Severe Thunderstorms and Excessive Rainfall in the Central U.S.; Heat Building in the Western U.S.

A cold front pressing east across the central U.S. will be the focus for areas of strong to severe thunderstorms and excessive rainfall through this weekend. Strong to severe thunderstorms my bring damaging winds, hail, and a few tornadoes while excessive rainfall may lead to areas of flooding. Heat will build across the western U.S. with heat-related watches, warnings, and advisories issued. Read More >

Winter 2022-2023 was warmer than average and with higher precipitation than average overall. The warmer weather was observed region wide with mean temperatures about 1 to 3 degrees above average. Precipitation and snowfall was above average for most places, with an exception being parts of northern Minnesota mainly north and west of the Iron Range. There, snow was a bit below average and precipitation around to slightly below average. For most of the winter, the storm tracks favored northwest Wisconsin and parts of northeast Minnesota, bringing the heavy snows in December and resulting in a monthly record snowfall for Duluth. Additional snow and even some rain fell in January and February. Drought that was previously present especially across Douglas/Bayfield counties has been removed, leaving only a sliver of some abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions in northern and north-central Minnesota.