For the week 10/4 - 10/10 2026 ----- EARLY MORNING TEMPERATURES at Data collection: Aurora: 50, 39, 49, 45, 45,  37, 50  & Kingsford : 51, 40, 49, 46, 46, 37, 50   -----Highs this week high 60's mid 70s ------ Very Windy Week! Falling leaves everywhere but calmed down Thursday & Especially Friday for a clearing and today strong southern winds from the hurricane. May be a short fall leaf color show if the wind keeps up. ----------
WATER CONTENT IN THE GAUGE: AURORA - .13, 0, 0, .01, 0, 0, 0 Total= .14 KINGSFORD - .13, 0, 0, .01, 0, 0, 0 Total= .14 ----- SNOWFALL- Aurora and Kingsford : nothing no snow ----- MENOMINEE RIVER: Water levels all week were good and river flow in the high 700 CFS -low to higher 800s  ------ US DROUGHT MONITOR: All of Florence County and the very southern tip of Dickinson County remains in the D3 EXTREME stage according to the actual US Drought Monitor (not the CoCoRaHS one on this site). I used Severely here as severely would best line up with the US Drought version. We are a tinderbox----- WILDFIRE RISK: Changed to Medium from High when I checked Friday (yesterday). ------PLANTS: Leaf drop also has picked up here as fast as the trees change color on SOME types and with that wind this week has sped up the shedding process along with dry conditions ------ WILDLIFE: Same as last week, Deer with hides of mixed color (light and dark fur) popping out of the woods looking for food. Neighbor's apple trees are a very popular spot currently. Squirrels and chipmunks gathering in town but noticed this week, I have not had one in my yard all week and the chipmunks are also gone. Geese, last spotting was Tuesday. We have 2 red foxes now hanging just a block away I heard for 3 mornings it "bark" or cry out for their partner on Sunday-Tuesday mornings and it's eerie sounding almost big cat like. Seeing just 1 Eagle hunting over the river on a regular basis for the week. Between the fox and the eagles, just don't see rabbits, chipmunks or squirrels. Their absence is really noticable too. ----- TOURISM: had been steady early this week and dropped to not seeing any campers even with the color change to a few Friday heading west. Pontoon Boats and large speed boats I saw being towed as well. Hard to say if they got them serviced and going to storage or just finished using it for the day. Some I did see on Friday I recognize pulling out for the season to get winterized. Here on the river in the section I live on, there are still 10 boats docked on the water for usage. Fishermen on the water this week as well.  They just released 4500 walleye up at Badwater upstream and as they head downstream, there will be lots of fishermen for sure ----- BUSINESS & INDUSTRY: Local Contractors mostly passing by. Logging trucks this week, meh, low. Heavy Equipment here busy--------- Quick Note: on 10/8/1871 The Devastating Peshtigo/ Williamsonville Fires. Estimates are 1500-2500 souls lost & The Great Chicago Fire approximately 300 souls lost. And the Great Michigan Fire approx 500 souls lost. That's a lot of human loss and devastation in one day. Nobody heard about Peshtigo's for 3 days until survivors made it to the next town to report it and walked for miles and miles. Then trains and wagons rolled in with lots of aid from people who came to feed and help bringing supplies and medical aid. It is thought that possibly it was sparks coming off possibly the train engine or railcar wheel sparks starting the fire north of Peshtigo but dry forest floor fuel and high winds most likely the factor.  Lessons are: maintain forest floors, Put your campfire completely out when leaving your site,  watch the drought and fire monitors and no burning when it's dry. And it's super dry up here and praying for rain literally. Also hoping they contain the Yosemite Fire in the valley currently burning. That's All I have on this weeks update. Enjoy the weekend!