On this week’s map, widespread improvements were made across Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio in response to the cumulative impacts of precipitation events during the past 30-day period. Noteworthy, some multiple-category improvements were made in northern portions of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio where the heaviest precipitation totals (ranging 2 to 5 inches) were observed during the past week. In Kentucky, short-term dryness and developing hydrologic drought conditions led to expansion and intensification of drought. NWS NOHRSC (Northern Great Lakes Region) reports 42% of the region is covered by snow, at an average depth of 5.5 inches, and a maximum depth of 71 inches. Temperatures were above normal across most of the region, with anomalies ranging from 2 to 15 °F. Looking at climatological rankings for the past 30-day period (March 7 to April 7), numerous locations ranked among their wettest or near-wettest on record, including Chicago, IL: (2nd wettest; +2.57 inches); Lake Geneva, WI (wettest on record; +6.33 inches), Lafayette, IN (wettest on record; +3.75 inches); Toledo, OH (wettest on record; +4.43 inches), and Saginaw, MI (wettest on record; +3.66 inches).

Full Summary