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Key Points:

  • Several soaking rains since October 29th have brought improving drought conditions across north-central and northeast Wisconsin. 

  • Severe Drought (D2) now only persists across Vilas, eastern Oneida and far western Forest counties. Over the rest of the north, Moderate Drought (D1) conditions continue north of a Tomahawk to Green Bay to Two Creek line with Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions (long term precipitation deficits) to the south.

  • The Climate Prediction Center 8-14 Day Outlook and Weeks 3-4 Outlook favors warmer and wetter than normal conditions. 

Discussion:

After a very wet start to the summer, drier than normal conditions returned in August to portions of northeast Wisconsin. Locations north of Green Bay missed out on the heavy rainfall during August. The dry weather expanded across much of the area with many locations receiving between 0.50 to 1.50 inches during September, although some totals across central Wisconsin were close to 3 inches. Rainfall for September was around 20% of normal at Oconto and Washington Island. In matter of fact, the rainfall total at Washington Island for August and September was only 16% of the long term normal rainfall. 

September ended at most locations as one of the top ten warmest Septembers on record with an average temperature from three to five degrees above normal. The warm and dry conditions have continued through most of October, with Severe Drought (D2) and Moderate Drought (D1) expanding west and southward into north-central and portions of east-central Wisconsin. The drier than normal weather continued through much of October, with a heavy rainfall between 1 and 3 inches across central into portions of northeast Wisconsin on October 30-31. Additional rainfall fell during the first week of November which resulted in improving drought conditions across much of the area, except over far north-central Wisconsin. 

 

View the latest Drought Information Slides and Drought Text Statement for northeast Wisconsin for more detailed information. Drought statements for other areas here.

 

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