Michigan, 2001

Drought in Michigan, August 1 to 9, 2001

August 1 to 9, 2001 · NWS APX · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

After a cool beginning, the last half of July 2001 was characterized by warmer than normal and drier than normal weather. Less than an inch of rainfall was recorded in some areas for the month of July.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
7

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS APX wrote it up.

After a cool beginning, the last half of July 2001 was characterized by warmer than normal and drier than normal weather. Less than an inch of rainfall was recorded in some areas for the month of July. This lack of rain and warm conditions became serious during the first two weeks of August when little if any rain fell and temperatures jumped into the 90s. The stress on the crops was most noted in northern Michigan corn, but also hit hay crops to a lesser extent. As a result of the drought, the U.S.D.A. declared several counties disaster areas and granted farmers in counties where the crop losses were 30% or greater, special low interest loans.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Gaylord, MI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 31, 9:35 PM EST, 2 hours 25 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 31, 9:35 PM EST, 2 hours 25 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GAYLORD MI
1035 PM EDT TUE JUL 31 2001

THE LATEST APX 88D SHOWS DRY CONDITIONS OVER NORTHERN LOWER AND EAST
UPPER MICHIGAN...WITH REGIONAL RADAR TRENDS SHOWING A FEW SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE ARROWHEAD OF MINNESOTA. THE REST OF THE
LAKES AND UPPER MIDWEST REGIONS WERE UNDER DRY CONDITIONS. IR
SATELLITE AND SURFACE OBSERVATIONS...SHOW MOSTLY CLEAR AND MUGGY
CONDITIONS LINGERING OVER ENTIRE LAKES REGION. THE MAIN FORECAST
CONCERNS OVERNIGHT WILL BE CENTERED AROUND THE CHANCE OF CONVECTION
AND FOG.

THE CONVECTION CURRENTLY OVER MINNESOTA AND THE EASTERN DAKOTAS...
HAS FORMED IN A THTE RIDGE WITH 850 MB DEW POINTS AROUND 16C. THIS
MOISTURE AND CONVECTION HAS BEEN POOLING ALONG A NEARLY STATIONARY BOUNDARY
OVER THE PLAINS. ADDITIONAL INFLUENCES OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS THIS
EVENING...IS IN THE FROM OF A 50KT 850MB JET FEEDING THE MCS OVER
NORTHERN MINNESOTA.  THE 850/300 MB THICKNESS IS KEEPING THE MBE OF
THE MINNESOTA MCS NORTHWEST OF THE FORECAST AREA OVERNIGHT...WITH
THE 850/300MB HEIGHT SHOWING THE CLOUDS STAYING NORTHWEST OF THE
AREA ALSO. THEREFORE WILL KEEP THE FORECAST AREA DRY WITH GENERALLY
CLEAR SKIES.

SURFACE DEW POINTS ARE IN THE UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S...WITH THE
CURRENT TEMPERATURES IN THE MID 70S. WITH CLEAR SKIES AND CALMING
WINDS OVERNIGHT...EXPECT OVERNIGHT LOWS TO DROP INTO THE UPPER 60S
TO AROUND 70. THfEREFORE WITH OVERNIGHT LOWS DROPPING INTO THE UPPER
60S...AROUND THE DEW POINT...WILL MENTION AREAS OF FOG.

.APX...NONE.

SWR

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Antrim

When
August 1, 12:00 AM EST to August 9, 11:00 PM EST
Where
Antrim forecast zone
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
45.007, -85.176 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Grand Traverse

When
August 1, 12:00 AM EST to August 9, 11:00 PM EST
Where
Grand Traverse forecast zone
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
44.716, -85.552 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Kalkaska

When
August 1, 12:00 AM EST to August 9, 11:00 PM EST
Where
Kalkaska forecast zone
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
44.685, -85.090 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Leelanau

When
August 1, 12:00 AM EST to August 9, 11:00 PM EST
Where
Leelanau forecast zone
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
45.152, -86.038 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Missaukee

When
August 1, 12:00 AM EST to August 9, 11:00 PM EST
Where
Missaukee forecast zone
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
44.337, -85.095 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Otsego

When
August 1, 12:00 AM EST to August 9, 11:00 PM EST
Where
Otsego forecast zone
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
45.021, -84.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Wexford

When
August 1, 12:00 AM EST to August 9, 11:00 PM EST
Where
Wexford forecast zone
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
44.338, -85.578 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Drought
A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Michigan in 2001Every state in 2001This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, August 2001

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5267435, 5267436, 5267437, 5267438, 5267439, 5267440, 5267441.