October 11-17, 2007
Midwest Weekly Highlights - October 11-17, 2007
Overview
After a week of record setting warmth that affected most of the Midwest, more seasonable temperatures returned to the area during October 11th - 17th (Figure 1). The average temperature departure for the period varied from four degrees below normal in northern Wisconsin and the upper peninsula of Michigan to four degrees above normal across areas of Indiana and Kentucky. This moderation in temperatures came after the passage of an upper level low pressure system (Figure 2).
However, following the upper level low, high pressure built back into the Midwest (Figure 3) and warm, dry weather returned to the area (Figure 4). The only areas to receive above average precipitation during the climate watch period were the northern and western parts of the Midwest, especially western Iowa and Missouri and around the Green Bay area of Wisconsin. The northern Midwest showed some improvement in the most recent Drought Monitor (Figure 5), with severe drought (D2) now completely gone from northern Minnesota and moderate drought (D1) removed along the Lake Superior shores north of Duluth. Along the Minnesota/Wisconsin state line and into northwestern Wisconsin, the abnormally dry (D0) or moderate drought (D1) areas were reduced (Figure 6). Unfortunately, some of the hardest hit area (Kentucky, southern Illinois, southern Indiana and southern Ohio) again missed on the precipitation and saw no change in drought status (Figure 7).
Fall Harvest Progress Varies
In the northern and western parts of the Midwest, farmers in Iowa and Wisconsin were having to harvest crops around rain showers and the wet conditions have caused corn lodging and stem rot to become wide spread problems. Additionally, some soybean fields still have green stems which is hard on combines. These delays are in contrast to Illinois where the corn and soybean harvest has made great progress with almost ideal conditions over the past several weeks. In fact, the only problem reported in Illinois is that the winter wheat seeding is progressing so well that wheat seed is in short supply. Seeding is slow to the south in Kentucky due to concerns over a lack of moisture for germination. 96% of the state is considered short or very short in both topsoil and subsoil moisture. Pasture conditions continue to deteriorate there with 86% rated as poor or very poor and producers are hauling water to their cattle and feeding hay months early. Southern Ohio is also reporting extremely dry pastures and stressed herds.
Missouri Tornadoes Turn Deadly
On the evening of October 17th, severe weather struck across Missouri and into southern Illinois ahead of a developing powerful storm system. As the surface low was deepening over northwestern Kansas (Figure 8), warm moist air moved in ahead of it into Missouri, destabilizing the atmosphere. This instability, coupled with a strong approximately 80 knot mid level jet, set up perfect conditions for supercell thunderstorms and the risk of tornadoes (Figure 9).
At 5:50 p.m., an EF-2 tornado struck tornado eastern Lawrence County, Missouri near the town of Verona and traveled to the northeast to near Chesapeake, MO. While on the ground, it damaged or destroyed nine homes, a lumber mill and several barns. At 6:35 p.m., an EF-1 tornado hit northwestern Greene County northwest of Willard, near the Cave Spring area. It damaged two homes and a barn in addition to trees and power lines. At 11:35 p.m., an EF-0 tornado touched down in Laclede County near Morgan, damaging trees and power lines and moving a mobile home off its foundation. There were no injuries reported with any of these tornadoes. However, the storms of that evening became deadly as they moved further into Missouri. Near midnight in Paris, MO (Monroe County), two people were killed when the mobile home they were in was demolished. The base frame of the mobile home was tossed one-third of a mile away from its original location and debris was found as far as two miles away. A large barn and machine shed were also destroyed by this tornado, which was rated at the high end of the EF-2 range. Two other tornadoes also struck Monroe County that night; both were rated at EF-0. Damage was reported to a machine shed near Paris and to another shed near Madison in addition to tree damage along all three tracks.
| Date | Location | Record Type | New Record | Old Record & Year |
October 10 |
Marquette, MI |
Precip |
1.73” |
0.71” / 1990 |
| October 13 | Columbia, MO | Precip | 1.24” | 1.07” / 1968 |
| October 14 | Des Moines, IA | Precip | 2.10” | 0.81” / 1920 |
| Sioux City, IA | Precip | 1.19” | 1.16” / 1920 | |
| October 16 | Green Bay, WI | Precip | 1.51” | 0.88” / 1928 |
| October 17 | Paducah, KY | Precip | 2.28” | 1.87” / 1980 |
| Kansas City, MO | Precip | 2.04” | 2.02” / 1946 |
MCP