Midwest Weekly Highlights - April 10-16, 2017

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Wet in the Upper Midwest

Wet weather was common across Wisconsin, Michigan and southern Minnesota during the week (Figure 1). More than an inch of precipitation fell, with some areas receiving more than two inches.  In many cases, this was more than twice the normal amount (Figure 2).  This precipitation was spread out over several days, and even included some snowfall in northern Wisconsin and the U.P. of Michigan through the morning of April 11 (Figure 3).  Dozens of daily precipitation records were broken during the period as well (Figure 4).  Dubuque, IA (Dubuque County) set a new daily record on April 15 with 2.25 inches.  Precipitation in the southern half of the region as well as northern Minnesota was minimal.  Many of these areas had less than half the normal amount for the week.
 

More Warm Weather

Temperatures remained above normal across the Midwest during the week (Figure 5).  Many in the southern Midwest had temperatures more than 8°F above normal.  Parts of Indiana and Ohio were up to 12°F above normal.  The Upper Midwest was also warm at 3-6°F above normal.  Maximum temperatures in the 70s and 80s were a common occurrence during the period in the southern half of the region (Figure 6).  However, only a few dozen daily maximum temperature records were broken, compared to over 200 daily high minimum temperature records (Figure 7).
 

April 10 and April 15 Severe Weather

Strong to severe thunderstorms were numerous on two days during the period and caused hail damage across the central Midwest, as well as several tornadoes (Figure 8).  On April 10, storms across Illinois and northern Illinois brought dozens of hail reports.  Two-inch hail was reported in Pontiac, IL (Livingston County), while 2.5-inch hail was reported in Canton, IL (Fulton County).  An EF-1 tornado was also confirmed in southwestern Michigan near Freeport (Kent County).  On April 15, hail reports were widespread across Iowa.  Several reports of baseball sized hail were near Milo, IA (Warren County), near Hinton, IA (Plymouth County) and near La Porte City, IA (Black Hawk County).  An EF-1 tornado was confirmed in eastern Iowa in Jones County.  A brief tornado was also reported in Atchison County, MO.
 

Drought Removed from the Midwest

Virtually all drought was removed from the Midwest according to the April 11 U.S. Drought Monitor (Figure 9).  Areas of drought in Missouri and southwestern Illinois vanished, due in part to improving soil moisture and stream flows.  Many of these areas remain abnormally dry, however.  More than half of Missouri was still considered to be abnormally dry.

-BJP-