March 15-21, 2024

Temperatures

It was an average week for most of the region. The largest average temperature anomalies were 3-5°F above normal in far northern Minnesota and Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula (Figure 1). Elsewhere, average temperatures hovered near normal for the week.

As for average minimum temperatures, Michigan saw the largest departures, generally 3-6°F above normal (Figure 2). Departures of 1-3°F were noticed in the Cleveland area and northeastern Wisconsin as well. Minimum temperatures averaged 1-3°F below normal in parts of Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, and Missouri.

Maximum temperatures were the most anomalous for the week. Across the Upper Midwest, a pattern change brought temperatures of 3-6°F below normal (Figure 3). In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and northern Minnesota, they were as much as 8-10°F below normal. In southern Missouri and southeastern Kentucky, maximum temperatures averaged 1-3°F above normal. Along I-70 and I-80, they hovered just at or slightly below normal.

Precipitation

Precipitation was lackluster, with much of Minnesota and northern Wisconsin receiving 0 to 30 percent of normal precipitation (Figure 4). The Greater Milwaukee area won with precipitation, receiving 175-200 percent of normal. There was some snow in Michigan’s UP, totaling upward of 10 inches (Figure 5). Otherwise, precipitation generally fell as rain and there were no storm reports this week.

There were minimal changes in the drought monitor. At least a third of the Midwest no longer had any drought or abnormally dry conditions as of March 19 (Figure 6). Abnormally dry (D0) decreased from 71 percent to 66 percent. Moderate Drought (D1) decreased by 2.2 percent. There were negligible changes in Severe Drought (D2) and Extreme Drought (D3), most of which continued to persist over Iowa.