Midwest Weekly Highlights - September 8-14, 2015

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Temperatures Cool Down

After a hot start to September, temperatures were much cooler over the second week of the month.  Temperatures were mainly in the 60s across the region, with some upper 50s along Lake Superior and northern Minnesota (Figure 1).  Most of the region was 1-4°F below normal for the period (Figure 2).  Far eastern Ohio was the exception, where temperatures were up to 2°F above normal.  High temperatures were much cooler than normal in the southern parts of the region and in Michigan, where temperatures were 3-6°F below normal (Figure 3).  High temperatures averaged in the upper 70s to low 80s (Figure 4), a stark contrast from the upper 80s and 90s one week earlier (Figure 5).
 

Generally Wet Week

Many areas of the Midwest had above normal rainfall for the period, with some areas seeing two inches more than normal (Figure 6).  Above normal precipitation was found along Lake Michigan through the Iowa/Minnesota border.  Illinois and Missouri also saw well above normal precipitation, with many areas receiving more than twice the normal amount of precipitation for the period (Figure 7).  Eastern Kentucky and Ohio were also above normal.  There were a few dry patches however, with Minnesota staying the driest and northern Minnesota receiving no precipitation (Figure 8).  Central Iowa also saw little precipitation over the period, while southern Michigan through the eastern Ohio Valley was drier than normal.
 

Tornadoes & Severe Weather

While there hasn’t been a severe weather outbreak recently, severe weather is continuing to be a story across the Midwest (Figure 9).  A tornado was reported in Michigan on September 8, and in Illinois on September 10.   In Michigan, the tornado went through Ogemaw County and was rated an EF-1.  The Illinois tornado in Mason County was only on the ground for a few seconds, but caused damage to power lines and trees.  A cluster of storms in northeastern Michigan also caused some wind damage on September 8, with some one-inch hail in extreme southeastern Iowa on September 10.
 

-BJP-