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Drought in Lower Lakes/Ohio Valley


Geos

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July was "only" the 21st driest on record for Indiana. For the January-July period, 2012 ranks as the 4th driest with only 1895, 1934 and 1936 being drier. Out of those drier years, 1895 stayed dry through fall, 1934 was average-ish in fall and 1936 was one of the wettest falls on record.

Updated, January-August 2012 ranks as the 6th driest. August 2012 was the 33rd wettest.

17.91" in 1895

18.12" in 1936

18.47" in 1934

18.97" in 1941

19.91" in 1925

20.31" in 2012

20.45" in 1901

20.46" in 1988

21.30" in 1930

22.53" in 1966

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Smaller decreases in the severe + categories overall with the latest drought monitor. State wise, Iowa saw an increase in extreme conditions.

State by state numbers, severe drought conditions or higher.

Illinois

Extreme drought conditions remained essentially unchanged at 6.66% (6.96% last week)

Severe drought conditions decreased to 46.79% (56.33% last week)

Indiana

Extreme drought conditions and above have been completely eradicated.

Severe drought conditions decreased to 26.83% (54.67% last week)

Iowa

Exceptional drought conditions unchanged at 2.36% (2.36% last week)

Extreme drought conditions increased to 66.00% (62.15% last week)

Severe drought conditions unchanged at 100.00% (100.00% last week)

Missouri

Exceptional drought conditions decreased to 0.78% (3.01% last week)

Extreme drought conditions decreased to 25.30% (31.88% last week)

Severe drought conditions decreased to 89.68% (97.85% last week)

Wisconsin

Extreme drought conditions decreased to 5.55% (6.04% last week)

Severe drought conditions decreased to 27.84% (29.39% last week)

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Nice to see the drought monitor reflect the improvement around the lakeshore counties. The worst drought conditions shifted westward with the heat that went that way too. Hopefully the Midwest will see continued improvement as troughiness sets up this month.

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Smaller decreases in the severe + categories overall with the latest drought monitor. State wise, Iowa saw an increase in extreme conditions.

State by state numbers, severe drought conditions or higher.

Illinois

Extreme drought conditions remained essentially unchanged at 6.66% (6.96% last week)

Severe drought conditions decreased to 46.79% (56.33% last week)

Indiana

Extreme drought conditions and above have been completely eradicated.

Severe drought conditions decreased to 26.83% (54.67% last week)

Iowa

Exceptional drought conditions unchanged at 2.36% (2.36% last week)

Extreme drought conditions increased to 66.00% (62.15% last week)

Severe drought conditions unchanged at 100.00% (100.00% last week)

Missouri

Exceptional drought conditions decreased to 0.78% (3.01% last week)

Extreme drought conditions decreased to 25.30% (31.88% last week)

Severe drought conditions decreased to 89.68% (97.85% last week)

Wisconsin

Extreme drought conditions decreased to 5.55% (6.04% last week)

Severe drought conditions decreased to 27.84% (29.39% last week)

Did enjoy the dry summer conditions, but very glad to see improvements in all fronts regarding the drought conditions. Except now my grass is growing like a weed now, acting like it's spring time again. :lol:

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The lack of heat has led to the drought map stabilizing in this area, but we continue to lose ground relative to normal rainfall. We had decent rain in early August, but it has been fairly dry since. The September normal rainfall is over 3 inches, but we've only had 1.40" so far and the rest of the month is looking pretty dry.

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Yearly deficit is at another new high here...

Year: 17.86" (-11.01")

Jan: 1.63" (-0.23")

Feb: 1.72" (+0.17")

Mar: 2.00" (-0.29")

Apr: 2.10" (-1.59")

May: 3.15" (-1.05")

June: 1.42" (-2.56")

July: 1.94" (-1.86")

Aug: 2.38" (-2.42")

Sep: 1.52" (-1.18")

LOT CWA totals/deficits...

DPA: 15.57" (-12.64")

RFD: 17.84" (-10.55")

ARR: 17.78" (-10.05")

PWK: 16.29" (-8.69")

MDW: 20.98" (-8.27")

VPZ: 20.68" (-7.42")

UGN: 19.88" (-7.28")

ORD: 20.60" (-7.14")

LOT: 24.07" (-6.34")

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Yearly deficit is at another new high here...

Year: 17.86" (-11.01")

Jan: 1.63" (-0.23")

Feb: 1.72" (+0.17")

Mar: 2.00" (-0.29")

Apr: 2.10" (-1.59")

May: 3.15" (-1.05")

June: 1.42" (-2.56")

July: 1.94" (-1.86")

Aug: 2.38" (-2.42")

Sep: 1.52" (-1.18")

LOT CWA totals/deficits...

DPA: 15.57" (-12.64")

RFD: 17.84" (-10.55")

ARR: 17.78" (-10.05")

PWK: 16.29" (-8.69")

MDW: 20.98" (-8.27")

VPZ: 20.68" (-7.42")

UGN: 19.88" (-7.28")

ORD: 20.60" (-7.14")

LOT: 24.07" (-6.34")

Dang, I thought UGN would have made up more ground then that since July.

Hoping for a wet October.

