July 25-31, 2001:

The precipitation patterns during July 25-31 followed the outlines of established dry and wet areas in the Midwest (Figure 23, National Drought Mitigation Center). Most of Michigan, southern Wisconsin, central Minnesota, central Iowa, and northern Illinois received less than normal amounts of rain (Figure 24. On the other hand, already moist areas such as western and northern Minnesota,northern Iowa, Missouri and Kentucky received copious amounts of precipitation (Figure 25). Heavy rains in the previously dry parts of southern Illinois, southeastern Missouri, and western Kentucky helped to reduce the magnitude and spatial extent of drought in that region. Too much rain fell in the western and central two-thirds of Missouri from the 24th through the 28th, with some locations receiving more than 8 inches during the week (Figure 26, NWS). A stationary front extending from southwestern Missouri through northern Kentucky provided a focus for convergence and precipitation throughout all of Kentucky from the 26th to the 29th (Figure 27a and Figure 27b, NWS). At that time the boundary shifted northward, and hot and humid air returned to the central and eastern Midwest. This caused much of the region to register considerably above normal temperatures for the week (Figure 28).