Midwest Weekly Highlights -September 17-23, 2012

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Dry in the West

Rainfall was sparse in the western states of the Midwest during the third week of September. Most of Minnesota, Iowa, and Missouri received less than a quarter inch (Figure 1). To the east rain was more plentiful with above normal totals in central Indiana, eastern Kentucky, northern Michigan, and all of Ohio (Figure 2). The heaviest rains fell in southeast Kentucky where totals exceeded 3 inches, or about four times normal for the week (Figure 3). Daily precipitation records were most common in Kentucky on the 18th and Ohio on the 22nd.
 

Cool Temperatures

Temperatures were below normal across the Midwest. Departures from normal ranged from just a couple degrees below normal in southwest Missouri to about 10°F below normal in the northernmost reaches of the region (Figure 4). Each daily temperature record set during the week was a record low. Over 100 records lows were recorded with some in each of the nine Midwest states. The first widespread freeze spread across the upper Midwest on the 22nd and 23rd. Many stations in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa recorded the season's first sub-freezing temperature (Figure 5) and there were scattered freezing temperatures also reported in Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, and Kentucky. The freeze event was earlier than usual (Figure 6) but agricultural impacts were limited by the early maturation of the crops. Harvest continued to run ahead of normal in most areas.
 

Severe Weather

Severe weather was not widespread, however there was a line of reports extending across central Indiana and Ohio on the 21st (Figure 7) and in northeast Ohio on the 22nd (Figure 8). Reports of hail and wind damage included golf ball sized hail in central Indiana and many reports of wind damage to trees and power lines. A few building were also damaged including a barn that was destroyed near Kinsman, Ohio (Trumbull County) on the 22nd.
 

-MST-