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Water Survey

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  • October Was Warm and Dry in Illinois

    Nov 3, 2010 12:00 am

    The statewide average rainfall for October was 1.4 inches, 1.5 inches below normal. This ranks as the 20th driest October on record, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.isws.illinois.edu).

  • Short-Term Weather Lore Holds a Kernel of Truth

    Oct 25, 2010 12:00 am

    Before the Internet, The Weather Channel, and NOAA radios, our ancestors relied on nature to tell its tale of upcoming weather. Moss growing on the south side of trees and squirrels hiding their nuts deep underground were thought to foretell a severe winter ahead.

    Some natural prognostications like these are grounded in truth, given our current knowledge of meteorology, but others are purely fiction, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

  • September Experienced Near Normal Temperatures

    Oct 7, 2010 12:00 am

    Illinois experienced temperatures close to normal for September. The statewide average temperature was 66.8 degrees, just 0.6 degrees above normal, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.isws.illinois.edu).

  • Illinois State Water Survey and U of I Extension Team up to Reduce Flood Risk

    Sep 15, 2010 1:00 am

    The Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) and the University of Illinois (U of I) Extension are teaming up to help Illinois communities better understand and reduce their flood risk.

  • Summer - One of the Warmest and Wettest on Record

    Sep 2, 2010 1:00 am

    This summer was one of the warmest and wettest on record, based on preliminary data. The statewide average temperature for summer (June–August) in Illinois was 76.4 degrees, 2.7 degrees above normal and the seventh warmest summer on record, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.isws.illinois.edu).

  • July–Warmer and Wetter than Normal for Illinois

    Aug 8, 2010 1:00 am

    The statewide average temperature for Illinois in July was 77.7 degrees, 1.9 degrees above normal. While it was warm and uncomfortably humid, it was only the 19th warmest July on record, tied with 1986 and 1952, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.isws.illinois.edu).

  • ISWS Climate Models Predict Extreme Heat Waves in Mid-and Late-21st Century

    Jul 13, 2010 1:15 am

    Heat waves that we have experienced recently will likely pale in comparison to what’s ahead in 50 years if greenhouse gas emissions continue at the current rate, according to Xin-Zhong Liang, Ph.D., Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) atmospheric scientist at the University of Illinois and assistant professor in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences.

  • Second Wettest June on Record for Illinois

    Jul 1, 2010 1:15 am

    Illinois has experienced the second wettest June on record, based on preliminary data. The statewide average precipitation for June was 7.8 inches, 3.7 inches above normal, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.isws.illinois.edu).

  • Fourth Warmest Spring in Illinois

    Jun 11, 2010 1:15 am

    Based on preliminary data, the statewide average temperature for spring in Illinois was 55.3 degrees, 3.3 degrees above normal and the fourth warmest spring on record. Warmer than normal conditions prevailed in all three spring months of March (2.5 degrees above), April (6.2 degrees above), and May (1.3 degrees above), according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.isws.illinois.edu).

  • Warmest April on Record for Illinois

    May 3, 2010 1:15 am

    Based on preliminary data, the statewide average temperature for Illinois in April was 58.4 degrees, 6.2 degrees above normal and the warmest April on record. This beats the old record of 58.2 degrees set in 1955, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.isws.illinois.edu).

  • Illinois State Water Survey to Inventory Private Wells in McLean and Tazewell Counties – Well Owners Asked to Help

    May 1, 2010 1:15 am

    The Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) is set to conduct an inventory of private wells in the rural areas surrounding Armington, Congerville, Danvers, Deer Creek, Goodfield, Hopedale, Mackinaw, McLean, Minier, Morton, and Stanford to determine water levels, pump settings, and well depths for all local wells.

  • Soil Moisture and Temperatures Dictate Spring Planting Dates

    Apr 8, 2010 1:45 am

    Once springtime arrives, Illinois crop producers begin watching and waiting for optimal soil moisture and temperatures to kick off the 2010 planting season.  Soil moisture at the end of March was above average over much of Illinois, according to Bob Scott, meteorologist of the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

  • March Was Warmer and Drier than Normal

    Apr 6, 2010 1:45 am

    Based on preliminary data in Illinois, the statewide average temperature for March was 43.6 degrees, 2.5 degrees above normal. This ends a three-month streak of colder than normal temperatures that occurred this winter, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.isws.illinois.edu).

