HUGE Ups and Downs in May 2021 - Complete Recap

We started out May well below normal across much of the central US. I attributed this to many factors in a previous post you can check out HERE.

Temperatures started shifting back to near/above normal by the third week.

Overall temperatures in May were up and down..."winter to summer" conditions very similar to May 2020.

Rainfall departures were trending above normal after early month heavy rain.  Conditions started to dry out significantly by the middle/end of the month.

May 1-6 rainfall departure

May 10-20 rainfall departure

May 21-31 rainfall departure

Rain amounts were significant across multiple states early in the month.

The big May 9th rainfall was mixed with snowfall initially.

May 9 - snowfall in Wadsworth

Daily precipitation was lacking after the early month heavy rainfall event until the last week.

We were starting to see signs of drought in March and April. The recent rains have helps conditions somewhat.  Last year the conditions were wetter than normal in spring.

Long term drought indicator BLEND comparing to May 1 to may 15 shows little change across Ohio even with the rains.

We had our first dewpoint of 65 degrees on May 25th. 

A significant drop in severe weather across the central US as measured by severe thunderstorm/tornado warnings.

Our first severe thunderstorm warning of the year (longest stretch since 1986) was issued on May 26

First Severe Thunderstorm Warning of the year for northern Ohio--May 26

Friday, May 28 a strong northeast wind (gusts 50-55 mph) developed on the tail end of a midwest storm system. 

This piled up water over the western basin causing flooding Friday into Saturday.

Even though upper level temperatures (5000 feet were +8 celsius), the NE winds kept high temperatures in the lower/mid 50s Saturday. This marked only the 7th time we had a high temperatures UNDER 55 in late May/early June in the last 50 years!

A crazy May to say the least. Heat returning by the second week of June.  Stay tuned!

Angry Lake Erie and Unseasonably Cold Temperatures

 

Strong NE winds developed Thursday and Friday which piled up water in the western basin of Lake Erie. Video above is from Kelley's Island Friday courtesy Todd Neu.

Wave heights reached 10-15 feet before they settled down Saturday and Sunday

The low resembled a late fall, cut-off system. You can see how it developed over the upper midwest and then stalled in the southern Great Lakes.

Temperature started out 20+ degrees below normal Saturday morning across the Great Lakes.

High temperatures Saturday stayed in the lower 50s north and upper 50s south. Temperatures this cool (under 55) don't happen very often this late in the year.