Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Great Lakes Region for March–May 2024. Dated June 2024.

Spring and March were up to 4°C (7°F) warmer than normal. April and May were up to 3°C (5°F) warmer than normal. Most U.S. cities around and east of Lake Michigan had a top 5 warmest spring. Spring precipitation was near average in the Superior and Ontario basins and above average for the other basins. The overall basin saw 112% of average precipitation.

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Midwest Region for March–May 2024. Dated June 2024.

Spring temperatures were 1-4°F above normal across the northwestern Midwest and up to 6°F above normal in the eastern half of the region. Spring precipitation was above normal for the Midwest. Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin had their 4th wettest spring on record.

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Great Lakes Region for December 2023–February 2024. Dated March 2024.

Winter was 2°C (4°F) to more than 6°C (11°F) above normal.  The basin saw 78% of average precipitation for winter, with all basins but Ontario being dry.

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Midwest Region for December 2023–January 2024. Dated March 2024.

Winter temperatures were 4-8°F above normal across the lower Midwest and up to 12°F
above normal across the upper Midwest. The Midwest, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and
Michigan had the warmest winter on record.  Winter precipitation was near average for the Midwest, oscillating between wet and dry across the region from month to month. Minnesota had a record-wet December. Illinois had its second driest February.

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Great Lakes Region for September–November 2023. Dated December 2023.

Fall temperatures in the region were up to 2°C (4°F) above normal. The overall basin saw 69% of average precipitation with all lake basins being dry.

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for the Midwest Region for September–November 2023. Dated December 2023.

Fall temperatures were near normal in the east, with temperatures 1–3°F above normal in the west. Month-to-month, temperatures were near or above normal, with no notable areas of cooler temperatures. Fall precipitation was 70% of normal for the Midwest. Deficits of 4–8 inches were widespread across the lower Midwest, while areas around the Minnesota-Wisconsin border were up to 4 inches above normal for fall.

This handout provides information on the typical El Niño winter pattern; the El Niño outlook; potential winter and spring impacts; and comparisons of conditions during previous El Niño years for the Great Lakes region. Updated November 2023.

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.

This report provides information on the typical El Niño winter pattern; the El Niño outlook; potential impacts; and comparisons of conditions during previous El Niño years for the Midwest U.S. Updated November 2023.

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.