  • Study Provides New Insight on Fog Formation in the Midwest

    Mar 16, 2010 1:45 am

    For decades researchers have postulated that fog typically forms in the early morning hours following a calm, clear night. But a new study shows that a higher percentage of fog incidences–at least in the Midwest–occur under overcast skies when rain has fallen overnight.

    Dense fog forming in conditions that are not well understood increases the difficulty of forecasting fog accurately, according to Nancy Westcott, climatologist at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  Fog is a safety hazard for ground and air travelers and can be particularly costly when air traffic is delayed.

  • Cold February Wraps Up Cold Winter

    Mar 3, 2010 1:45 am

    Based on preliminary data in Illinois, the statewide average temperature for February was 25.1 degrees, 5.1 degrees below normal. Snowfall for February was above normal. Amounts ranged from 6 inches in southern Illinois to over 18 inches in the Quad Cities and Chicago areas, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey 

  • New Nanosensor Detects Leaky Water Pipes

    Feb 26, 2010 1:45 am

    Combining the latest nanotechnology with hydraulics may yield a promising solution to the costly problem of leaking water pipes in community public water systems, according to Yu-Feng Lin, a hydrologist at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • Illinois Has Fourth Wettest Year on Record

    Jan 5, 2010 1:45 am

    Based on preliminary data in Illinois, the statewide average precipitation for 2009 was 50.3 inches, 11 inches above normal. This was the fourth wettest year on record for the state based on data going back to 1895, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey

  • A Snowy Christmas in Illinois is Rare

    Dec 14, 2009 1:45 am

    Every year in December, weather forecasters are asked the age-old question:  Will we have a white Christmas this year? An analysis of Illinois' history shows the chances are slim, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel at the Illinois State Water Survey.

  • Seventh Warmest November on Record

    Dec 2, 2009 10:45 am

    Based on preliminary data in Illinois, the statewide average temperature for November was 46.9 degrees, 5.1 degrees above normal. This was the seventh warmest November on record for the state based on data going back to 1895, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.isws.illinois.edu).

  • Second Wettest October on Record

    Nov 2, 2009 10:00 am

     Based on preliminary data in Illinois, the statewide average rainfall was 8.9 inches, 6.0 inches above normal. This is the second wettest October on record for the state based on data going back to 1895. It almost beat the wettest October on record, 9.2 inches set in 1941, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.isws.illinois.edu).

  • September Brings Uneven Rainfall across State

    Oct 6, 2009 10:00 am

    Based on preliminary data in Illinois, the statewide average rainfall for September was 2.4 inches, 0.8 inches below normal. This breaks the string of months with above normal precipitation that started in February 2009 and ended in August, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.isws.illinois.edu).

  • ISWS Study Findings Reflect Impairment of the Fox River in Northern Illinois

    Sep 28, 2009 11:00 am

    When the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) designated the entire Fox River in McHenry and Kane Counties as impaired, the Fox River Study Group (www.foxriverstudygroup.org) formed collaborations to preserve and enhance the river’s overall health.  The organization funded the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to conduct a multi-year, four-phase study that examines the Fox River watershed below Stratton Dam.

  • Cool, Wet Summer in Illinois

    Sep 2, 2009 11:00 am

    Based on preliminary data for Illinois, this was the 11th coolest and 8th wettest summer since statewide records began in 1895. The average temperature for June–August was 71.4 degrees, 2.4 degrees below normal. The total precipitation for June–August was 15.2 inches, 3.6 inches above normal, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey 

  • Future Groundwater Supplies are a Concern for Growing Illinois Communities

    Aug 24, 2009 10:00 am

    Population growth may be an economic boon for communities and counties, but the subsequent increased water demand could threaten the amount and quality of public water supplies available within the next few decades, according to Scott Meyer, hydrogeologist at the Illinois State Water Survey, a division of the Institute of Natural Resource Sustainability at the University of Illinois.

  • El Niño Not Likely to Affect First Fall Freeze

    Aug 9, 2009 11:00 am

    A developing El Niño in the Pacific Ocean will likely not affect the first freeze this fall in the Midwest, according to Steve Hilberg, Director of the Midwestern Regional Climate Center at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS), University of Illinois.

