Midwest Weekly Highlights - March 15-21, 2014

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Mostly Dry

Precipitation was below normal in the third week of March for most of the Midwest (Figure 1). Two areas with above normal precipitation were southern Missouri and parts of Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, and Upper Michigan. Snow totals were above normal (Figure 2) in the upper Midwest and also from southern Missouri northward into Iowa and in eastern Kentucky and southern Ohio. Roughly 13% of the Midwest remained in Moderate Drought according to the US Drought Monitor with less than 1% of the region in Severe Drought (Figure 3). The remaining Severe Drought was located in Iowa.
 

Cool

Temperatures dropped back below normal in the third week of March (Figure 4). The brief respite of the previous week gave way to a return of cooler than normal conditions for most of the region. Temperatures were near normal in the southeast and along the western edge of the region. The coolest temperatures were in Upper Michigan with readings about 10°F below normal. March has yet to have a severe weather report in the Midwest.
 

-MST-