August 1-10, 2010
Midwest Weekly Highlights - August 1-10, 2010
August Starts Hot
The first ten days of August were above normal across the Midwest
(Figure 1). Temperatures ranged from 3°F to 6°F above normal for the period. Highs reached into the triple digits in the southern Midwest (Figure 2) and lows remained in the 70s over much of the region due to high humidity on several days
(Figure 3). As expected, daily temperature records were tilted heavily to the warm side, averaging less than one record low per day while averaging more than 30 record highs.
More Heavy Rain in Iowa
Heavy rains fell once again in central Iowa. Precipitation totals were several inches above normal over a good portion of Iowa with some locations exceeding 500% of normal (Figure 4). Central Iowa locations picked up over 5" in 48 hours ending on the morning of the 10th and the heavy rains continued later on the 10th. Other locations with an inch or more above normal were northwest Illinois, southwest Wisconsin, and northern Wisconsin. Locations with an inch deficit for the period extended from northern Missouri to northern and western Kentucky
(Figure 5). More than 200 daily precipitation records were set in the first ten days of the month, of those 85 were in Iowa and 34 in Wisconsin.
Drought Lingers in Upper Midwest and Lower Midwest
Despite some recent rains in the upper Midwest, severe drought conditions linger (Figure 6) due to large precipitation deficits over the past couple years. Local lake levels and stream flows
(Figure 7) have not yet recovered. The more recently developing moderate drought in the southern Midwest continues as the lack of summer rain, and enhanced evaporation due to very warm temperatures, stresses plants.
Flooding in Iowa
Iowa, which is having one of its wettest summers ever, continues to do battle with flooded rivers (Figure 8). Near the end of the period, several rivers were at or approaching their record stages. New records were set, or imminent, on Walnut Creek and Four Mile Creek in Des Moines
(Polk County) and South Skunk River and Squaw Creek in Ames
(Story County). Basements are wet across central Iowa as the rains continue to fall on the saturated soils. Numerous parks, trails, and roads were closed across the state due to high water.
Thunderstorm Winds in Ohio Blamed for Multiple Deaths
On August 4th, a line of severe thunderstorms swept across Ohio with winds estimated at 60 to 70 mph. In Edgerton, Ohio
(Williams County), near the Indiana state line, a brick wall at a school construction site was blown down, killing a worker. The winds also collapsed a barn on an egg farm near Hartford, Ohio
(Licking County) killing two of the five construction workers who were renovating the building. The other three workers escaped with minor injuries and two unoccupied barns were also destroyed. Four semi-trucks were blown over on US Highway 23 in central Ohio
(Delaware County) causing detours but no reported injuries. Three radio towers in Belmont County, Ohio collapsed in the wind.
EF4 Tornado Hits Western Minnesota
On August 7th, an EF4 rated tornado formed in eastern North Dakota and moved into Wilkin County, Minnesota. Farm buildings were completely leveled by winds estimated above 170 mph and the twister sucked sugar beets right out of the ground.
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