michigan, United States.

Density
1,745/km²
people per km²
Founded
1701

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in April

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 50°F in the first days to 60°F by the end.

A typical April day in Detroit reaches about 55°F in the afternoon and slips back to 41°F overnight — a 15°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 44°F and 68°F. Set against its neighbours, April runs about 13°F warmer than March and about 12°F cooler than May.

20°40°60°80°151015202530
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14935
25035
35036
45136
55137
65137
75237
85238
95338
105339
115439
125439
135540
145540
155541
165641
175642
185742
195742
205743
215843
225843
235844
245944
255944
266045
276045
286046
296146
306147

How April really feels in Detroit

Once humidity and wind are folded in, April averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 10 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
10
wind chill below the day's low

The story in April is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Detroit weather by month

How April compares with the rest of the year at a glance. April is the 7th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan31° / 20°2.510.25.99.30.0
Feb33° / 21°2.18.35.410.30.0
Mar43° / 29°2.69.63.811.60.6
Apr55° / 41°3.612113.13.4
May67° / 52°3.512.8014.45.7
Jun77° / 63°3.410.90156.6
Jul81° / 67°3.110.7014.86.4
Aug79° / 65°3.09.6013.76.8
Sep72° / 58°2.78.3012.37.0
Oct60° / 46°2.78.9010.84.8
Nov47° / 36°2.791.59.61.5
Dec36° / 27°2.59.14.190.0

Cloud cover in April

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time in April.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of April, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 66%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13268
23268
33268
43268
53367
63367
73367
83466
93466
103466
113565
123565
133565
143565
153565
163664
173664
183664
193565
203565
213565
223565
233565
243466
253565
263565
273565
283664
293664
303763

Chance of precipitation in April

Any precipitationSnow

Detroit gets around 3.6 in of rain and snow over 12 wet days in April, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 39% and peaks near 41% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202530
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1367
2366
3376
4376
5386
6385
7385
8395
9395
10395
11394
12394
13394
14394
15393
16403
17403
18403
19402
20402
21412
22412
23411
24411
25411
26411
27411
28411
29401
30400

Humidity in April

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of April feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, April lands in the dry band about 96% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19910
29910
39910
49910
59910
69910
79910
89910
99910
109811
119811
129811
139721
149721
159721
169721
179631
189631
199631
209631
219541
229541
239451
249451
259361
269361
279361
289271
299271
309172

Wind in April

Winds average 11 mph in April.

Across April, daily wind ranges from about 10 mph on the calmest days to 11 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202530
Wind speed (mph)Feels
110light breeze
210light breeze
310light breeze
410light breeze
511light breeze
611light breeze
711light breeze
811light breeze
911light breeze
1011light breeze
1111light breeze
1211light breeze
1311light breeze
1411light breeze
1511light breeze
1611light breeze
1711light breeze
1811light breeze
1911light breeze
2011light breeze
2111light breeze
2211light breeze
2311light breeze
2411light breeze
2510light breeze
2610light breeze
2710light breeze
2810light breeze
2910light breeze
3010light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in April

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 24 min at the start of April to 13 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 84 minutes over April. Sunrise moves from 6:24 AM to 5:36 AM, and sunset from 6:50 PM to 7:23 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.46:246:50
212.56:226:51
312.56:206:52
412.66:196:53
512.66:176:54
612.76:156:55
712.76:136:57
812.86:126:58
912.86:106:59
1012.96:087:00
1112.96:067:01
1213.06:057:02
1313.06:037:03
1413.16:017:05
1513.16:007:06
1613.15:587:07
1713.25:567:08
1813.25:557:09
1913.35:537:10
2013.35:517:11
2113.45:507:13
2213.45:487:14
2313.55:477:15
2413.55:457:16
2513.65:447:17
2613.65:427:18
2713.65:417:19
2813.75:397:20
2913.75:387:22
3013.85:367:23

Solar energy in April

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in April, about 5.03 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.48 kWh/m² to a high of 6.48 kWh/m² in June across the year — April's 5.03 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.5Bright
24.6Bright
34.6Bright
44.6Bright
54.7Bright
64.7Bright
74.7Bright
84.8Bright
94.8Bright
104.8Bright
114.9Bright
124.9Bright
134.9Bright
145.0Bright
155.0Bright
165.0Bright
175.1Bright
185.1Bright
195.2Bright
205.2Bright
215.2Bright
225.3Bright
235.3Bright
245.3Bright
255.3Bright
265.4Bright
275.4Bright
285.5Bright
295.5Bright
305.5Bright
Planning a trip in April

Is April a good time to visit Detroit?

Our two travel scores rate April for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

3.4
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
0.1
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

April is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Detroit.

What to pack for Detroit in April

From April's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In April, Detroit sees daytime highs around 55°F and nights near 41°F. Worth packing: a warm layer, rain gear and sun protection. About 12 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Detroit in April

The nearest coast averages about 41°F in April — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 9 mi away) is warmest in August at about 73°F and coldest in February near 33°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 2 to Sep 15 — about 2.5 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan34Bracing
Feb33Bracing
Mar34Bracing
Apr41Bracing
May52Bracing
Jun64Cool
Jul72Refreshing
Aug73Refreshing
Sep68Refreshing
Oct57Bracing
Nov47Bracing
Dec39Bracing

UV index in Detroit in April

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in April peaks around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Detroit peaks around June 20 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 20UV 9Dec 20UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May7High
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug7High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec1Low

Air quality in Detroit in April

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where April falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Detroit is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.9× the cleanest month (October, 9 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1216 µg/m³Oct 239 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar14Moderate
Apr14Moderate
May15Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Moderate
Oct9Good
Nov9Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Detroit?

Detroit sits at 42.3°N, 83.0°W, 600 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Windsor, 2.5 mi away.

Topography around Detroit

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Detroit.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Detroit has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 187 ft around an average of 604 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 200 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 915 ft.

The land around Detroit is covered by artificial surfaces (64%) within 2 miles, artificial surfaces (44%) and trees (24%) within 10 miles, and trees (28%), water (27%) and cropland (26%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
187 ft
10 miles
200 ft
50 miles
915 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
April weather nearby: Windsor 2.5 mi · Hamtramck 4.3 mi · LaSalle 6.2 mi · Dearborn 6.8 mi · Tecumseh 8.1 mi · Lincoln Park 8.7 mi · Hazel Park 9.3 mi · Wyandotte 9.9 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Detroit (42.3314°, -83.0457°, elevation 600 ft), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).