Warmer Temperatures Throughout the Region

After a few weeks of below-average temperatures in the Midwest, the last week of October brought above-normal temperatures for the entire region. All states had temperature deviations of about 4°F above normal, with the northern portion of the Midwest up to 8°F above normal (Figure 1). Nicollet County, Minnesota had an average temperature of 55.5°F, which was 10.5°F above average for the week. Maximum temperatures were above normal in the entire region, but the largest departures occurred in the northern Midwest. Maximum temperatures were up to 12°F warmer than normal in this region (Figure 2). High temperature records were broken in Chicago on October 22, where many areas reached the upper 70s and lower 80s. Minimum temperatures were warmer than average in most of the Midwest, except for small portions of western Iowa, eastern Kentucky, and eastern Ohio (Figure 3). There were 121 maximum and 91 minimum daily high temperature records that were broken or tied this week (Figure 4).

Long Awaited Precipitation for Some

Precipitation was welcomed to the Ohio River Valley, but many locations still recorded below-normal precipitation. Many stations in northwestern Missouri extending northward to Minnesota and Wisconsin experienced the driest fourth week of October on record (Figure 5). Much of Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana had near-normal precipitation amounts, and some areas received over 300 percent of normal precipitation (Figure 6). Portions of Missouri measured at least 3 inches of precipitation this week (Figure 7). On October 25, Laclede County, Missouri, recorded 2.03 inches of precipitation and totaled 5.03 inches for the week (3.85 inches above normal). Up until this week, October conditions had been extremely dry; in Indianapolis, the rain event on October 25 brought more rain in minutes than was received throughout the month. Valparaiso, Indiana had the highest single-day precipitation total (2.65 inches) so far this year according to NWS Chicago’s tweet. As expected, higher streamflow values were recorded this week, especially in the southern portion of the region where the most precipitation was recorded (Figure 8). As of October 26, Tower Rock, a land formation on the Mississippi River that had been accessible by foot for several weeks, was inaccessible again, as water levels rose.

Storm Reports

There were seven wind reports and one high wind report that all took place on October 23 (Figure 9). Four of the wind reports occurred in Iowa and four in Minnesota. A mesonet station in Rock County, Minnesota recorded a 74-mph wind gust. Reports indicated that medium sized branches were downed and that Nobles County, MN lost power.

Drought Monitor Update

The October 25, 2022 US Drought monitor indicated a 7.55 percent increase in Midwest land in drought (Figure 10). One positive was that the total area in Exceptional Drought (D4) decreased, leaving a small speck of D4 in western Iowa. There was relief to the Extreme Drought (D3) in southwestern Missouri, but D3 was added in southern Illinois, western Kentucky, and southeastern Missouri. Severe Drought (D2), Moderate Drought (D1), and Abnormally Dry (D0) areas were added and expanded in the southern Midwest.