March 1-7, 2015
Midwest Weekly Highlights - March 1-7, 2015
Another Wet Week in Kentucky
While most of the region saw near normal precipitation this week, Kentucky and the Ohio Valley continued to be inundated by rain and snow. Two major storms moved through the state this week on March 1 and March 4-5, dumping 2-4 inches of precipitation on the commonwealth (Figure 1). You can read more about the March 1 storm in last week’s Midwest Climate Watch. This high amount of precipitation in a short period prompted flood warnings along the Ohio River and some of its tributaries as the commonwealth saw precipitation departures of 2 inches above normal
(Figure 2). Snowfall was also quite high for this time of year in the southern half of the region
(Figure 3). Southern areas of the region only average 2 inches of snow or less for the month of March (Figure 4). Many of these areas had over 5 inches just this week! Central Minnesota also saw a decent swath of snow this week, with 2-4 inches.
Last Cold Blast?
Temperatures were once again well below normal across the region this week
(Figure 5). While areas in Kentucky and along the western fringes of the region saw temperatures in the single digits below normal, the rest of the region was deadlocked in 10-15°F below normal temperatures. The most below-normal areas were seen throughout Illinois, eastern Iowa and extreme southern Wisconsin. Minimum temperatures were also quite cold with most of the region 10-15 degrees below normal (Figure 6). However, this may be the final stretch of brutally cold temperatures for the region as near to above normal temperatures are forecasted for the next few weeks.
Snowstorm March 4-5
Temperatures in Kentucky reached as high as the low 60s on March 3
(Figure 7). Two days later, most of the state was under a blanket of 6 or more inches of snow (Figure 8). This wild turn-around was caused by a particularly strong frontal boundary that lingered over the Ohio Valley on March 4-5. Heavy rain was common during most of the day on March 4, before slowly turning over to sleet and snow overnight as cold air began to fill in. Snow continued to fall throughout most of the day on March 5 before finally moving out of the region in the late afternoon. Snowfall amounts of 8-12 inches were common along the Ohio River with a swath of 18-24 inches, mostly along the Western Kentucky and Bluegrass Parkways. According to NWS-Louisville, Lexington, Kentucky broke its record for the heaviest 2-day snowstorm ever with 17.1 inches of snow, a record that had been upheld since 1943. Two day precipitation totals were mainly in the 2-4 inch range (Figure 9), which led to flood warnings along the Ohio River. On the day after, the all-time low for the month of March in Kentucky was broken at Hillsboro, Kentucky where the temperature fell to -16°F. This snowstorm now leaves most of the commonwealth 10-20 inches above normal for snowfall since the start of December
(Figure 10).
Drought Worries Washed Away In Kentucky, Waters Rising
As stated above, there was quite a bit of precipitation in Kentucky this week. The latest drought update for the Midwest (Figure 11) shows most of Kentucky has moved either out of the moderate drought category or the abnormally dry category, while the rest of the region held the status quo. However, the update was for one day prior to the major storm on March 4-5. Needless to say, drought is no longer a concern for Kentucky. Ironically, the concern is now flooding from the heavy precipitation of March 4-5 and rapid snowmelt from the above normal temperatures forecasted these next few weeks.
-BJP-
The National Weather Service-Louisville, KY also contributed to this report.