Midwest Weekly Highlights - April 8-14, 2010

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Snow Returns to Upper Midwest

Early in the week a surface low moved across the upper Midwest (Figure 1). Behind the low, northerly winds brought colder temperatures and several inches of snow to northeast Wisconsin, upper Michigan, and northern reaches of lower Michigan (Figure 2). Precipitation for the week was light. Amounts ranged from nothing in southwest Missouri to less than 1.5 inches in parts of Indiana and Ohio (Figure 3) with most locations receiving less than normal for the week. Few Midwest locations were above normal with west central Minnesota and north central Iowa the only location above 150% of normal (Figure 4).
 

Temperatures Remain Above Normal

A second week of above normal temperatures was experienced across the Midwest. Not as warm as the previous week, departures ranged from 2 to 3°F above normal in the southern and eastern reaches to as much as 10°F above normal along the Minnesota-South Dakota border (Figure 5). The number of daily temperature records was down considerably from the previous week, but once again there were no record low temperatures recorded. The relatively dry conditions over the past few months led to the introduction of moderate drought in Kentucky in the April 13 Drought Monitor (Figure 6).
 

Limited Severe Weather During the Week

Thunderstorm winds caused damage to trees in eastern Kentucky on the 8th (three counties). Hail, ranging from quarter to golf ball size (1.00 to 1.75 inches) fell in Minnesota on the 11th (Rock County) and in Iowa (seven reports in six counties) and Minnesota (six reports in two counties) on the 12th. Accounts from some of the Minnesota storms reported hail covering the ground.
 

Flooding Eases

Ongoing flooding was limited to the Red River and Mississippi River (Figure 7). Flooding was classified as minor at most gauges with only Drayton on the Red River still reporting moderate flooding at the end of the week. Flooding also eased on the Minnesota River which allowed the reopening of Highway 41 and US 169 in southwest Minnesota. The roads had been closed for weeks. Highway 101 remained closed but was expected to be opened shortly.
 

Wild Fires Burn

Large wild fires burnt in several Midwestern states (Figure 8). Minnesota and Missouri each hand a handful of fires, southern Ohio had two, and eastern Kentucky had more than 40 fires linked to the dry conditions.
 

Fireball Lights Up the Midwest Sky

A little after 10pm on the 14th, citizens across several states reported a large fireball in the night sky. NWS weather radars in Davenport, Iowa and LaCrosse, Wisconsin picked up the suspected meteor. An Iowa Trooper's dash cam even caught the event on video.
 

-MST-