Midwest Observes Above Normal Temperatures

All of the Midwest observed above-normal temperatures for the week (Figure 1). For Missouri, Iowa, and Kentucky, average temperature departures ranged from 1-4°F above normal. Minnesota and Michigan observed the largest temperature departures of 2-7°F above normal. As for the rest of the Midwest, temperature departures ranged from 2-6°F above normal. Maximum temperatures were in excess of 85°F and some areas in excess of 90°F for the week (Figure 2). The largest maximum temperature departures occurred in the north, where Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana Michigan, and Ohio, ran in excess of 4°F above normal (Figure 3). Minimum temperatures were above normal as well, with the largest departures occurring in Minnesota, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Kentucky (Figure 4).

Dry in Central Midwest, Wet Everywhere Else

Southern Iowa, eastern Wisconsin, eastern Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and western Ohio received less than 0.5 inches of rain this week (Figure 5), which was less than 50% of normal for many of these locations (Figure 6). Minnesota and into northern Iowa received 0.5 to nearly 3 inches of rain, which attributed to many of these locations receiving more than 175 percent of normal precipitation. Southern Missouri, Kentucky and eastern Ohio all received 0.75 to 4 inches of precipitation. In northern Missouri, precipitation was 5-75 percent of normal. Southern Missouri, Kentucky, and eastern Ohio all received 100-300 percent of normal precipitation (some spots in excess of 400 percent of normal).

Severe Weather Continues

Severe weather continued this week, but with fewer reports compared to the previous week. There were 126 wind, 16 hail, and 3 tornado reports. Seven total wind reports indicated wind speeds in excess of 65 mph in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri. On August 24 in LaPorte County, Indiana, an 80-mph wind gust was reported.

Drought Monitor Update

While drought conditions remained largely unchanged from last week, there were some isolated improvements in Iowa. In northern Wisconsin and northern Michigan, parts of the Abnormally Dry (D0) were elevated to D1 (Figure 7). Expansion of the D0 in Indiana occurred, with central Indiana being added to the D1 category.