Warmer than normal temperatures dominated the region, with the Upper Midwest having the greatest departures with temperatures 4-6 degrees above normal.
It was also a fairly dry week over the region with only spotty precipitation over portions of central Illinois into Indiana. Minnesota into northwest Iowa recorded the most precipitation during the week as the active weather that impacted the northern Plains drifted east. Rapidly changing conditions in Michigan allowed for a widespread expansion of abnormally dry conditions in Lower Michigan as well as the eastern edge of the Upper Peninsula.
Moderate drought was introduced this week into eastern Michigan as flash drought conditions are developing rapidly. Abnormally dry conditions were eliminated over most of northern Minnesota while they expanded in southeast Iowa, with a slight expansion of moderate drought there as well. Abnormally dry conditions were introduced into portions of western Kentucky where conditions have been dry over the short term.
In Missouri, extreme drought was introduced this week into the northern portions of the state. Dryness on multiple timescales as well as local impacts being reported to help guide this introduction. Severe drought was also introduced in southwest Missouri and expanded in northwest Missouri while moderate drought was expanded over northeast Missouri.
All or portions of 16 area counties are into “extreme drought” which is one step below the worst category which is called “exceptional drought.”
These include Grundy, Livingston, Linn, Daviess, and Caldwell counties from the Green Hills Region. Those in the Green Hills that have a portion for extreme drought are Harrison and Sullivan. The map also shows portions of Harrison, Mercer, Putnam and Sullivan counties with a moderate to severe drought.
Other northwest Missouri counties experiencing extreme drought include from west to east, portions of Nodaway, Andrew, Gentry, DeKalb, Clinton, Ray, Carroll, Chariton, Macon, and Randolph.
