Above Normal Temperatures

Annual averaged temperatures in the Midwest were well above normal (Figure 1). The region as a whole averaged 2.6°F above normal ranking it as the 4th warmest year (records began in 1895). The warmth was fairly consistent throughout the year with each season above normal. March and fall (September through November) were particularly warm with all four months among the warmest 10 percent of the historical record. Only April, May, and December were at or slightly below normal. March and November averaged more than 6°F above normal. September and October averaged over 4°F above normal, and February, June, and August were at least 2°F above normal. The states were all well above normal as well, all nine states ranked 3rd to 6th in their respective histories for the year. Seven months had statewide values in the warmest 10 percent. February (1 state), March (all 9 states), June (2), August (5), September (7), October (6), and November (8) all had at least one state among the warmest 10 percent. All nine Midwest states had multiple months ranking among the warmest 10 percent: Michigan had 6 months, Indiana and Kentucky had 5, Minnesota had 2, and other 5 states had 4 such months.

Variable Precipitation

Precipitation was generally on the wet side in 2016 for the Midwest but there were exceptions. August was the wettest on record for the region and July was 4th wettest (Figure 2). January was the 13th driest, just outside the driest 10 percent, and June and November were also in the driest 33 percent of the 122-year record. Wisconsin and Minnesota received about 120 percent of normal precipitation for the year, ranking each state as the 2nd wettest in its history (1895-2016). Michigan and Iowa were about 110 percent of normal in 2016, ranking them 10th and 18th. Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky were just slightly above normal while Ohio (95 percent of normal) and Missouri (92 percent) were slightly drier than normal. October in Kentucky (ranked 11th) and November in Ohio (also 11th) were the only statewide monthly values that ranked among the dries 10 percent. Only Ohio failed to record a single month among the wettest 10 percent. Minnesota had five months in the wettest 10 percent (March, July, August, September, and December). New annual precipitation records were set in dozens of locations in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. A new statewide record for precipitation in Minnesota was set at Waseca with 56.24 inches. Station records were also set at Minneapolis, Minnesota and LaCrosse, Wisconsin where records extend back to before 1881.

No Severe Weather Deaths

There were no tornado deaths in the nine-state Midwest region in 2016. This is just the third such year (1970, 1989, 2016) in Storm Prediction Center records that date back to 1950. Despite the lack of tornado deaths, there were Midwest weather related fatalities due to thunderstorm winds, flooding, and traffic accidents.

Drought Emerged in Late Summer

The year began with 14 straight weeks lacking any Midwest drought, the longest such streak in the history of the US Drought Monitor that dates back to 2000. Drought emerged in late summer affecting much of Ohio and parts of Indiana and Michigan. Following heavy rains in Kentucky in the summer, the fall was quite dry in Kentucky and drought emerged and quickly intensified there. Fall forest fires were numerous and large in eastern Kentucky due to the abundant fuels and dry conditions. A wet December in Kentucky led to the elimination of drought in the state by the end of the year. As the year wrapped up, just over 1 percent of the region was in drought limited to two small areas of southern Missouri. Midwest drought extent peaked at just over 11 percent of the region in November. The region had been free of severe drought since May of 2015 until two small areas cropped up in July and August but in each case, they only lasted for one week. From November to mid-December, severe drought and a small amount of extreme drought affected the southeastern part of the region (Figure 3). This extreme drought was the first occurrence of extreme drought in the region since 2013.

Agricultural Impact

Much of the Midwest had a good growing season with good crop conditions for both corn and soybeans. The main exception was in Ohio and Michigan where summer heat and dryness affected crop conditions negatively. Wet conditions at times in some locations had significant effects on field work but overall, the conditions were favorable.

December Flooding

Flooding from heavy rains in December 2015 continued into January of 2016 (Figure 4). River levels in Illinois and Missouri in particular were problematic but dropped back below flood levels early in the year. Very heavy rains in 2016 affected the tri-state area of Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin on multiple occasions leading to record annual precipitation totals in this area. Many stations had exceeded their previous record a month or more before the end of the year. Another heavy rain event hit western Kentucky in July with totals topping 15 inches at multiple stations in the area (Figure 5).

Later than Normal Fall Freeze, Mid-May Freeze

The first fall freeze in the Midwest was later than normal in 2016 for most locations. In most locations the first freeze occurred two to four weeks later than the median date for a first freeze. After a warm fall and late first freeze, an Arctic blast in mid-December brought the coldest December temperatures since 2013 (and it some cases much longer) to most Midwest locations.

A hard freeze in western and southern Wisconsin in mid-May caused damage to fruit trees. Many trees had blossomed before the hard freeze and 10 counties in Wisconsin were declared natural disasters.