  • Midwest Sets Record Cold Temperatures in July

    Aug 4, 2009 11:15 am

    This was the coldest July on record for the nine-state Midwest region, based on preliminary temperature data. The average temperature for the region was 68.0 degrees, 4.7 degrees below normal. The previous record was 68.9 degrees in 1992, according to Mike Timlin, Regional Climatologist with the NOAA Midwestern Regional Climate Center (http://mrcc.isws.illinois.edu).

  • Coldest July on Record for Illinois

    Aug 3, 2009 11:15 am

    Based on preliminary data for Illinois, the statewide average temperature for July was 70.4 degrees, 5.3 degrees below normal. This ranks as the coldest July in the statewide records and a degree colder than the previous record set in 1924 (71.5 degrees), according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.sws.uiuc.edu).

  • Wet June for Illinois

    Jul 6, 2009 11:15 am

    Statewide June precipitation in Illinois was 5.3 inches, 1.2 inches above normal, and the 25th wettest June on record. The total precipitation for the first half of 2009 was 24.2 inches, 4.8 inches above normal, and the 14th wettest January–June on record for the state, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.sws.uiuc.edu).

  • Fifth Wettest Spring on Record

    Jun 3, 2009 11:15 am

    Wet conditions in March, April, and May resulted in 15.9 inches of rain, 4.5 inches above normal and the fifth wettest spring since statewide records began in 1895. May precipitation was 6.0 inches, 1.7 inches above normal and the 19th wettest May on record, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.isws.illinois.edu).

  • Sixth Wettest April on Record

    May 1, 2009 11:30 am

    April statewide rainfall averaged 6.2 inches, 2.4 inches above normal and tied with 1983 for the 6th wettest April since statewide records began in 1895. The wettest April on record was 7.1 inches in 1957. Normal statewide April rainfall is 3.8 inches, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.sws.uiuc.edu).

  • Flood Terminology Can be Misleading

    Apr 2, 2009 7:00 pm

    We have heard the term "500-year flood" often in the news these days, and yet these extremely rare events seem to occur too frequently. Just last week, Fargo, ND experienced record flooding only 12 years after the 500-year flood in 1997.

    The problem is, people often have a misconception about flood-related terms, according to Jim Angel, state climatologist at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  • Where is Spring?

    Mar 14, 2009 11:30 am

    A cold and wet first half of April has farmers still waiting to get into the fields and homeowners waiting to get into their gardens. Temperatures in the first two weeks of April were 4.5 degrees below normal and precipitation was 58 percent above normal. Many places in northern Illinois reported measureable snowfall from an April 5-6 storm, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.sws.uiuc.edu).

  • February: More Rain, Less Snow

    Mar 3, 2009 8:00 pm

    February statewide precipitation averaged 2.45 inches, 0.52 inches above normal. Ft. Massac State Park reported the highest monthly precipitation total of 6.03 inches, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey 

  • 12th Biennial Conference on the Management of the Illinois River System

    Feb 28, 2009 8:00 pm

    The Illinois State Water Survey is Co-Sponsoring:The Twelfth Biennial Conference on the . Management of the Illinois River SystemOctober 20-22, 2009Hotel Pere Marquette, Peoria, IL 

  • Demissie Named Director of Illinois State Water Survey

    Feb 25, 2009 8:00 pm

    The Institute of Natural Resource Sustainability (INRS) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has named Mike Demissie, head of the Center for Watershed Science at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS), as new director of the Survey.

  • Lake-Effect Snow Poses Challenging Questions for Meteorologists

    Jan 20, 2009 8:15 pm

    Weather forecasters can predict an upcoming lake-effect snowstorm, but the intensity of the storm, which communities will be hit, how far inland the snow will extend, and how long it will last are much harder to foresee. Like storm chasers hoping to solve weather mysteries, Illinois State Water Survey Head of the Center for Atmospheric Science David Kristovich, students, and colleagues have flown over the Great Lakes inside developing storms to study lake effects on winter storms in lakeside communities.

  • Second Wettest Year on Record for Illinois

    Jan 9, 2009 8:15 pm

     Illinois experienced its second wettest year on record when 50.7 inches of precipitation fell in 2008. This was 11.4 inches above normal. Only 1993 was wetter with 51.2 inches. Nine of the 12 months in 2008 received above-normal precipitation, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.isws.illinois.edu).

