March 22-31, 2024

Temperature

Average temperatures were below normal to the north and west, near normal along I-80, and slightly above normal by 2-4°F near the Ohio River (Figure 1). In Minnesota, average temperatures were as much as 10-12°F below normal. The average temperature for the week was 8.6°F below normal in Minnesota. In Indiana, the statewide average temperature was 2°F above normal, and in Kentucky it was 2.2°F above normal.

Minimum temperatures were not that anomalous. They were generally near or slightly below normal for the week in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio (Figure 2). In Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, minimum temperatures were generally 4-8°F below normal.

Average maximum temperatures were divided clearly along I-80. Temperatures across the Upper Midwest were as much as 12-14°F below normal, specifically in Minnesota (Figure 3). In the lower Midwest, temperatures were generally 3-6°F above normal from Missouri eastward along the Ohio River and into Ohio. In Tower, Minnesota, the daily maximum temperature remained at or below 18°F for two days in a row in March from March 27-28, which was the second time on record.

Precipitation/Severe Weather

Precipitation was most plentiful across Minnesota and Wisconsin, where most of each state saw over 200 percent of normal precipitation (Figure 4). Similar percentages were observed in western and central Iowa, as well as northern Illinois. Along the Ohio River, precipitation was only 25-50 percent of normal. While much of the precipitation south of I-80 was rain, it fell mostly as snow through the Upper Midwest. In Minnesota and northern Wisconsin, many spots saw a foot of snow, while parts of Minnesota’s Arrowhead region observed nearly two feet (Figure 5). This was the first time on record that Duluth, Minnesota recorded at least 5 inches of snow during three consecutive days in March, starting March 24 and ending on March 26.

With generally near normal to cooler than normal temperatures, there were no tornado reports and minimal wind reports this week. A hail event on March 31 starting in southeastern Iowa and spreading into central Illinois dropped up to tennis ball size hail in some spots. Hail was completely covering the ground in several locations in McDonough, Macon, and Logan counties in Illinois.

Improvements were made across all drought categories. There was just under a 1 percent improvement in D3 conditions over eastern Iowa (Figure 6). There was a major 13 percent removal of D1 conditions across the region, specifically due to precipitation over the Upper Midwest, as well as Missouri.