Prairie Research Institute

blog posts

• November 2013 in Illinois – Cold and Dry

  Dec 2, 2013 1:30 am

  November 2013 will always be remembered for the tornado outbreak on November 17, 2013, that produced 25 tornadoes across Illinois based on the latest reports. While not as dramatic, weather conditions for the month of November were colder and drier than average, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

• Study Shows McHenry County Water Supplies May Not Suffice in Future

  Jan 7, 2014 4:15 pm

  Groundwater resources in McHenry County may be strained in 35 to 40 years, potentially causing local water shortages and detrimental effects to the ecology of local streams, according to Scott Meyer, hydrogeologist at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS), a division of the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois.

• December Finished Cold in Illinois

  Jan 7, 2014 4:15 pm

  In December, the statewide temperature of 25.5 degrees was 4.4 degrees below average, making it the 20th coldest December on record since 1895. However, it is far short of the record coldest December of 1983 when the statewide temperature was only 17.1 degrees, 8.4 degrees colder than this December, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

• Wind Chill – Serious Science or Hype?

  Feb 3, 2014 4:15 pm

  When the temperature dips below zero and the wind picks up, the wind chill becomes a concern for anyone venturing outdoors.   There are important things to keep in mind about wind chill, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• Cold January for Illinois

  Feb 3, 2014 4:15 pm

  January 2014 was the eighth coldest January on record for Illinois. The statewide average temperature was 18.2 degrees, 8.1 degrees below the 1981-2010 average of 26.3 degrees, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• This Winter was the 4th Coldest on Record in Illinois

  Mar 4, 2014 4:15 pm

  The average statewide temperature for the three core winter months of December, January, and February was 20.8 degrees. It was 8.2 degrees below average and the fourth coldest December-February period on record, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• Soils Remain Below Freezing at the Beginning of March

  Mar 7, 2014 4:45 pm

  Soil temperatures remained below freezing across most of Illinois during the first five days of March, Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program Manager at the Prairie Research Institute, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• March was Cold and Dry in Illinois

  Apr 1, 2014 4:15 pm

  The statewide average temperature for March in Illinois was 33.8 degrees, which was 7 degrees below average and the 8th coldest March on record. Combined with the colder-than-average January and February made this the 4th coldest start (23.6 degrees) for Illinois for the year to date, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• Soil moisture levels high across Illinois

  Apr 16, 2014 4:00 pm

  Soil moisture levels in Illinois are high in the middle of April, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program Manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

• April in Illinois was Warm and Wet

  May 5, 2014 4:00 pm

  The statewide average temperature for April was 51.9 degrees, only 0.7 degrees below average. While it continues the string of below-average months that stretched all the way back to November, this month had the smallest departure from average, according to Jim Angel, Illinois State Climatologist at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• Increase in Soil Moisture due to Recent Rains

  May 19, 2014 4:00 pm

  Recent rains across Illinois have led to increases in soil moisture levels, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program Manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

• May in Illinois: Warmer Than Average, Dry in the West

  Jun 2, 2014 4:00 pm

  The statewide average temperature for May in Illinois was 63.9 degrees F, which is 1.2 degrees above average. This is the first month for temperatures to be above average in Illinois since October 2013, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• Soil Moisture Levels Decreasing from Last Week’s Highs

  Jun 16, 2014 3:00 pm

  Soil moisture levels are falling from the highs seen last week due to storms across the state, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program Manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

• June in Illinois: Warmer and Wetter than Average

  Jul 1, 2014 3:00 pm

  The statewide average precipitation for June 2014 in Illinois was 6.78 inches, 2.58 inches above average and the 8th wettest June on record, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• Soil Moisture High in Northern and East-Central Illinois

  Jul 16, 2014 3:00 pm

  Soils in northern and east-central Illinois are beginning to dry out after the rains of last weekend, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program Manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

• ISWS Engineer is Selected to Serve on New FEMA Council

  Jul 17, 2014 3:45 pm

  Sally McConkey, Water Resources Engineer at the Illinois State Water Survey, has been selected as a member of the newly created Technical Mapping Advisory Council for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as directed by Congress.

