May 14-21, 2022

Temperatures

Temperatures were above average across the Midwest. Average temperatures were especially anomalous across northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan, where the average temperatures for the week were roughly 10°F above normal (Figure 1). Average temperatures were less above normal heading west of the Mississippi River, where the average temperature was 3-6°F above normal for the week.

Average minimum temperatures were 4-8°F above normal across the region, with pockets of slightly more anomalous minimum temperatures through Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan (Figure 2). In Quincy, Illinois, the minimum temperature on May 20 was 72°F, only the 7th time a minimum temperature of 72°F or greater was recorded in May in over 100 years of records. Detroit City Airport, a station with 90 years of records, observed a minimum temperature of 70°F on May 21, not only a daily record but the warmest May minimum temperature at that location since 1998. Pipestone, Minnesota, a station with 124 years of records, recorded a minimum temperature of 69°F on May 18, which was not only a daily record but tied for the warmest minimum temperature in May since records began in 1877.

Maximum temperatures averaged 4-8°F across most of the Midwest. Most of Michigan was over 10°F above normal (Figure 3). Maximum temperatures in northwest Ohio and northeast Indiana were also near 10°F above normal for the week. Parts of northern Minnesota were near normal for the week. Cleveland, Ohio hit 90°F on May 21, which was the first 90°F temperature in May since 2019.

Precipitation

Most of the region received 50-100 percent of normal precipitation this week (Figure 4). Isolated spots picked up 150 percent or more of normal precipitation, including western and northern Minnesota, much of Iowa, central Indiana, and the Missouri Bootheel. Evansville, Indiana recorded 3.42 inches of precipitation on May 14, the wettest May day since 2008 and 6th wettest May day record. A station in Sioux Rapids, Iowa reported 2.42 inches of rain, the third wettest May day on record since 1941. On the same day, Waterloo, Iowa had its fourth wettest May day on record with 2.79 inches of precipitation.

After several weeks of major precipitation, drought removal has continued. As of May 21, slight pockets of D1 (moderate drought) remained in southeastern Missouri, eastern Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan’s UP and northern Minnesota (Figure 5). With the removal of D2 (severe drought) in eastern Iowa, this is the first week since June 2020 that no severe drought exists anywhere in the Midwest.

Severe Weather

There were over 700 preliminary storm reports this week. Over half—492 reports—were wind reports (Figure 6). There were also 136 hail reports and 47 tornado reports. Most of the tornadoes occurred in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. This includes the deadly Greenfield, Iowa tornado, which was an EF-4 with estimated winds of 175-185 mph. There were 35 injuries and 5 deaths and the tornado spent over 40 miles on the ground. This tornado took down a large wind turbine, which ultimately caught on fire.

Straight line winds from this system were also noteworthy. Several 70-80 mph straight-line wind gusts were reported in Iowa. A 90 mph wind gust was reported near Bennett, Iowa in Cedar County, which subsequently took down 15 tall utility poles, some of which snapped. Near Hollandale, Wisconsin in Iowa County, multiple large grain bins were pushed over by 80 mph straight line wind gusts.