CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Soil temperatures in Illinois were 1 to 2 degrees above normal in mid-October, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

Soil temperatures declined during the first two weeks of October, but remained above normal. Statewide temperatures at depths of 4 inches under bare soil declined 8 degrees during that time period to an average of 57.7 degrees F on October 14. Daily highs for that day rose into the 60s for most of the state, while lows were in the 50s to mid-40s.

Temperatures under sod followed a similar trend with an average of 60.4 degrees at 4 inches and 60.9 degrees at 8 inches on October 14, 1.9 and 1.7 degrees above the long-term averages, respectively.

Soil moisture declined in southern and east central Illinois during the first half of the month. Moisture levels at depths of 2 inches declined by more than 20 percent in both regions during the period. Soils were wetter in west central Illinois, however, with an average increase of 28 percent. Overall, soil moisture averaged 0.28 water fraction by volume (wfv) on October 14.

Similar trends were seen at 4- and 8-inch depths.

Soil moisture remained high at 39- and 59-inch depths with averages near or above the field capacities.

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).