• It's a Tie for the Coolest July on Record in Illinois

  Aug 1, 2014 3:00 pm

  The statewide average temperature for July was 70.3 degrees in Illinois, which ties the record for the coolest July set back in 2009, according to the Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• Soil Moisture Levels Increased in Southern Illinois with the Weekend Rains

  Aug 17, 2014 3:45 pm

  Soil moisture levels in southern Illinois increased over the weekend as the region saw more than 3 inches of rain at some locations, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program Manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

• A Wet August Wraps Up a Cool, Wet Summer in Illinois

  Sep 2, 2014 3:45 pm

  The 12th wettest August in Illinois finishes out the 10th wettest summer on record. While August was slightly warmer than average, the summer was cooler than average, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• Soils Across Illinois Damp at the End of September

  Sep 23, 2014 3:45 pm

  Soils are damp across the state at the end of September, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

• 

  September Was Cool and Wet for Illinois

  Oct 7, 2014 3:45 pm

  September was 1.5 degrees cooler than average and 0.88 inches wetter than average for Illinois, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• October Was Wetter Than Average for Illinois

  Nov 4, 2014 3:45 pm

  The statewide average precipitation for October in Illinois was 4.5 inches, which is 1.2 inches above average, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• Illinois was Cold and Dry in November

  Dec 1, 2014 3:45 pm

  November was much colder and drier than average. The statewide average temperature was 34.3 degrees, which is 8.2 degrees below average, and the fourth coldest November on record, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• Chance of a White Christmas in Illinois

  Dec 15, 2014 3:45 pm

  It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, but will it be white?  A white Christmas is defined as at least an inch of snow on the ground on Christmas Day. It should come as no surprise that the highest odds are in northern Illinois, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• 2014 Marks the 4th Coldest Year on Record for Illinois

  Jan 5, 2015 3:15 pm

  The statewide average temperature for 2014 was 49.4 degrees F, which is 2.9 degrees below average.  The year was tied with 1912 and 1979 for fourth place, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• Science in support of the Forest Preserves of Cook County developing the Natural and Cultural Resources Master Plan

  Jan 12, 2015 10:15 am

• January 2015 in Illinois: Cool and Dry

  Feb 2, 2015 3:15 pm

  January 2015 in Illinois was slightly cooler and drier than average. The statewide temperature was 25.4 degrees, 1 degree below average and the 53rd coldest on record, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• Soil Temperatures in Illinois Normal So Far This Winter

  Feb 20, 2015 3:15 pm

  Soil temperatures across the state have been near normal on average so far this winter, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

• National Groundwater Awareness Week: March 8–14, 2015

  Feb 27, 2015 3:15 pm

  About half the U.S. population receives its drinking water from wells. Many cities in Illinois, including Champaign-Urbana, Normal, and most of the western and southern suburbs of Chicago, get some or all of their drinking water from groundwater sources. In addition, almost all rural residents use groundwater. During National Groundwater Awareness Week, we want to promote stewardship of this important resource, to protect and conserve it.

• Seventh Coldest February on Record Wraps Up Winter in Illinois

  Mar 3, 2015 3:15 pm

  The statewide average temperature for February was 18.6 degrees, which is 12.3 degrees below the 1981-2010 average and the 7th coldest February on record. In comparison, February 2014 was the 9th coldest at 19.5 degrees, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• Soil Temperatures Increased in Illinois in the First Half of March

  Mar 17, 2015 3:15 pm

  Soil temperatures at 4 inches under bare soil have increased 49 percent during the first half of March, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program Manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

• Illinois has Four Odd Tornado Seasons in a Row

  Mar 25, 2015 3:00 pm

  The 2015 tornado season thus far in Illinois and the rest of tornado alley is incredibly quiet. However, this quiet start is no reason to relax if the past few years are a guide, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• Cold, Snowy March for Illinois

  Apr 2, 2015 3:00 pm

  The statewide average temperature for March was 38.2 degrees, 3.1 degrees below average, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• Anniversary of First Hook Echo Tornado Captured on Radar

