Midwest Weekly Highlights - July 1-10, 2014

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Variable Precipitation

Precipitation totals varied across the Midwest for the first ten days of July. Large parts of Minnesota and Kentucky received less than 50% of normal, and less than 25% of normal in places, while parts of eastern Iowa had over 200% of normal and southern lower Michigan had 200% to more than 300% of normal (Figure 1). Departures from normal in parts of Michigan and a small part of Iowa were above 2" for the period (Figure 2). Drought, which was limited to southwest Missouri at the start of the month (Figure 3), has emerged in eastern Kentucky as well (Figure 4). Drought in the Midwest as of July 8th extended across less than 2% of the region.
 

Cool Temperatures

July was off to a cool start in the region. Temperatures were below normal by 1°F to as much as 5°F in southeast Iowa and northeast Missouri (Figure 5). The cool start to July has brought back memories of the July 2009 which was the coldest July on record for the Midwest as a whole and for three states as well.
 

Severe Weather Widespread

Severe weather reports came in form across the region in the first ten days of the month (Figure 6). There were no reports on the 2nd, 9th, and 10th and only a single report on the each of the 3rd and 4th. The remaining days saw reports clustered in parts of the region with the result being widespread reports for the ten-day period. Tornadoes were reported in Iowa and Michigan on the 6th, Kentucky on the 7th, and Ohio on the 8th. The tornado near Cutlerville, Michigan (Kent County) injured six people as reported by the Grand Rapids NWS office.
 

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