Midwest Weekly Highlights - October 1-9, 2008

---

Quiet Start to October

The first week of October saw a continuation of quiet weather across much of the Midwest.   Precipitation was normal to 300 percent of normal across much of Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois, while portions of Missouri, Indiana, and Ohio received only 5 to 25 percent of normal precipitation (Figure 1). Most of this precipitation across the western portions of the Midwest was associated with an upper air disturbance which moved in to the area on October 7 before lifting out of the region and weakening October 9 (Figure 2). Several locations in Minnesota set a new record for October 7 rainfall totals, including Rochester (Olmsted County), Wadena (Wadena County), Madison (Lac qui Parle County), and Grand Meadow (Mower County). Despite some areas in Minnesota seeing 300 percent of normal precipitation, the October 7 U.S. Drought Monitor showed Severe (D2) drought persisting across southern Minnesota and central Wisconsin, while Moderate (D1) drought extended across much of Minnesota and Wisconsin (Figure 3). Little relief was found for drought in Ohio, Indiana, or Kentucky, where Severe (D2) drought continued throughout south-central portions of that state.  No severe thunderstorms were reported in the Midwest this week.  

Temperatures were normal to below normal over much of the Midwest (Figure 4). Parts of Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana were 5°F to 6°F below normal as a high pressure persisted across southern Canada and drove cooler air in to the area (Figure 5). Further from the effects of the high, parts of western Iowa and Minnesota saw average temperatures 1°F to 3°F above normal. Despite the near normal temperatures in Minnesota, International Falls, MN (Koochiching County) set a new record low of 22°F on October 3.

AB