April 1-7, 2024

Temperatures

Most of the Midwest observed average temperatures that were near normal for the week (Figure 1). In Minnesota and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, some areas were up to 6°F above normal. In the center of the region, northern Illinois, eastern Iowa and southern Wisconsin were 2-4°F below normal. Elsewhere, temperatures were normal.

Minimum temperatures were either near or just above normal (Figure 2). Along the Ohio River, temperatures were 1-2°F above normal, and in eastern Kentucky and eastern Ohio, minimum temperatures averaged as much as 5-6°F above normal. Parts of the Upper Midwest were slightly above normal as well, generally by no more than 3°F. In Evansville, Indiana, a minimum temperature of 67°F on April 1 was the warmest that early in the calendar year since 2001. On the same date, Louisville, Kentucky recorded a minimum temperature of 69°F, which was the warmest that early in the year since 1922.

Maximum temperatures were below normal in most areas (Figure 3) As a low-pressure system slowly spiraled over the region, cloud cover and rain kept temperatures down. Average maximum temperatures under the center of the low in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin were up to 9°F below normal. Elsewhere, maximum temperatures were generally 2-4°F below normal, and in western Minnesota and parts of the UP, they were up to 8°F above normal.

Precipitation/Severe Weather

Much of the region received 175-200+ percent of normal precipitation (Figure 4). Precipitation was most sparse in northwestern Wisconsin, Minnesota, and western Iowa, where many spots received 50 percent or less of normal precipitation for the week. A storm system early in the week dropped rain totals upward of 3 inches across much of the Ohio Valley. Zanesville, Ohio received 4.13 inches of rain for the week, which was the wettest first week of April since records began in 1895 and more than the normal April precipitation total of 3.86 inches. Rains across the Ohio River Basin were causing an increase in streamflow for major tributaries, with the Ohio River and Wabash River rising toward moderate flood stage through the end of the week (Figure 5).

This system also brought severe weather, mainly to southern reaches of the region. There were over 400 storm reports this week, over half of which were straight-line damaging winds (Figure 6). There were 68 tornado reports and 84 hail reports. Severe weather was mostly confined to Missouri, southern Illinois, southern Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. Two people were injured due to an EF-2 tornado in Eldorado, Illinois on April 2. An EF-2 tornado with winds of 115 mph crossed the Wabash River in Posey County, Indiana before merging with another EF-2 tornado near Blairsville, Indiana. There were 18 tornadoes total in the NWS Paducah, Kentucky forecast area alone. As severe weather moved east, 10 tornadoes affected the NWS Louisville, Kentucky forecast area. An EF-2 tornado with 120 mph winds started in Clark County, Indiana before entering Oldham County, Kentucky, knocking over 3 tractor trailers and causing 22 injuries in its path.

By April 2, the drought monitor had not changed much. While there was some removal of abnormally dry conditions, specifically in southwestern Missouri and southern Illinois, there were also expansions of D1 conditions in the same region (Figure 7). There were negligible changes in D2 and D3 conditions across the region by April 2.