Midwest Weekly Highlights - February 1-7, 2013

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Temperature Gradient

Temperatures for the first week of February ranged from 10°F to 12°F below normal near Lake Superior to as much as 5°F above normal in southwest Missouri (Figure 1). Maximum temperatures (Figure 2) were particularly warm in the south while minimum temperatures (Figure 3) were very cold in the north. Many stations across northern Minnesota dropped below -30°F during the week (Figure 4). Few daily temperature records were set during the week.
 

Precipitation

Snow fell where the temperatures were cooler, in the north and east (Figure 5). Snow fall totals of 4" to 8" were widespread with pockets of Michigan accumulating up to 24" during the period. Many of these areas doubled their normal snow fall for the week. Many locations in Minnesota picked up measurable snow on five or six days during the week. Precipitation was above normal only in some parts of northern half of the Midwest (Figure 6). Meanwhile the rest of the rest of the northern half of the region, along with nearly all of the southern half of the region, had below normal precipitation with some areas picking up less than 0.10" (Figure 7).
 

Drought Improvements

The US Drought Monitor dated February 5th (Figure 8) showed some improvements, particularly in Illinois and southeast Missouri. The improvements were the result of rains that fell late in January as these areas received little precipitation in the first week of February.
 

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