Latest Midwest storm exits the region

On the Plains, cold, dry weather prevails, except for a few snow showers in Kansas and eastern Colorado. For the most part, the Plains’ wheat continues to overwinter with few major concerns.

Across the Corn Belt, wet snow is blanketing the lower Great Lakes region, while rain is falling in parts of Indiana and Ohio. Meanwhile, cold weather prevails in the western Corn Belt, where Monday morning’s low temperatures fell to near 0 degrees in some locations.

In the South, showers and thunderstorms are maintaining unfavorably soggy conditions. Rain is spreading into the Southeast, while cool, dry weather is returning to areas from the Delta westward.

In the West, rain and snow showers stretch from southern California into the Southwest, but mild, dry conditions persist in the Pacific Northwest.

An active pattern across the southern U.S.

A storm system currently over the lower Great Lakes region will intensify by mid-week near the New England coast. Significant mid-week snow can be expected in parts of the Northeast.

Meanwhile, a second storm will cross the Deep South, producing some rain and wet snow, before reaching the East Coast.

The two storms will merge, causing late-week intensification of wind and snow across the Northeast.

Elsewhere, stormy weather will also return to the West. During the next 5 days, precipitation could total as much as 2 to 4 inches in northern and central California.

Looking ahead, the 6- to 10-day outlook calls for colder-than-normal weather across the southern two-thirds of the U.S., while near- to above-normal temperatures will prevail across the nation’s northern tier. Meanwhile, drier-than-normal conditions across the Desert Southwest and from the northern Plains into the Midwest will contrast with near- to above-normal precipitation across the remainder of the U.S.

El Nino pattern underway

NOAA scientists have announced the arrival of El Nino, a climate phenomenon with a significant influence on global weather, ocean conditions and marine fisheries.

El Nino, the periodic warming of central and eastern tropical Pacific waters, occurs on average every two to five years and typically lasts about 12 months.

NOAA expects this El Nino to continue developing during the next several months, with further strengthening possible. The event is expected to last through winter 2009-10.

El Nino Updates

Drought relief across parts of the West

Heavy precipitation continued to slowly ease the drought in central and southern sections of the far West during the last half of January 2010. Record totals fell on many locations across Arizona and southern California, with some Arizona sites receiving a typical years worth of precipitation over the course of a few days. Drought should continue to ease in this region, with more limited relief expected farther north through southern Oregon.

To the north and east, drought in Washington and along the Idaho/Montana border is expected to persist and expand to cover much of eastern Washington, northern Idaho, and adjacent Montana. Meanwhile, limited relief is expected for drought areas along and near the Idaho/Wyoming border.

Limited relief is also forecast for the drought affecting part of the western Great Lakes region, primarily later in the period, but more robust relief appears on tap for the lingering drought areas in southern Texas.

Across western Ohio and adjacent parts of Indiana and southeastern Michigan, sub-normal precipitation totals have been observed for the past several weeks, and with this pattern expected to continue through the forecast period, drought development is anticipated in these areas.

U.S. Drought Monitor
Seasonal Drought Outlook (Map)

Illinois Has Fourth Wettest Year on Record

Based on preliminary data in Illinois, the statewide average precipitation for 2009 was 50.3 inches, 11 inches above normal. This was the fourth wettest year on record for the state based on data going back to 1895, according to the Illinois State Water Survey.

The wettest year on record was 1993 with 51.2 inches, followed closely by 2008 with 50.5 inches, and 1990 with 50.4 inches. All four wettest years have been in the last 20 years of the record. The normal statewide annual precipitation in Illinois is 39.2 inches.

The statewide precipitation for December was 4.1 inches, 1.4 inches above normal. While much of that precipitation fell as rain, areas north of Interstate 64 reported measureable snow totals. Significant snow was reported north of Interstate 80 with totals of 8 to 21 inches.

The statewide average temperature for December was 28.9 degrees, 1.0 degree below normal. As a result, the annual temperature for 2009 was 51.2 degrees, 0.8 degrees below normal. The outstanding colder-than-normal months in 2009 were January, July, August, and October. January was 4.2 degrees below normal, July was 5.2 degrees below normal, August was 2.6 degrees below normal, and October was 4.4 degrees below normal.

An outstanding feature is the two back-to-back exceptionally wet years. Together they account for 100.8 inches of precipitation. That is an extra 22.4 inches of precipitation over the two-year period.

Severe Weather Outlook

Over the past weekend, a few reports of severe weather were received over parts of the Gulf Coast states. Large hail was reported in southern Mississippi and Louisiana and wind damage in Alabama. No significant damage or injuries were reported.

For Monday, no organized areas of severe thunderstorms forecast.

Current Severe Weather Watches
Weather Alerts