November 2019
Monthly Overview - November 2019
Precipitation
Precipitation varied across the Midwest as two main storm tracks brought heavier amounts across southern Missouri and the Ohio River Valley and from northern Iowa and southern Minnesota through Michigan
(Figure 1). November precipitation for the region was 2.26 inches which was 0.52 inches below normal. Northern Missouri, southern Iowa, western Minnesota and northwestern areas in Indiana and Ohio were the driest in the region with less than half the normal amount (Figure 2). Most of this precipitation fell during the final week of the month, which included two major storms
(Figure 3). More than 130 of the more than 200 daily precipitation records broken across the Midwest during November (Figure 4) occurred from November 24-30.
Temperature
Several Arctic blasts highlighted a colder month of November across the Midwest
(Figure 5). Average temperature for the Midwest was 33.6°F which was 4.9°F below normal. Illinois, Indiana, western Kentucky and Michigan were the coldest areas, but the entire region had temperatures below normal. A significant Arctic blast that brought record-breaking snow and cold at the end of October continued into the first few days of November (Figure 6). Another blast of cold air began on November 7 and lasted through November 16
(Figure 7). More than 1,300 of the 1,700 daily low maximum and minimum temperature records during the month were broken during that stretch (Figure 8), with more than 850 alone from November 12-13
(Figure 9) (Figure 10). A rebound in temperatures to near to above normal during the second half of November kept state and region records out of reach, however
(Figure 11).
Thanksgiving Weekend Storms
Significant storms impacted the Midwest over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend from November 26-30. Heavy snow fell across the Upper Midwest (Figure 12), while heavy rain drenched the southern half of the region
(Figure 13). Strong wind speeds (Figure 14) and wind gusts over 50 miles per hour were also recorded on November 27. These storms led to more than a foot of snow in parts of northern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and the U.P. of Michigan. More than four inches of rain also fell across parts of Kentucky.
Snowy November
Snowfall in November was largely well above normal across most of the Midwest
(Figure 15). Amounts of 1-3 inches were common across Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, with 6-12 inches across southern Wisconsin, Lower Michigan and Minnesota (Figure 16). Lake-effect areas, especially in the U.P. of Michigan, received 2-3 feet of snow during the month, with locally heavier amounts. The presence of snow in the Ohio River Valley was rare for November. A one-day snowfall total of over an inch occurred in Paducah, KY, Bowling Green, KY and Lexington, KY on November 11
(Figure 17). A snowfall of that amount in November only occurs once or twice every ten years on average in these cities. More than 500 daily snowfall records were observed across the region throughout the month (Figure 18).
Slow Harvest Finally Nears End
One of the slowest harvest seasons on record continued well into November in the Midwest as the impact of a slow planting season continued. While the soybean harvest neared completion by mid-November
(Figure 19), corn harvesting was 10-30 percent behind the five-year average by mid-month in every state except Kentucky according to USDA NASS. By the end of November, a third of the corn crop remained unharvested in Wisconsin and Michigan (Figure 20). Colder weather increased snowfall in the Upper Midwest and hampered progress, while drier weather across the central Corn Belt allowed field work to wrap up by the end of the month.
Drought Eliminated
Drought was eliminated from the region for the first time since August 6 in the November 12 U.S. Drought Monitor (Figure 21). A dry September gave way to a wetter October in Kentucky, where most of the drought during the growing season occurred in the Midwest. By the end of November, only a small area of southeastern Kentucky was considered abnormally dry.
Wet and Cold Fall in Upper Midwest
For the September through November fall season, the Upper Midwest was wet while the southern Midwest was near to slightly below normal (Figure 22). Fall precipitation for the Midwest was 11.56 inches which was 2.33 inches above normal. Extreme amounts of precipitation fell in the Upper Midwest during September and October before moderating in November. Record precipitation for September-November occurred in Minnesota and Wisconsin (1895-2019). These records occurred despite below-normal precipitation in both states for November. Iowa and Michigan precipitation also ranked among the ten wettest on record (1895-2019). Meanwhile, an exceptionally dry September in the southern Midwest was offset by wetter weather in October and November. This led to amounts within 25 percent of normal across most of Missouri, southern Illinois and Kentucky (Figure 23). Areas in Indiana and Ohio, however, had less than 75 percent the normal amount during fall.
Temperature in the Midwest averaged slightly colder than normal for the fall season at 50.5°F. This was 0.3°F below normal. A very warm September was offset by cold across the western half of the Midwest in October and across the entire region in November. Warmer than normal temperatures were scattered across the Ohio River Valley, however, as warmer temperatures remained into most of October.
-BJP-