Temperatures

Temperatures were near normal to start off June (Figure 1). There were slight anomalies in the Upper Midwest, where some locations were 2-4°F above normal, and in southern Missouri and Kentucky, where temperatures were also 2-4°F above normal.

Minimum temperatures were slightly below normal across much of Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and the Chicagoland area (Figure 2). Heading south and west, temperatures over southern Illinois, southern Missouri, and western Kentucky were above normal, in some spots by up to 5°F. In Greenfield, Indiana, a station with records dating back to 1903 observed a minimum temperature of 40°F on June 1, which was the coldest June temperature since 2003. In Louisville, Kentucky, minimum temperatures remained above 70°F for three consecutive days—June 4-June 6—for the first time in June since 2014.

Maximum temperatures were above normal by 2-4°F across Ohio and 3-6°F across the Upper Midwest (Figure 3). Maximum temperatures were slightly below normal across the northern half of Missouri.

Precipitation/Drought

Precipitation was over 200 percent of normal across Missouri, southern Illinois, far western Kentucky, and southwestern Indiana (Figure 4). The rest of Illinois and Indiana received near-normal to slightly above-normal precipitation, as did southern Wisconsin and southern Michigan. Wet conditions from prior rains and continued rain caused several rivers in western Missouri and southwestern Indiana to rise to minor flood stage. Kansas City, Missouri set a new daily precipitation record.

Through June 3, the US Drought Monitor removed expanded drought conditions slightly across the board (Figure 5), with over 10 percent of the region now in moderate drought (D1). Abnormally dry conditions (D0) now cover over 40 percent of the region. Severe drought (D2) entered northern Illinois, and moderate drought now covers over 13 percent of Iowa, up from just under 10 percent the week prior.

Severe Weather- June 3-4

There were over 200 storm reports this week: 204 of which were wind reports, 23 were tornado reports, and 11 were hail reports (Figure 6). On June 3, a line of storms occurred from northern Illinois southwestward through Missouri. An EF1 tornado with estimated peak winds of 100 mph spent over 3 miles on the ground in Independence, Missouri, with many healthy trees snapped as a result. There were 8 tornadoes in the Quad Cities area, including an EF1 that with peak winds of 110 mph that remained on the ground for 14 miles. Another EF-1 tornado with peak winds of 100 mph tracked right through Moline and causing heavy tree damage in the city limits.

Several more tornadoes occurred in Greater St. Louis, an area still recovering from tornadoes during the prior month. Several EF1 tornadoes occurred not far from St. Louis this week, with one on June 4 in St. Louis County that caused minor damage to a few homes and left several thousand Ameren customers without power for a period of time. Later in the week, an EF-1 tornado with peak winds of 100 mph touched down in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri which destroyed a large barn and shifted several manufactured homes off their foundations.