Cooler Temperatures Throughout the Midwest

Average temperatures were below average throughout the region, with deviations up to 6°F below normal. The only area with above-normal average temperatures this week was southwestern Missouri (Figure 1). Kentucky had the largest temperature departure(-3.1°F), followed by Illinois (-2.4°F), then Iowa (-2.3°F), Indiana (-2.0°F), Wisconsin and Ohio (-1.4°F), Minnesota (-1.4°F), Michigan (-1.0°F), and Missouri (-0.3°F). The minimum temperature departures were more notable than the maximum temperature departures. Minimum temperatures across the region were generally 4-9°F below normal (Figure 2). Maximum temperatures were near normal for most of the Midwest. Wisconsin and Illinois had maximum temperatures that were below normal (up to -4°F), and Missouri and western Iowa were above normal (up to +4°F) (Figure 3).

Widespread Below-Normal Precipitation

Dry conditions continued this week for most locations. The only areas with near or above-normal precipitation were Michigan, northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin, and northeast Ohio (Figure 4). Parts of Michigan received up to 1.75 inches of rain (Figure 5) which is 175-200% of normal precipitation. However, the rest of the Midwest saw precipitation totals up to 1.25 inches, with the highest totals in central Illinois, northern Minnesota, and Wisconsin. The driest areas this week were along the Indiana-Kentucky border, where less than 5 percent of normal precipitation was received. Below-average streamflows were widespread in Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan (Figure 6). Reports show the Mississippi River reached record low levels, allowing a path to walk to an island in the middle of the river. The NWS office in Paducah, KY tweeted that the Mississippi River at New Madrid, MO reached a new record low for the first time since 2012. Additionally, a hydro-electric plantin Ottumwa, Iowa was forced to temporarily shut down since all the water from the Des Moines River was needed to support their community’s supply.

First Snowfall of the Season

People in Wisconsin and Minnesota saw their first snowfall of the season (Figure 7). Counties in northern Wisconsin measured over 1 inch of snow accumulation and the Duluth International Airport in Minnesota measured 1.7 inches of snow.

Drought Monitor Update

This week, 74.84% of the Midwest was denoted as abnormally dry or in drought, which is 11.08% higher than last week, according to the October 11 US Drought Monitor (Figure 8). The greatest change was the expansion of Moderate Drought (D1) across the majority of Kentucky. The most severe drought status remains west of the Mississippi River.

Storm Reports

This week, there were 10 tornado reports, 6 hail reports, 40 wind reports, and 3 high wind reports (Figure 9). Most of these reports were from storms that moved through southern Wisconsin on October 12. Storm reports indicate that power outages and downed trees occurred with these weak tornadoes. Multiple wind reports had confirmed gusts of 70 mph, and even some gusts up to 85 mph.