Midwest Weekly Highlights - February 15-21, 2012

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Pockets of Above Average Precipitation

While the majority of the Midwest experienced below average precipitation during the third week of February, there were pockets of above average precipitation for parts of Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, and Kentucky (Figure 1). Minnesota and northwest Iowa, who have experienced major deficits in precipitation since the fall, received 2 to 5 times their normal amount of precipitation during the week. In Minnesota, snowfall totals for the week ranged from 1 to 2 inches in southern Minnesota to 6 to 10 inches in northeast Minnesota (Figure 2).

Rain during the week left the whole state of Missouri with some reported precipitation. The highest totals were found in southern Missouri of a half inch to an inch (Figure 3).

Southeast Kentucky experienced 2 to 5 times their normal snowfall during the week (Figure 4). The snow event that produced the above average snowfall for this region moved through during the middle of week, leaving behind 3 to 6 inches of snow (Figure 5).

During the week, 65 daily precipitation records and 38 daily snowfall records were set. In addition, on February 21st, two stations broke their monthly precipitation records for February. Ringsted, Iowa (Emmet County) and Solon Springs, Wisconsin (Douglas County) recorded 0.88 inches and 2.0 inches, respectively.

Temperatures Return to Above Normal

After a temporary drop to more winter-like temperatures last week, above average temperatures returned to the Midwest during the third week of February (Figure 6). Minnesota experienced the highest departures from normal of 9°F to 13°F, while temperatures were near normal in southern Illinois, southeast Missouri, and western Kentucky. Average temperatures ranged from 15°F in the north to 45°F further south (Figure 7). Maximum and minimum temperature also averaged above normal across a majority of the Midwest (Figure 8) .

There were a few daily temperature records set during the week. Columbia City, Indiana (Whitley County) broke their previous daily maximum temperature record by 4°F on February 21st, when a temperature of 67°F was recorded.
 

-MW-