Midwest Overview - May 2014

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Wet North but Dry for Most

Most of the Midwest recorded less than normal precipitation totals for May (Figure 1). The driest areas were pockets of less than half of normal precipitation in northern Missouri, west central Illinois, southeast Iowa, and northwest Iowa. Wetter than normal conditions were most common in the northern states with some areas receiving more than 150% of normal. Further south there were some pockets of slightly above normal precipitation in May. Spring (March to May) precipitation (Figure 2) was slightly wetter than the May conditions. Above normal areas covered much of the northern reaches and also from southeast Missouri to northeast Ohio. The driest spring values were in northwest Iowa where less than 50% of normal precipitation was recorded. Other areas with less than 75% of normal were in parts of Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois.
 

Warmer Temperatures

May brought slightly above normal temperatures to the southern half of the Midwest and near normal temperatures in the north (Figure 3). The region wide monthly temperature was above normal for the first time in 2014. The string of cooler than normal months for the region as a whole stretched back to November 2013. Individual statewide temperatures remained below normal for the seventh straight month in the northern states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Iowa recorded its eighth straight below normal month. Year-to-date temperatures for the region are tied for the seventh coolest in the past 120 years. Statewide year-to-date values rank among the 10 coolest years in every state except Kentucky. Spring (March to May) temperatures (Figure 4) ranged from just below normal in Kentucky to several degrees below normal in the northern states of the region.
 

Drought

There was little change in the Midwest drought status in May (Figure 5). Generally the areas affected, in the western half of the region, showed coverage and intensity improving. There was some degradation in western Missouri while some areas in the western half of the region and in southeast Kentucky were being watched closely for drought impacts. Stream flows (Figure 6) were lower in the western parts of the region, consistent with the drought depiction.
 

May Planting

Cool temperatures in April had slowed planting progress but favorable field conditions and warming temperatures in May allowed planting to mostly catch up to normal. Corn planting was near or slightly ahead of normal across the Midwest. Soybean planting was ahead of normal in the south and behind normal in the north.
 

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The Indiana State Climate Office also contributed to this report.
The Missouri Climate Center also contributed to this report.