Midwest Weekly Highlights - January 1-10, 2021

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Warm Start to 2021

Temperatures were well above normal during the first ten days of 2021 (Figure 1).  Areas in Minnesota were 6-10°F above normal, with northwestern Minnesota more than 15°F above normal.  Areas in the southern Midwest were closer to normal, however, with some portions of southern Missouri, southeastern Iowa and western Kentucky near normal.
 

Light Precipitation and Southern Snow

Precipitation was sparse across the Midwest during the period (Figure 2).  Little to no precipitation fell across the Upper Midwest, with many areas in the central and southern Midwest receiving less than an inch.  Some of the wettest areas included southwestern Missouri and the Ohio River Valley.  However, only western Missouri had twice the normal amount for the period (Figure 3).  A good portion of the precipitation in the southern half of the region was from snowfall during the first few days of the year (Figure 4).  Amounts of 2-5 inches were recorded from northern Missouri through southern Lower Michigan through the mornings of January 2 (Figure 5) and January 3 (Figure 6). 
 

Freezing Rain January 1-2

Freezing rain on January 1-2 led to icing on tree limbs and power lines from central Illinois through southern Lower Michigan.  Accumulation of ice was reported around 0.25 inches in many of these areas.  Power outages were reported in central Illinois, with several thousand people left without power.
 

-BJP-