Midwest Overview - November 15-21, 2002

The week of November 15-21 was very quiet in the Midwest. Most of the meager precipitation for the period (Figure 1) fell in the Ohio Valley and Kentucky as a strong low center moved from west to east across the deep south on the 16th, directing some moisture to the Midwest. However, about two-thirds of the Midwest received less than 50% of normal precipitation for the week (Figure 2). The weather was cool during the week, with temperatures 2-6°F below normal (Figure 3) under the upper air trough that dominated the central and eastern Midwest. Despite the cold air and northerly flow, lake effect snow was not widespread or severe. At the end of the period, some lake effect bands developed in favorable locations when a clipper system passed through the eastern Great Lakes. However, there was not nearly enough precipitation to ameliorate drought in that area. In fact, abnormal dryness status extended into north-central Illinois this week, and expanded in Missouri and Iowa (Figure 4, National Drought Mitigation Center).