August 8-14, 2024

Temperature

Average temperatures for the week were below normal for every state in the Midwest. West of the Mississippi river they were up to 7°F below normal, while heading east, average temperatures were 2-4°F below normal with places in southern Ohio and eastern Kentucky near normal (Figure 1). While the average temperature was 1.5°F below normal in Ohio, it was as much as 6°F below normal in Iowa. On August 9, Kansas City, Missouri had an average temperature of 62.5°F, which was the coldest average temperature in August since 2017. On August 10 the average temperature in Joplin, Missouri was 67°F, which was the coldest average temperature in August since 2015.

Average minimum temperatures were below normal by 3-5°F, though some parts of the region had anomalies slightly outside of that range (Figure 2). In Quincy, Illinois, a minimum temperature of 52°F was observed on August 10, the coldest August temperature since 2015.

Average maximum temperatures were as much as 10°F below normal this week in Missouri (Figure 3). Maximum temperatures were most below normal west of the Mississippi River, generally in the range of 5-10°F below normal. Heading east, temperature departures were less prevalent, hovering just at or below normal in much of Ohio and Kentucky. On August 8, Red Lake Falls, Minnesota, observed a temperature of 59°F, the coldest maximum temperature in August since 2018. On August 9, Kansas City had a maximum temperature of only 71°F, which was the coldest August maximum since 2022. On the same day, International Falls, Minnesota had a maximum temperature of 58°F, the coldest maximum temperature in August since 2018.

Precipitation, Drought and Severe Weather

It was dry across much of the region, with almost all of Indiana, eastern Illinois, southern Michigan, and western Ohio receiving no precipitation (Figure 4). With the exception of Missouri, where much of the state observed 1-1.5 inches of precipitation, much of the region observed less than 1 inch of precipitation. This can be somewhat typical, as August typically only measures 3.67 inches of precipitation in August, which is less than that of May, June, or July and equal to April.

There was some expansion of D2 conditions in southern Ohio and D1 in western Missouri (Figure 5). Small areas of abnormally dry conditions have been noted in Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. However, at least 80 percent of the Midwest still remains drought-free.

With a quieter and cooler pattern, severe weather was negligible this week. There were only two storm reports, and they were wind reports in Missouri (Figure 6).