This report summarizes the ideas and thoughtful participation of speakers and attendees of the 2024 Midwest Drought Early Warning System (DEWS) Partners Meeting, held in Indianapolis, Indiana on August 20-22, 2024.
Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Midwest Region for December 2024–February 2025. Dated March 2025.
Winter season temperatures were near normal in the north and slightly below normal across the south. Winter season precipitation was above normal across the Ohio River Valley and the far upper Midwest and below normal elsewhere. This seasonal pattern of wetness and dryness was largely similar in December, January, and February across the region.
Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Midwest Region for September–November 2024. Dated December 2024.
The Midwest had its 3rd warmest fall on record, with average temperatures 2-6 °F above normal across the region. Minnesota and Wisconsin had their warmest fall. Monthly temperatures for the region ranked in the top 10 warmest in September (8th), October (9th), and November (7th). Fall precipitation was wetter than normal in the south and drier than normal in the north, but conditions were quite variable across the season.
This report provides information on the typical La Niña winter pattern; the La Niña outlook; potential impacts; and comparisons of conditions during previous La Niña years for the Midwest U.S. Updated November 2024.
NOAA’s Regional Climate Services Program created these outlooks to inform the public about climate impacts within their respective regions. Each regional report contains easy-to-understand language, and anyone can access them through the U.S. Drought Portal.
Despite the water-rich nature of the southeastern U.S., extended and intense dry periods intermittently occur across the region leading to reduced soil moisture levels and surface water supplies. These drought periods affect the landscape at different scales, with agriculture experiencing impacts earlier than other sectors