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Those who think there hasn't been a drought for the region this year or are unsure, let me give you exhibit A. This is at the Old Mission Lighthouse, North of Traverse City this morning, you can see how low the water is here and how far out shore is. Oh and that is a person in the middle left part of the picture, just as a frame of reference.

post-55-0-53141600-1348708287_thumb.jpg

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Those who think there hasn't been a drought for the region this year or are unsure, let me give you exhibit A. This is at the Old Mission Lighthouse, North of Traverse City this morning, you can see how low the water is here and how far out shore is. Oh and that is a person in the middle left part of the picture, just as a frame of reference.

Hasn't that spot more or less always look liked that? I remember going up there as a kid and always commenting on how the lake looked so far out. I just think that spot north of the lighthouse is protected between sandbars so it always has that "water level is down" look to it. You could always walk quite a distance out from that spot until you hit the water line.

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Hasn't that spot more or less always look liked that? I remember going up there as a kid and always commenting on how the lake looked so far out. I just think that spot north of the lighthouse is protected between sandbars so it always has that "water level is down" look to it. You could always walk quite a distance out from that spot until you hit the water line.

I would have thought that myself but after talking with 2 workers who have worked at the lighthouse while there, they mentioned it hasn't been this low in probably 10-15 years.

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That is significantly lower than what I have ever seen. In fact I was just there back in 2011. We are in a drought no matter how you slice it. Yes the areas to our west are drier but here we still rock a -3 inch departure. The DNR is scarred ****less about fire danger this Fall.

Actually surprisingly most areas up here are low fire danger, probably due to recent rains

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Michigan-Huron is lower then last year at this time, but not by much. I think it was 2003, when the Michigan-Huron was the lowest that I've ever seen. Dockets and slips had to be closed up and down the western shoreline because of low water levels.

mh_sc_cl.gif

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The Rock River just outside of town here is as low as I've ever seen it. What's usually a nice wide river is now a series of creeks between various sand bars and islands. It's down to a little over 3.5ft officially just downstream at Joslin.

http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=dvn&gage=josi2

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Slight increases across the Midwest with the latest drought monitor update. http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/DM_midwest.htm

Exceptional drought: 0.28% (0.27% last week)

Extreme drought: 14.88% (12.19% last week)

Severe drought: 41.58% (39.25% last week)

Closer to home, for Indiana, quite an improvement from 3 months ago.

Extreme drought: 23.46% on June 26, 0.00% this week.

Severe drought: 68.58% on June 26, 25.47% this week.

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The Rock River just outside of town here is as low as I've ever seen it. What's usually a nice wide river is now a series of creeks between various sand bars and islands. It's down to a little over 3.5ft officially just downstream at Joslin.

http://water.weather...=dvn&gage=josi2

As you can guess from my screen name, I do a little trapping every fall. This year there is no water, it's all going to be dry land trapping. Absolutely no water in any of the smaller streams/ponds.

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Quite a flip of the switch. Spring/Early summer was bone-dry down here, while it seemed DLL and Co. was getting regular rains. Now the new WI state plant is the cactus. From IND:

The Indianapolis airport has experienced a complete reversal of recent rainfall patterns. After a record low rainfall total of 6.98 inches for the four month period of April 1st through July 31st, more than twice this amount has fallen in less than one-half of the time. The rainfall total of 14.24 inches for two month period of August 1st through September 30th is the 5th wettest of record.

Wettest Septembers of Record

Years: 1871-2012

Rank Value Year

1 10.37 2003

2 9.33 1926

3 8.17 1896

4 8.06 1989

5 7.73 2012

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YEARLY: January 1 - September 27, 2012 precipitation totals and departures in Indiana

Bloomington*: 23.67" -12.47"

Evansville: 25.51" -8.14"

Fort Wayne: 22.47" -6.90"

Indianapolis: 30.22" -1.91"

Indianapolis Eagle Creek: 29.26" -1.38"

Muncie: 24.56" -6.04"

Shelbyville: 22.67" -10.44"

South Bend: 26.61" -1.87"

Terre Haute*: 21.73" -12.65"

Valparaiso: 20.68" -7.73"

SEPTEMBER: September 1 - 27, 2012 precipitation totals and departures in Indiana

Bloomington: 7.37" +4.42"

Evansville: 7.54" +4.81"

Fort Wayne: 3.61" +1.08"

Indianapolis: 7.73" +4.93"

Indianapolis Eagle Creek: 7.13" +5.14"

Muncie: 5.64" +2.95"

Shelbyville: 5.95" +3.12"

South Bend: 2.03" -1.18"

Terre Haute: 4.19" +1.09"

Valparaiso: 1.89" -0.98"

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The ups and downs of precipitation at Indianapolis in 2012, especially the past four months.

January: 3.48" +0.82"

February: 1.38" -0.94"

March: 4.14" +0.58"

April: 3.36" -0.45"

May: 2.70" -2.35"

June: 0.09" -4.16" driest on record

July: 0.83" -3.72" tied 6th driest on record

August: 6.51" +3.38" 8th wettest on record

September: 7.73" +4.61" 5th wettest on record

2012 total through September: 30.22" -2.23"

records for Indianapolis date back to 1871

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A couple of Indianapolis area locations getting close to normal for the year.

Indianapolis (IND): 31.98" -1.00"

Indianapolis Eagle Creek (EYE): 31.21" -0.21"

August started the turnaround, but Fall has been especially wet so far. Sept 1 - Oct 5 precipitation/departures through yesterday.

Indianapolis (IND): 9.49" +5.84"

Indianapolis Eagle Creek (EYE): 9.08" +6.31"

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