Midwest Weekly Highlights - October 1-10, 2010

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Dry Across Much of the Midwest

The first ten days of October were dryer than normal across all but northeast Ohio (Figure 1). Northeast Ohio got normal rains but other areas received less rain further to the west and south (Figure 2). The dry weather allowed for extensive farm fieldwork, putting corn and bean harvests ahead of schedule in all but Minnesota. The dry weather was less welcome along the Ohio River where drought continued its hold following a dry summer (Figure 3).
 

Warmer Temperatures in the Upper Midwest, Cooler in the Southern Midwest

Temperature departures ranged from nearly 10°F above normal in northwest Minnesota to 3°F below normal in southeast Kentucky (Figure 4). Early in the period, many stations recorded their first fall freeze (Figure 5). Later in the period, record warmth occurred with more than 100 record highs on each the 9th and 10th.
 

Severe Weather Takes the Week Off

There were no reports of severe weather during the period. With the lack of rain, no new flooding developed however, the flooding in southern Minnesota, western Wisconsin, and northern Iowa continued into October (Figure 6). Widespread flooding in those areas subsided and flooding downstream on the Des Moines River and Mississippi River eased to minor status by the end of the period.
 

-MST-