Rainfall map above is from the September 9 - 10th event, courtesy of the NWS.
While the first of September is officially the start to meteorological fall, it did not feel like it across the Mid-West and Ohio Valley. The first week of the month felt like mid-July, with temperatures in the mid to upper 80s. However, that would quickly change! Much cooler air ushered down from northern Canada during the second week, plummeting temperatures well below normal. In fact, some locations struggled to get out of the 50s!
While the month featured dramatic temperature swings, Chicago’s high temperatures averaged 1.1 degrees below normal. The city’s monthly rainfall was 2.70”, which was 0.50” below normal. The monthly rainfall came primarily from a heavy rainfall event on September 9th and 10th. Much of northern Illinois received 1-2” of rain from the storm. The end of the month would be mainly dry, with only 0.13” of rain falling between the 13th and 30th.
Sliding east into Indianapolis, the city reached 90 degrees on September 5th, making it only the second 90 degree day of the year. However, like Chicago, the second week of the month cooled down drastically, with high temperatures only reaching the lower 60s. The month was also fairly dry for Indianapolis, as only 2.53” of rain was recorded. In fact, after September 16th only 0.07” fell through the end of the month!
Farther east into Ohio, monthly precipitation amounts varied across the state. Cincinnati recorded 3.20” of rain which is 0.57 above normal. A bit farther north and east, Columbus only recorded 0.65”… nearly 2.19” BELOW normal. The lack of September rainfall has led to portions of south central Ohio being placed in the “Abnormally Dry” category by the U.S. Drought Monitor.
