Rollercoaster Ride of Temperatures Continues

Midwest temperatures have fluctuated from above normal to below normal throughout the month, with below normal temperatures returning for the last week of March (Figure 1). The coldest temperature departures were observed over northern Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and northern Michigan, where temperatures were 3-7°F below normal. Isolated locations in Wisconsin and Michigan observed temperatures that were nearly 8°F below normal. Charlevoix County, Michigan, and Oneida County, Wisconsin, both tied for the largest temperature departures (7.6°F below normal). To the east, departures were less extreme with temperatures ranging from normal to 4°F below normal. Minimum temperatures were relatively normal across the Midwest (Figure 2). The largest deviations occurred in maximum temperatures, where departures ranged from 8-12°F below normal for a large majority of Iowa, Minnesota, and Michigan (Figure 3). Across the region, there were 45 low minimum, and 126 low maximum temperature records broken or tied this week (Figure 4).

Central Midwest Receives Abundant Precipitation, Others Miss Out

Heavy precipitation fell from Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan, where totals ranged from 1.5-2.5 inches (Figure 5). For many of these locations, precipitation ranged from 175-300 percent of normal (Figure 6). Isolated locations in Missouri, Wisconsin, and Michigan received 2.5-4.5 inches. Jackson County, Missouri received 4.5 inches this week. Their single day maximum was 1.61 inches, which occurred on March 30th. Eastern Wisconsin and northeastern Michigan saw 400-750 percent of normal precipitation. Eastern Kentucky received less than 0.5 inches of precipitation (10-50 percent of normal) and northwestern Minnesota received less than 0.3 inches of precipitation (10-75 percent of normal) this week. There were 262 daily precipitation records broken or tied this week (Figure 7). Streamflow observations through Missouri, Illinois, western Indiana and Michigan were above normal to High (Figure 8). Many stations in eastern Kentucky and Ohio were recording below normal stream flows. Due to the lack of precipitation, wildfires have also been reported in Kentucky (Figure 9).

Snow in Northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan

Northern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, and Michigan’s UP all saw snowfall this week, where 3-7.5 inches fell (Figure 10). Isolated locations in these states saw in excess of 10 inches of snow. Cook County, Minnesota, recorded 20.1 inches of snow (14 inches fell on March 23). This was 17.5 inches above normal for the week. To the south, many locations saw an inch or less. The southern-most boundary of snow extended from northern Missouri, northern Iowa, Central Indiana and Central Ohio. There were 45 daily snowfall records broken or tied this week, most occurring in Minnesota, Iowa, northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin (Figure 11).

Severe Thunderstorm Reports

There were 6 tornado, 12 hail (excess of one inch), 70 wind, and 5 high wind storm reports this week (Figure 12).

March 23 - A brief EF-0 tornado (80 mph winds) touched down near Clarksville, Ohio, where a barn collapsed and many trees were uprooted. Several downed trees, powerlines and building damage throughout Kentucky and Ohio. Ping pong ball size hail (1.5 inches in diameter) reported in Allen County, Indiana. Another 1.5-inch diameter report occurred in Athens County, Ohio.

March 25 - A 62-mph wind gust was recorded in Lake County, Indiana. Several locations with tree limbs, powerlines, and trees downed. Several wind damage reports were reported in Illinois and Indiana.

March 29 - An EF-1 tornado was confirmed in St. Joseph, Missouri, where two homes sustained damage. A 70-mph wind gust was reported in Mills County, Iowa, with structural damage in Montgomery County, Iowa.

March 30 - Two tornado reports from Illinois (Franklin and White Counties). Franklin County reported an EF-0 with path length of 4.7 miles, peak width of 100 yards, and winds in excess of 80 mph. Trees were uprooted. White County was determined to be an EF-1, with a max width of 400 yards and winds up to 100 mph. Three wind gusts in excess of 65 mph were reported in Kentucky and Ohio causing damage to trees and downed powerlines.

Drought Monitor Update

There were improvements in the March 29 U.S. Drought Monitor (Figure 13). The percent area in moderate (D1) to exceptional (D4) drought decreased from 14.6 percent to 10.2 percent, a 4.4 percent decrease in drought area for the week. Severe (D2) drought in northern Minnesota and southern Wisconsion was downgraded to D1. Moderate (D1) drought remained largely unchanged this week, with minor relief in the southern portion of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Most improvements occurred in areas with abnormally dry (D0) conditions, which were in northern Missouri, southern Iowa, and Michigan.