Warmth to build across the parched Plains

Alyssa Glenny
·3-min read

Through much of this week, AccuWeather meteorologists say that a persistent stretch of dry weather will grip the Central states. As a dry, warm air mass reigns over the Front Range and part of the Midwest, it will usher in mostly sunny skies and daily afternoon temperatures from the 80s to 90s Fahrenheit.

"An area of strengthening high pressure over the Central states will bring temperatures of 10-20 degrees above the historical average," stated AccuWeather Meteorologist Alex Duffus.

Temperatures may even eclipse the 100-degree mark across a small pocket of western South Dakota. Through Thursday, afternoon highs in Rapid City, South Dakota, will approach records set in the 1990s and early 2010s.

Cities like Denver, which typically have temperatures in the lower 80s from early to mid-September, will surge into the lower 90s Thursday.

For locations in northeast Minnesota and northern Wisconsin, the return of warmth may be quite noticeable following overnight low temperatures in the 40s Fahrenheit late last week and even dipping into the 30s F early Saturday morning.

Freeze warnings and frost advisories were in place this past Saturday morning, warning residents that sensitive outdoor vegetation could be harmed if left uncovered.

Across the rest of the country, residents may find it jolting to see reports of temperatures dipping into the 30s F by early September. However, it is not uncommon for the first frost to occur in northeastern Minnesota by late August or early September.

The lack of rain across the region may spell trouble for ongoing drought conditions. Widespread areas of moderate to severe drought are currently being observed across western portions of the Dakotas into Nebraska, according to the latest update of the U.S. Drought Monitor. Some locations along the border of Wyoming and South Dakota are even experiencing extreme drought conditions.

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This week, dry conditions are also projected to expand into the Ohio Valley for a time as the zone of high pressure builds eastward. A substantial pocket of extreme and exceptional drought levels is currently being observed across southern Ohio into West Virginia. Cities like Columbus, Ohio, have recorded less than 40% of the historical average rainfall since June 1.

With the prospect of rain looking bleak this week across the Central states and Ohio Valley, concerns continue to rise regarding river levels downstream, especially because the Ohio River basin is a main component for feeding the Mississippi River network.

"A drier pattern across parts of the Midwest and Ohio Valley over the upcoming weeks can place strain on businesses and farmers utilizing the Mississippi River for the transport of goods," explained Duffus.

As river levels dip, barges transporting goods along the Mississippi River could run the risk of facing additional limits with respect to how much can be loaded onboard. Low water levels could also lead to saltwater intrusion concerns for cities closer to the Gulf of Mexico.

By the end of this week, forecasters say that there may be some light at the end of the tunnel in terms of rainfall. A storm that is projected to surge onshore in the Northwest around midweek may advance into southern Canada and the northern Plains by the end of the week, bringing a round of much-needed precipitation to the region.

Around the same time, some rain from Francine is forecast to reach into portions of the middle Mississippi and Ohio valleys. How much rain falls will depend on the track of the then tropical rainstorm from Friday to Saturday.

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