  Apr 9, 2015 3:00 pm

  Today is the 62nd anniversary of the first documented case of a tornado detected by radar. Illinois State Water Survey staff captured the historic event on film on April 9, 1953. This discovery helped lead to the first national weather radar network in the United States, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• Illinois Soil Temperatures were Warm in Mid-April

  Apr 16, 2015 3:00 pm

  Soil temperatures were slightly above the long-term average in the middle of April, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program Manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

• Above-Average Temperatures for April in Illinois

  May 4, 2015 2:00 pm

  Although April had a few cold stretches, the statewide average temperature for the month was 54.1 degrees, 1.7 degrees above average, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• ISWS Provides Resources for Irrigation Reporting

  May 5, 2015 2:00 pm

  Starting this growing season, farm irrigators who use high capacity wells or intakes are required to report their water use.  The Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) has created a website to assist irrigators with this mandatory reporting process, according to Steve Wilson, ISWS groundwater hydrologist.

• Soil Moisture Levels Increased in Early May

  May 18, 2015 2:45 pm

  Soil moisture increased slightly throughout the state the first half of May, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program Manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

• May Was Warm and Wet in Illinois

  Jun 1, 2015 2:45 pm

  Despite cool weather at times, May was 2.3 degrees above average on temperature and 1 inch above average on rainfall, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• Wet Soil Conditions Continue Throughout Illinois

  Jun 17, 2015 2:45 pm

  Soil conditions throughout Illinois remain wet as most of the state experienced higher than normal rainfall in the first two weeks of July, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program Manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

• A Rainy June Set a New Record for Illinois

  Jul 1, 2015 2:45 pm

  The statewide average precipitation for June 2015 in Illinois was 9.53 inches, or 5.33 inches above the average June precipitation. This was the wettest June on record for Illinois, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

   

• Record June Rain, Flooding Inundates Midwest

  Jul 2, 2015 2:45 pm

  Heavy rain and flooding highlighted a wild month of June across the central portions of the Midwest.  The wettest state was Illinois, where a precipitation record that has stood for over 100 years was broken, according to Bryan Peake, service climatologist at the Midwestern Regional Climate Center (http://mrcc.isws.illinois.edu), Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS).

• July: Cool and Wet for Illinois

  Aug 3, 2015 2:30 pm

  July was both cooler and wetter than average in Illinois, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• Record Wet Conditions Continue for the Midwest

  Aug 4, 2015 2:30 pm

  Heavy rain continued to fall across the Midwest this July after Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio broke records for June precipitation. Seven of the nine states in the region recorded above normal precipitation for July, according to Bryan Peake, service climatologist at the Midwestern Regional Climate Center (http://mrcc.isws.illinois.edu/), Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS).

• Little Change in Soil Moisture During the First Half of August

  Aug 18, 2015 2:30 pm

  Soil moisture levels in Illinois showed little overall change in the first half of August, 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 Moisture Rises the Second Week of September

  Sep 17, 2015 2:30 pm

  Soil moisture levels rose across Illinois the second week of September as the state saw increased rainfall and cooler soil temperatures, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program Manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

• September: The Ninth Warmest on Record for Illinois

  Oct 2, 2015 2:30 pm

  September 2015 was the ninth warmest September on record for Illinois, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois. The statewide average temperature was 70.2 degrees, 4 degrees above average.

• Increased Water Demand Threatens Deep Bedrock Aquifer Water Supplies in Northeastern Illinois

  Oct 12, 2015 2:30 pm

  Deep sandstone aquifers that feed water supplies to parts of Northeastern Illinois are at risk of becoming partially or completely depleted in the next 35 years, a new study at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) suggests.

• October: Warm and Dry in Illinois

  Nov 2, 2015 2:30 pm

  October was warmer and drier than average in Illinois. The statewide average temperature was 55.8 degrees, 1.7 degrees above average, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• El Niño and the Midwest

  Nov 19, 2015 2:15 pm

  What effect could El Niño have on winter in the Midwest and the rest of the United States? Find out on the new El Niño webpage from the Midwestern Regional Climate Center (MRCC), located at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS). (http://mrcc.isws.illinois.edu/mw_climate/elNino/index.jsp)