November 2015 continued the warmer than normal temperature trend observed over the previous months but featured the first taste of winter! The first week was very warm with daytime highs in the 70s in many locations. On November 7th a cold front brought the first significant rainfall for the month with amounts generally around 0.25”. A much stronger cold front passage on the 19th ushered in the coldest air for the month. That set the stage for the first significant snowfall across the Midwest. See our recap of this historic November snow storm for more details.
Despite the late November snowstorm, overall the month was still warmer than normal by 1-3 degrees in most areas with eastern Ohio finishing warmest where temperatures were as much as 4 degrees above normal. The 76 degree highs on November 4 & 5 were the warmest days in November in Indianapolis since November 2003. Overall, November was the 8th warmest on record in Indianapolis with 21 days having above normal average temperatures. In Ohio, which had the largest departure above normal of the three states, Cincinnati tied for the 9th warmest, while both Columbus and Dayton both finished with the 6th warmest November on record.
Areas that escaped the heavy snowfall on the 20th & 21st, especially Ohio, saw a deficit in precipitation for the month. Most of Ohio received 50 – 75% of their monthly normal. Illinois, on the other hand, not only benefited from the heavy snowfall in the north but several storms tracking into the western Great Lakes brought a surplus of precipitation with the monthly total exceeding 150% of normal in many areas of the state. Interestingly, due to the various extremes observed throughout November 2015, Chicago O'Hare ranks the month among its top ten warmest, wettest and snowiest Novembers on record.
The strong El Nino induced weather pattern will likely mean a continuation of warmer than normal conditions. However, as we saw this month it does not necessarily mean winter will be completely absent.
