February 8-14, 2012
Midwest Weekly Highlights - February 8-14, 2012
More Winter-like Temperatures across Midwest
In contrast to the first week of February when temperatures were at least 7°F above normal across the Midwest, the second week of the month brought more winter-like temperatures to the region. A majority of the Midwest experienced near normal to below normal temperatures throughout the week. This is only the third time since meteorological winter began in December that there has been a week with near to below normal temperatures in the Midwest. The only locations with above average temperatures in the Midwest were in the north, with the biggest departures of 4°F to 6°F in Upper Michigan (Figure 1). There were only 2 daily temperature records set during the week, one for record low maximum temperature in Mansfield, Missouri (Wright County) and one for two for record low minimum temperature in Jamestown, Kentucky
(Russell County).
Precipitation
Precipitation totals were below normal for a majority of the Midwest during the second week of February, with most of the Midwest receiving only 10% to 75% of their normal precipitation (Figure 2). The largest departures from normal precipitation were in central and northern Minnesota, where they received less than 25% of their normal precipitation. Northwest Minnesota did not receive any precipitation during the week
(Figure 3). Northwest Iowa, on the other hand, received 2 to 3 times their normal precipitation during the second week of February.
Snow Events
There were two major snow events during the week, the first was a heavy lake effect snow event focused in Indiana and Michigan and the other was a more widespread snow event across the Midwest.
A band of intense lake effect snow developed across Lake Michigan on the evening of February 10th. By the morning of the 11th, this band was producing hourly accumulation rates nearing 4 inches per hour in far northwest Indiana and southwest Michigan. Thunder, lightning, and high winds were also reported. The highest snowfall totals were in Berrien County, Michigan, where some National Weather Service spotters reported 15 to 20 inches of snow. Other snowstorm totals include 3 to 10 inches in northwest Indiana (Figure 4). This event was produced by very cold, arctic air moving over a relatively much warmer Lake Michigan (Figure 5).
In the later part of the week on the 13th and 14th, a widespread event produced snow in all 9 Midwest states, with the highest totals of 3 to 6 inches in central Missouri, northwest Iowa, and southwest Minnesota. A heavier band of snowfall stretched from central Missouri to southern Michigan, where totals ranged from 1 to 3 inches (Figure 6).
During the week, 104 daily snowfall records were set or tied across the Midwest.
Minnesota's Warm and Dry Winter
Following an unseasonably warm and dry fall, the winter has not been much different for Minnesota. Since the beginning of December, temperatures are averaging 6°F to 10°F above normal across Minnesota, making the 2011-2012 winter the fourth warmest on record (Figure 7). As a result of the unseasonably warm conditions, eight vehicles have falling through thin ice on lakes in Hennepin County, prompting the county sheriff to ban vehicles from all bodies of water in the county.
Since the beginning of December the central and northern parts of the state have only received 10-50% of their normal precipitation (Figure 8). The latest release of the US Drought Monitor has 24% of the state in severe drought (D2) and 96% of the state is in moderate drought (D1) (Figure 9). Impacts of the dry conditions include seed corn shortage as a result of low yield in the fall and the cancelling of several winter festivals due to lack of snow.
-MW-
The Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory also contributed to this report.
The Minnesota State Climatology Office also contributed to this report.