May 2015 Monthly Climate Summary

The month of May turned out to be wetter and warmer than normal across much of Wisconsin. Most of the state saw above average precipitation amounts and temperatures. The good news with the above average precipitation amounts is that we are closer to getting back on track for our annual precipitation amounts. For example, Madison is currently 1.60 inches of precipitation below its annual average, but thanks to the above average rainfall in May, Madison is slowly catching up to their annual average, as has the rest of the state. This has helped to alleviate our state drought conditions, which you can view at this link: https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Home/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?WI.

Precipitation

Across the Badgerland, rainfall amounts ranged between 3 to 6 inches. The highest amounts fell in a sliver of Lafayette and Green counties in southern Wisconsin, with the lowest amounts (3.5 inches or less) falling in the Milwaukee, Port Washington and West Bend area. The rainfall bulls-eye was right over the central part of the state, where many spots received over 5 inches of beneficial rain. So, how does this compare to the May monthly average? Well, these accumulated rainfall amounts are above average in many places across the state. The only exception is in the southeast part of the state in the Racine, Kenosha, Milwaukee, and Port Washington areas, where they were 0 to 0.5 inches of rain below the average. Everyone else saw 0.5 to 2 inches above the average. The central part saw the largest deviation from the average as they were 1.5 to 2 inches of rain above average.

Click each map to enlarge.

Temperatures

As far as temperatures are concerned, the majority of Wisconsin saw average temperatures between 55 and 60 degrees F. The northern quarter of the state saw temperatures between 50 to 55 degrees F, and only a sliver of extreme southwest Wisconsin saw average temperatures over 60 degrees F. Looking at the departure from the average map, these temperatures are above average across the majority of the state. The only exception is the northwest third of the state, where they saw temperatures near normal. The rest of the Badgerland saw temperatures 1 to 3 degrees F above average. Places north of Lake Winnebago and south and west of Wisconsin Dells saw temperatures 2 to 3 degrees F above average.

Click each image to enlarge.

 

Spring 2015 Climate Summary

For the meteorological Spring period (from March 1 to May 31), Milwaukee saw temperatures nearly a half-degree above average, but precipitation nearly 3/4 of an inch below average. For Madison, temperatures were nearly 2 degree F above average (1.8 degrees F to be exact). Interestingly, Madison saw Spring precipitation values nearly average. By the numbers, Madison was only 0.17 inches of precipitation above the average (9.32 inches compared to the average of 9.15 inches).

Milwaukee and Madison both saw snowfall amounts much lower than the seasonal average. Check out the table below for the average, actual, and differences in the seasonal snowfall.

MKE and MSN Spring Snowfall Amounts

	Average Snowfall	Actual Amounts	Difference
Milwaukee	9.1 inches	4.9 inches	-4.2 inches
Madison	9.8 inches	4.2 inches	-5.6 inches

 

It's easy to see why much of Wisconsin was under the Abnormally Dry and Moderate Drought classifications as snowfall amounts for the Spring season were nearly 4 to 5 inches below the average. Thankfully, a wetter-than-normal May helped the state catch up on its precipitation deficiency.

If you wish to learn more about the May 2015 and Spring 2015 climate summaries, you can view those using the links in the table below:

May 2015 and Spring 2015 Climate Summaries

	May 2015	Spring 2015
Milwaukee	Click here!	Click here!
Madison	Click here!	Click here!

 

Schultz

NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan, WI