Warm conditions blanketed the Midwest during the 2015 fall season (September-October-November), bringing near-record seasonal and monthly temperatures, according the Midwestern Regional Climate Center (http://mrcc.isws.illinois.edu/), Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS).

Average Temperature (F): Departure from
1981 to 2010 Normals

The Midwest experienced its second warmest fall season on record (1895-2015), according to preliminary data.  Eight of the nine states in the region had one of their top five warmest fall seasons.  Kentucky also ranked in the top 10 percent.

The individual fall months ended in significant records as well. September 2015 was the third warmest September on record for the Midwest, with six of the nine states in the region ranked among the top ten warmest Septembers.  Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan all broke their September temperature record.

November 2015 temperatures for the Midwest also preliminarily ranked as the fifth warmest, with all nine states in the region ranking among the top ten warmest Novembers on record.

The winter outlook (December-January-February) from the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center calls for an increased chance of above-normal temperatures across most of the Midwest. The likelihood of warmer-than-normal temperatures is higher in the northern Midwest states.