Midwest Weekly Highlights - November 1-7, 2011

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Welcome Rains

Heavy precipitation fell in the southwest part of the Midwest with totals exceeding 1.5" over parts of Missouri, Iowa, and Illinois (Figure 1). Totals were more than twice the normal for the period in those three states while the rest of the region had totals below normal (Figure 2). The rainfall was largely from two events, one spanning the 3rd and 4th (Figure 3) and the other on the 7th (Figure 4), just the first day of a multi-day event that carried over into the following week. More than 170 daily precipitation records were set during the week.
 

Warmer

Following a cool end to October, temperatures bounced back above normal for most of the Midwest. Eastern Kentucky was slightly below normal and the Ohio River Valley was near normal while to the northwest temperatures ranged up to 8°F above normal in northwest Minnesota (Figure 5). Just three daily temperature records were set and another 12 tied during the week.
 

Drought Eases

Drought areas (Figure 6) of Missouri, Iowa, and Illinois that received above average rains will see improvement in their drought status when the next US Drought Monitor is released. The needed rains came following harvest and will help replenish soil moisture prior to the ground freezing for the winter. Rains late in the week also continued into the following week, further helping the drought stricken areas. Further east, Ohio harvest continues to lag the 5-year average due to cool, wet weather in October.
 

-MST-