An Early Glimpse of Spring Temperatures for the Midwest

Abnormally high temperatures were observed throughout this week for the entire Midwest (Figure 1). All states’ weekly mean temperature deviations were at least 8°F above normal. Overall, Michigan had the largest departure from normal (14.5°F). Both average maximum (Figure 2) and minimum (Figure 3) temperature departures were unseasonably warm as well, with some areas reaching upwards of 20°F above normal. The highest maximum temperature recorded this week was 75°F on February 10th in Rowan, Estill, Floyd, Magoffin, and Powell Counties (KY) and in Scioto, Washington, Lawrence, and Pike Counties (OH). Additionally, three temperature records were broken in the Green Bay, Wisconsin, area on February 14th. Most Midwestern stations reported average temperatures in the top five warmest on record for the second week of February, with a handful of stations reporting it as number one (Figure 4).

Storm System Causes Heavy Precipitation and High Wind Speeds

A strong area of low pressure was present in the southern United States on February 8th, which acted as a catalyst for severe weather across the Midwest this week. While tornadoes occurred in Louisiana and Mississippi, high winds were reported around the juncture of Illinois, Missouri, and Kentucky, downing trees/limbs and damaging buildings (Figure 5). This low pressure storm system pushed into central Illinois during the morning of February 9th (Figure 6a, 7am EST) and continued to traverse northeastward through the Midwest throughout the day (Figure 6b, 1pm EST) before exiting the region in the evening (Figure 6c, 7pm EST). Above normal precipitation was observed in the path of this storm, spanning from Missouri through Michigan, but below normal precipitation was seen for the rest of the region (Figure 7). Precipitation totals of up to 3 inches were present in the southernmost part of the Midwest (Figure 8). The highest precipitation totals in this area were reported in this report from the Paducah, Kentucky National Weather Service office. The only significant snowfall this week was associated with this system. Temperatures were just above freezing in most of this area, but a narrow band of this system produced snowfall on the northern edge of the low’s path. Pockets of this snowfall band had above normal totals (Figure 9) and reached up to 3.5 inches of accumulation (Figure 10). Overall, 172 precipitation records were broken or tied this week (Figure 11). Strong sustained winds and gusts were the main threats associated with this system for the south- central Midwest. Peak wind gusts in the Paducah, KY, Lincoln, IL, and Indianapolis, IN reached the upper 50s and into the low 60s (mph) causing power outages and damage to trees and buildings.

River Levels and Drought Monitor Update

When compared with last week, river levels increased or remained the same everywhere except for Kentucky (Figure 12). Streamflows were in the 90th percentile (much above normal) in areas that received the heaviest precipitation. Timely and persistent precipitation helped eliminate abnormally dry conditions from an additional 7 percent of the Midwest this week (Figure 13). Seventy percent of the Midwest is now free of drought or dryness. In Missouri, the area of Severe Drought (D2) and some of the Moderate Drought (D1) were removed. Much of the Abnormally Dry (D0) areas in Illinois were removed as well.