Midwest Weekly Highlights - June 24-30, 2020

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Slightly Warmer

Most of the Midwest was slightly warmer than normal during the last week of June (Figure 1).  Areas in northwestern Minnesota were the warmest at 3-5°F above normal, while many other areas in the region were 1-3°F above normal.  Most of the Ohio River Valley was near normal, with some areas in Kentucky slightly below normal.
 

Scattered Heavy Rains

Heavy rain from thunderstorms impacted some areas strongly while other areas were very dry during the week (Figure 2).  Areas in southeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin had more than 2 inches of rain, with a track from southern Illinois through central Kentucky receiving 3-5 inches.  Most of this heavy rain fell through the mornings of June 28 (Figure 3), June 29 (Figure 4) and June 30 (Figure 5).  Some of the heaviest amounts included 8.74 inches near Baldwin, WI (St. Croix County), 7.76 inches near Bird Island, MN (Renville County) and 6.97 inches near Henderson, KY (Henderson County).  More than 100 daily precipitation records were broken across the region (Figure 6). Meanwhile much drier conditions were found across Iowa, southern Missouri and the northern Great Lakes, where less than half the normal amount of rain fell (Figure 7).
 

Flash Flooding and Flooding

Extreme rainfall from June 28-30 led to flash flooding and flooding in southeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin, as well as in western Kentucky.  Some of the most extreme flooding occurred on June 28 in northwestern Wisconsin, near Baldwin (St. Croix County).   Estimated rainfall amounts from radar totaled up to nine inches and led to the evacuation of at least eight houses.  A man died as well when driving over a water-covered road.  Five other motorists were rescued in the county from rushing water.  U.S. Highway 63 through Baldwin was closed as a result of flooding across the highway.  In Kentucky, a man and a woman were rescued from high water near Willisburg (Washington County) before the man later perished in the hospital.  A voluntary evacuation was also ordered from flooding in Beaver Dam, KY (Ohio County).
 

-BJP-