Midwest Weekly Highlights - February 15-21, 2017

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Record Warmth

Temperatures across the Midwest were well above normal and set numerous records during the week. Averaged for the week, temperatures ranged from about 6°F above normal in southeastern Kentucky to to more than 20°F above normal in parts of Minnesota and Iowa (Figure 1). More than a thousand record high daily temperatures were set across the region during the week (Figure 2), while not a single record low daily temperature occurred. Even at stations with histories back to the late 1800s, many of the records exceeded previous records by 5°F to 10°F. The 20th (Figure 3) and 21st (Figure 4) each had more than 400 record highs in the Midwest. Daily maximum temperatures were even warmer with some areas averaging more than 25°F above normal for the week (Figure 5). Temperatures climbed into the 70s in parts of Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky and into the 60s in the remaining states.
 

Varied Precipitation

Precipitation totals for the week ranged from nothing in parts of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan to nearly an inch in parts of Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin and more than an inch in southeastern Missouri (Figure 6). Totals were below normal except in the northwestern third of the region and in southeastern Missouri (Figure 7). When compared to normal, southeastern Missouri was just below 200% of normal while the northwestern third of the region was mostly between 200% and 500% of normal (Figure 8). Little snow fell during the week and was limited to northern areas downwind of the Great Lakes (Figure 9). The entire region had below-normal snowfall for the week (Figure 10). The US Drought Monitor for February 21st (Figure 11) showed an expansion of moderate drought in parts of Missouri and Illinois. Low stream flows were one of the reasons for the expansion (Figure 12).
 

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