Temperatures

Average temperatures were above normal for the entire region. Across Minnesota, temperatures were over 10°F normal (Figure 1). Across the rest of the region, they were generally 5-10°F above normal.

Minimum temperatures were 4-8°F above normal for much of the region (Figure 2). In eastern Ohio, minimum temperatures were as much as 10°F above normal for the week.

Maximum temperatures were anomalously warm. Across the northwest, maximum temperatures were 10-15°F above normal for the week (Figure 3). To the east, across Michigan and the Ohio Valley, maximum temperatures were 6-10°F above normal for the week. Across the southern areas, maximum temperatures were less anomalous at 3-6°F above normal. Over 200 daily high temperature records were set across the region this week (Figure 4). In Duluth, Minnesota, the temperature rose to 81°F on September 29, which was only the 4th time since the year 2000 that a temperature that high was observed on or after September 29.

Precipitation/Drought

Precipitation was abundant across the south and east. All of Kentucky, southern Missouri, southern Illinois, southern Indiana, and much of Ohio observed 200-300 percent of normal precipitation (Figure 5).

Drought expanded—as of September 23, over one-third of the Midwest was experiencing drought (Figure 6). Nearly 60 percent of the region was considered D0 (abnormally dry). D4 (extreme drought) expanded slightly across the Missouri Bootheel and western Kentucky.

Severe Weather

There was minor severe weather this week, including reports of tornadoes, and it was limited to the first day of the period. An EF0 with a half-mile path was confirmed in Crawford County, Wisconsin. The same outbreak caused two-inch hail over O’Brien County, Iowa. Meanwhile, a separate outbreak on the same day caused straight-line wind damage over eastern Kentucky.