CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The statewide average temperature for October was 59.8 degrees, 5.4 degrees above normal, and the on record, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

The statewide average precipitation for October was 2.38 inches, 0.86 inches below normal. A few bands of 3 to 5 inches of precipitation occurred across northern Illinois and along the Interstate 70 corridor. Outside of those areas, October was drier than normal. The site with the largest monthly rainfall total was Palos Park, in Cook County, with 5.51 inches.

Illinois has experienced above-normal temperatures in 9 out of the 10 months in 2016. As a result, this is the 4th warmest January through October on record for Illinois at 58.0 degrees and 2.5 degrees above normal. The warmest January–October was in 2012 with 59.1 degrees.

The statewide average precipitation for 2016 so far is 35.65 inches, 1.85 inches above normal. Other than the record wet July–August, this year would have been drier than normal.