August 8-14, 2025

Temperatures

Average temperatures were above normal across the region. In Michigan, temperatures averaged as much as 7-8°F above normal for the week (Figure 1). Most states were anywhere from 2-4°F above normal.

Minimum temperatures were 8-10°F above normal across Michigan (Figure 2). Much of the region averaged 3-6°F above normal, with the greatest departures over the Great Lakes states. In Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, minimum temperatures remained above 65°F for five consecutive days, August 7-11, for only the second time in August since records began in 1888. In Traverse City, Michigan, minimum temperatures remained at or above 69°F for five consecutive days, August 8-12, for the first time in August since 1988 and the 4th time since records began in 1896.

Maximum temperatures were above normal by 6-8°F across Lower Michigan (Figure 3). Much of the southern and eastern parts of the region observed maximum temperatures 3-6°F above normal for the week. Maximum temperatures were closer to normal to the northwest. In Petoskey, Michigan, a maximum temperature of 94°F was observed on August 10, making it the warmest August day in Petoskey since 2006.

Precipitation & Drought

Southern areas—particularly south of I-80—observed less than normal precipitation. Central Indiana observed less than 25 percent of normal precipitation for the week (Figure 4). Near-to-above-normal precipitation was more prevalent over the Upper Midwest.

Drought across the Midwest went largely unchanged as of the August 12 update. There were little to no changes across the D1 (moderate drought) and D2 (severe drought) categories. D0 (abnormally dry) rose to 15% coverage across the region as much drier conditions were noted across southern Missouri (Figure 5).

Wisconsin Record Rains and Flooding

A bullseye for precipitation was located over eastern Iowa and southern Wisconsin, where over 300 percent of normal precipitation was observed. Several rounds of thunderstorms resulted in record flooding across the Greater Milwaukee area. Most of the precipitation fell rapidly over the course of a 24-hour period that began on August 9. Three locations in Wisconsin—Butler, New Berlin, and Brookfield—observed 11.64 inches, 11.37 inches, and 11.29 inches of precipitation, respectively, and all three observations are in the top 5 largest single-day in Wisconsin history. The Wisconsin State Fair’s final day was canceled, and multiple water rescues occurred across southeastern Wisconsin during the weekend.

Severe Weather

The same system that brought flooding to southern Wisconsin also brought severe weather to parts of the region. There were multiple reports of wind damage in northern Wisconsin on August 9, including a report of a collapsed barn in Calumet County. The same system spawned a brief EF-1 tornado in Shelby County, Missouri. Two brief EF-0 tornadoes touched down near Cleveland, Ohio, on August 12. On August 14, 2- to 3-inch diameter hail fell in Red Lake County, Minnesota.