CHAMPAIGN, Ill., 4/16/21: Colder weather in the second week of April has caused soil temperatures to decline in Illinois, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) program manager at the Illinois State Water Survey.

Soil temperatures at 4 inches under bare soil averaged 54 degrees statewide on April 15, an increase of 9 degrees from April 1. Warm weather the first week of April caused soils to warm to a state average of 62 degrees with highs reaching into the mid-70s.

Soils cooled as colder weather moved into the state the second week of the month, falling 6 degrees. Temperatures averaged 7 degrees warmer than in 2020.

Soil moisture at 4 inches averaged 0.33 water fraction by volume (wfv) on April 15, slightly below field capacity for most of the soils monitored. Soil moisture declined through the first week of April. However, rains the second week led to increases in all regions of the state. Overall, levels have declined 6 percent from April 1 on average. 

Moisture levels remained high at depths from 8 inches to 5 feet.

The Illinois State Water Survey’s WARM program collects hourly and daily weather and soil information at 19 stations across the state. Daily and monthly summaries can be found at the WARM website (http://www.isws.illinois.edu/warm/) and in the Illinois Water and Climate Summary (http://www.isws.illinois.edu/warm/climate.asp). 

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Media Contact: Jennie Atkins, 217-333-4966, jatkins@illinois.edu