  • Cool, Dry November Finishes with First Major Snow of the Season

    Dec 3, 2008 8:15 pm

    November in Illinois was both cooler and drier than normal. However, a low-pressure system at the end of the month brought the first significant snowfall of the season across northern and central Illinois, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.isws.illinois.edu).

  • Regional Climate Models are Poised to Predict Future Climate of Illinois

    Nov 19, 2008 9:15 am

    While scientists have predicted for years that the global climate will change in the future, an atmospheric scientist at the Illinois State Water Survey at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign is working on a climate model at the regional scale to predict the impacts of climate change right here in Illinois.

  • Late October Freeze Ends Growing Season in Illinois

    Nov 5, 2008 9:30 am

    While Illinoisans in the far northern part of the state experienced freezing temperatures early in the month, the official close to the 2008 growing season at most locations occurred on October 28. Cold Canadian air pushed across the Midwest, producing lows that morning in the mid- to upper 20s across Illinois, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.isws.illinois.edu).

  • Two Tropical Systems Boost Illinois Rainfall in September

    Oct 6, 2008 9:30 am

    The remains of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike boosted rainfall totals in Illinois for September. September statewide precipitation was 8.0 inches, 4.8 inches above normal and the third wettest September on record, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.sws.uiuc.edu).

  • Arsenic in Private Wells is Hot Topic at ISWS Water Testing Lab

    Sep 16, 2008 12:30 am

    September 18 is World Water Monitoring Day

    Since the national drinking water standard for arsenic became more stringent in 2006, arsenic in Illinois groundwater has become a health concern, especially for private well owners. Community water supplies are government-regulated, but private well owners must monitor their own water for safety, according to Brian Kaiser, associate chemist at the Illinois State Water Survey Public Service Laboratory at the University of Illinois Institute for Resource Sustainability.

  • Cool, Dry August for Illinois

    Sep 3, 2008 12:30 am

    August statewide precipitation was below normal, ending an eight-month streak of above-normal precipitation in Illinois that began in December 2007, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.sws.uiuc.edu).

  • Wet Weather Challenges the 2008 Growing Season

    Jul 29, 2008 12:45 am

    Although recent Illinois weather conditions have been ideal for crops, many areas have been affected by late planting and significant flooding across the state, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey.

  • Precipitation Totals Set Records in the Midwest

    Jul 3, 2008 12:45 am

    Substantial recent flooding in the Midwest was caused by heavy precipitation that fell not only in June, but also throughout the first half of 2008. The NOAA Midwestern Regional Climate Center (MRCC) found that 286 National Weather Service Cooperative Observer Network stations reported precipitation totals for the first half of 2008 that ranked within their top five records of the January-June period since the late 1800s in some cases.

  • Wettest January-June on Record for Illinois

    Jul 2, 2008 12:45 am

    Monthly statewide precipitation has been above average every month in the first half of 2008, resulting in the wettest January-June since 1895, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.sws.uiuc.edu), at the Institute of Natural Resources Sustainability at the University of Illinois.

  • Midwest Heavy Rain and Flooding is Compared to 1993 Flood

    Jun 13, 2008 12:00 am

    The recent heavy rain in the Midwest and flooding in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Missouri are drawing comparisons with the weather and events associated with the Great Flood of 1993 on the Mississippi River, according to Steve Hilberg, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Midwestern Regional Climate Center (MRCC) at the Illinois State Water Survey. Climatologists there have compared 2008 weather events with what occurred in 1993 to place the current situation in perspective.

  • Wet Weather Continues for Illinois

    Jun 9, 2008 1:15 am

    For the fifth time this year, the monthly statewide precipitation has been above average, resulting in the third wettest January-May since 1895, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.sws.uiuc.edu), a division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

  • Study Shows Increasing Contamination in Chicago Area Groundwater

    May 28, 2008 1:30 am

    Since the 1950s, chloride (salt) levels in shallow groundwater have increased significantly in Cook and surrounding counties, indicating that the quality of groundwater resources needed to meet future growing demand is deteriorating, according to Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) researchers.

  • Third Wettest Start to Year for Illinois

    May 2, 2008 1:30 am

    For the fourth time this year, the monthly statewide precipitation has been above average, resulting in the third wettest January-April since 1895, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.sws.uiuc.edu), a division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.