Midwest Weekly Highlights - November 15-21, 2009

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Cutoff Low Lingers over Missouri for Days

A low formed along a cold front in southwest Missouri on November 15th bringing wet weather to Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and western Kentucky (Figure 1). As the upper air low became cutoff from the jet stream, the system stagnated and lingered over Missouri for the next four days. After drifting across southern Missouri and then up along the Mississippi River, it finally moved out of the state on the 19th and headed quickly to the north northeast as high pressure settled across the Midwest for the last two days of the week (Figure 2).

Precipitation

Weekly rain totals peaked at more than 3.50" (more than four times normal) in west central Illinois. Rains greater than a half inch fell across Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, southeastern Iowa, and western Kentucky. The rest of the Midwest received less than half and inch during the week (Figure 3). There was little change in the Drought Monitor for November 17th (Figure 4).

Precipitation records for any November date were set at four Missouri stations and two Illinois stations. Numerous daily precipitation records were set early in the week, with more than 70 in each of Illinois and Missouri.

Northwest Missouri reported its first snow of the season on the morning of the 17th. Cocorahs reports in Andrew and Nodaway counties reported three inches or more of new snow (Figure 5).
 

Temperature

Temperatures ranged from near normal in western Missouri to 8°F above normal in Ohio and as much as 12°F above normal in northern Minnesota (Figure 6). Maximum temperatures ranged from as much as 5°F below normal in western Missouri to more than 16°F above normal in northern Minnesota (Figure 7). Not many temperature records were set during the week.

River Flooding

Existing flooding along the lower Illinois River was exacerbated by the additional rains (Figure 8). More rivers in Missouri and Illinois also reached flood stage this week (Figure 9).
 

Fall Harvest Progress Varies

Harvest progress was particularly low from Missouri to Indiana due to the rain early in the week. Dryer conditions elsewhere in the Midwest allowed several days of field work and considerable progress on harvest. Missouri harvest numbers for the week were less than 5% of the total but in Minnesota and Michigan 20% or more of the harvest was completed during the week.
 

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