CHAMPAIGN, Ill., 7/18/18: Soils continue to be warmer than normal in mid-July, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

Soil temperatures at 4 inches under sod averaged 81 degrees in the first half of July, an increase of 6 degrees from June and 4 degrees above the long-term average. Daily highs in the mid-90s were reported for most of the state, with temperatures reaching into the 100s for locations with sandy soils. Lows were in the high 60s and low 70s.

Under bare soil, temperatures were warmer at 4 inches, averaging 84 degrees or 6 degrees higher than the long-term average. Temperatures above 100 degrees were common, particularly in central and southern Illinois.  

The warmer temperatures have led to falling soil moisture for most of the first half of July. Levels declined 32 to 24 percent at depths from 2 to 8 inches, respectively, from July 1 to 12. However, the state received over an inch of rain the second weekend of the month, causing soil moisture to increase from 29 percent at 2 inches to 8 percent at 8 inches.

The rain did not impact soil moisture at depths of 20 inches and deeper where levels declined 5 to 2 percent on average.  

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, Ph.D. - (217) 333-4966, jatkins@illinois.edu

Editor:  Lisa Sheppard - (217) 244-7270, sheppard@illinois.edu