January 1-7, 2024

Temperature

It was a colder start to the new year with below-normal temperatures across the board. Most of the region was 2-5°F below normal (Figure 1). While temperatures were near normal to start the period, they fell in the wake of a strong frontal system that pushed east around January 3.

Minimum temperatures were generally near normal. However, in Michigan they hovered 2-4°F above normal, and in Ohio, eastern Indiana and Minnesota they were slightly below normal (Figure 2). Low temperatures were not noteworthy until after the frontal system came through and toward the end of the period, when cooler air was entering from the northwest. The minimum temperature in Kansas City, Missouri was at or below 5°F for 2 consecutive days, January 6-7.

Maximum temperatures averaged below normal region-wide. In eastern Kentucky and southeast Ohio, they were as much as 10°F below normal for the week (Figure 3). Elsewhere, they were mostly 4-8°F below normal. The cooler temperatures mostly came after the cold front at the end of the period. On January 6, a station in Marshfield, Missouri with records dating back to 1908 recorded a high temperature of 15°F, which was 27°F below normal for that date and a daily record.

Precipitation/January 6-7 Winter Storm

It was dry to start the year in much of the Upper Midwest, where little to no precipitation fell thanks to cold, dry air. South of I-80 is where the bulk of precipitation fell this period, with parts of Missouri and Kentucky coming in at over 200 percent of normal precipitation (Figure 4).

Most precipitation actually fell as snow during this week. The heaviest snowfall was in the southern reaches of the region, from Kansas City eastward through southern Illinois, Indiana, and along the Ohio River in Kentucky and Ohio. Many of the aforementioned locations received 6-10 inches of snow, with isolated pockets of higher amounts (Figure 5). The storm also brought a wintry mix which led to icy conditions, mainly along and south of the front, which generally paralleled the Ohio River. In Indiana and Kentucky, trees fell onto homes as a half-inch of ice was reported in spots. Thundersnow was reported in St. Louis and Louisville. Schools were canceled in many areas just as kids were returning from winter break.

Drought Monitor

Slight improvements were made across all categories. At least 44 percent of the Midwest now has no dry or drought conditions (Figure 6). Less than 30 percent of the region is now under D1 (moderate drought). Most improvements were made in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri.