October 2019
Monthly Overview - October 2019
Precipitation
Stormy conditions across the Midwest led to moderate and heavy rain in October while some areas remained relatively dry
(Figure 1). Midwest precipitation for the month was 4.81 in (12.2 cm) which was 1.80 in (4.6 cm) above normal. This total ranked among the five wettest Octobers on record for the region (1895-2019). Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa and Kentucky were all ranked among the ten wettest Octobers on record (1895-2019) as well. Amounts of more than 200 percent of normal were common across northern Iowa, southern Wisconsin, central Lower Michigan and southwestern Missouri (Figure 2). In the Upper Midwest, a large portion of this precipitation fell through the morning of October 2
(Figure 3). Amounts of 3-4 inches were common from northeastern Iowa through southern Wisconsin and west-central Lower Michigan. More than 780 daily precipitation records were broken across the Midwest (Figure 4). Monthly precipitation records were also broken at more than 35 stations, including Des Moines, IA, Alma, MI, New Philadelphia, OH, Wisconsin Dells, WI, and Scottsville, KY.
Temperature
Temperatures were largely divided from west to east, with colder air pushing into the western half of the region
(Figure 5). Midwest average temperatures were 50.6°F which was 0.4°F below normal. Warmth during the first week of October led to nearly 800 daily high maximum and high minimum records across the Midwest (Figure 6). This warmth decreased as Arctic air came into the region by the second week of the month. A large portion of the region recorded their first fall 32°F freeze on the mornings of October 11-13
(Figure 7). By the final week of October, record cold was observed across the western half of the region. More than 230 of the more than 430 daily low maximum and minimum temperature records broken across the region (Figure 8) occurred from October 29-31.
Record October Snow
Several early season snowstorms brought record-breaking snow to areas in Missouri, Iowa and Wisconsin from October 28-31
(Figure 9). Amounts of 2-4 inches were recorded through the mornings of October 28 (Figure 10) and October 31
(Figure 11), with locally heavier amounts. This led to amounts of 6-8 inches in northwestern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. More than 40 stations had record snowfall for October as a result. Some of these stations included Princeton, MO, Madison, WI, Fond Du Lac, WI, Wisconsin Dells, WI, Peoria, IL, Iowa City, IA and Dubuque, IA. An additional 325 daily snowfall records were also broken across the region (Figure 12).
Harvest Season Behind
While September temperatures allowed for additional growing degree days for crops, significant delays occurred throughout October with the corn and soybean harvest. Moderate to heavy rainfall in the Upper Midwest made field work difficult, while the delayed spring planting season kept areas in the Ohio River Valley and Missouri from harvesting. By the October 27 USDA NASS Crop Progress Report update, corn
(Figure 13) and soybean (Figure 14) progress was behind the five-year average in every Midwest state except Kentucky. Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri and Illinois were all more than 20 percent behind, while Minnesota was 34 percent behind. Meanwhile, soybean progress more than 10 percent behind in Iowa, Missouri, Illinois and Michigan, while Wisconsin was 27 percent behind, and Minnesota was 31 percent behind.
Flooding
Flooding and flash flooding occurred in southwestern Wisconsin and northeastern Iowa on October 1-2
(Figure 15). Significant rainfall amounts over six inches fell in these areas, where the topography of the Driftless Area funnels heavy rain into valleys. As these waters drained and additional rain fell during the first week of October, minor flooding was observed along the Mississippi River from the Quad Cities through St. Louis. The Missouri River also had minor and moderate flooding during the first week of October due to heavy rainfall in late September.
Drought Dissipates
Drought significantly dissipated across Kentucky in October according to the U.S. Drought Monitor (Figure 16). On October 1, more than 90 percent of the state was in drought, with more than half the state in severe or extreme drought (Figure 17). By the end of the month, the state had received nearly double the normal amount of October precipitation and eroded drought coverage to just seven percent of the state. Drought coverage across the Midwest as of October 29 was less than four percent of the region, with most of these areas in the Ohio River Valley. Ohio was the only state in the Midwest to see an increase in drought in October, increasing from 12 to 25 percent of the state.
-BJP-