Prairie Research Institute

blog posts

• Soil Temperatures Still Warmer than Normal

  Nov 17, 2016 4:45 pm

  Soil temperatures declined through the first half of November, but still remain higher than normal, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

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  Soil temperatures this winter in Illinois were warmer than normal

  Mar 1, 2018 3:15 pm

• Soil Temperatures Warmer than Normal in Mid-October

  Oct 17, 2016 4:45 pm

  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 were warmer than normal in mid-November

  Nov 16, 2017 2:30 pm

  Soil temperatures at 4 inches under bare soil averaged 43.4 degrees on November 14, 4.5 degrees below the long-term average. Daily maximums reached into the low 50s with Fairfield reporting the day’s highest temperature at 52.7 degrees.

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  State Climatologist: A mild August wraps up summer in Illinois

  Sep 1, 2022 4:15 pm

  Mild temperatures in August this year in Illinois followed a heatwave in May, above average temperatures in June, and a cooler July.

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  State Climatologist: An active July continues a warm summer

  Aug 3, 2020 1:45 pm

  July was warmer and wetter than average across Illinois, continuing a warmer than average summer season. The preliminary statewide average July temperature was 77.2 degrees, 1.8 degrees above the 30-year normal. Preliminary statewide average total precipitation for July was 5.79 inches, 1.71 inches wetter than normal.

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  State Climatologist describes December's cold snap and warm up

  Jan 3, 2023 8:15 am

  The extreme temperatures and wind chill values that Illinoisans experienced before the holidays are very unusual for late December, only occurring in northern and central Illinois once every 20 to 25 years. In the last week of the month, high temperatures ranged from the low 50s to mid-60s, between 10 and 25 degrees above normal.

• State Climatologist digs up historical weather records for Illinois

  May 23, 2012 7:00 pm

  The oldest official weather records ever found in Illinois, dating back to 1820, reveal temperature data that showed remarkable accuracy given the technology of the day, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey.

• State Climatologist Jim Angel authors Midwest chapter of 2018 National Climate Assessment

  Nov 27, 2018 10:00 am

  If nothing is done about climate change by 2050, Midwest farmers could see their productivity decrease to a level not seen since the 1980s, according to a new report from 13 federal agencies.

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  State Climatologist: July brought its typical calamity in Illinois

  Aug 1, 2022 4:00 pm

  Rain inundated the south-central and northern parts of Illinois in July, causing flooding, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the University of Illinois’ Illinois State Water Survey.

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  State Climatologist looks at fall freeze data

  Sep 25, 2019 8:45 am

  Due to significant planting delays across most of the Midwest this year, State Climatologist Trent Ford has heard many concerns about an early fall freeze and its potential effects on immature crops. Even in normal growing seasons, an early fall freeze can cause considerable impacts and yield losses for crops.

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  State Climatologist provides context on December tornadoes

  Dec 16, 2021 8:45 am

  Severe thunderstorms developed in the late afternoon, evening, and night of Dec. 10, resulting in strong tornadoes in Illinois, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Storm Prediction Center listed 85 tornadoes nationwide from the Dec. 10 outbreak, including 12 in Illinois. Also, six deaths were reported in the state.

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  State Climatologist reported that April temperatures and precipitation fluctuated in Illinois

  May 4, 2020 9:00 am

  The preliminary statewide average April temperature was 49.2 degrees, 3.4 degrees below the 30-year normal and tied for the 27th coldest on record going back to 1895. The preliminary statewide average total April precipitation was 4.36 inches, 0.58 inches above than the 30-year normal and the 43rd wettest on record.

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  State Climatologist reports that a typical February ends an otherwise atypical winter

  Mar 2, 2020 4:45 pm

  February was slightly warmer and wetter than average across Illinois, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford.

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  State Climatologist says 2020 is off to a warmer, wetter start

  Feb 3, 2020 1:30 pm

  According to State Climatologist Trent Ford, January 2020 was warmer and wetter than average across the state. The preliminary statewide average January temperature was 31.4 degrees, the 17th warmest on record going back to 1895. The preliminary statewide average total January precipitation was 4.41 inches, the 9th wettest on record.

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  State Climatologist: Varied temperatures and rainfall and a derecho make for a wild August

  Sep 2, 2020 9:00 am

  August was slightly cooler and much drier than average across Illinois. The preliminary statewide average August temperature was 72.7 degrees, 0.9 degrees below the 30-year normal and the 45th coolest on record. Preliminary statewide average total precipitation for August was 2.01 inches, 1.58 inches below than the 30-year normal and the 15th driest on record.

• Steve Wilson to serve on program advisory committee for National Environmental Health Association

  Nov 30, 2017 2:45 pm

  The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA), a professional society for environmental health practitioners with thousands of members nationwide, has invited Illinois State Water Survey groundwater hydrologist Steve Wilson to participate in its Program Advisory Committee, which helps set policy and direction for NEHA programs.

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  Stormy, wet, and chilly February for Illinois

  Mar 1, 2019 2:00 pm

  February was particularly cold and stormy in Illinois, with an almost constant succession of storms resulting in moderate snow accumulations for the northern counties and persistent rain events and widespread flooding for the far southern counties.

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  Students take on watershed project in summer internship

  Jul 24, 2023 12:45 pm

  College students in a summer internship program at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) are developing new skills in geographic information system (GIS) learning while tackling ways to map Illinois streamflow more accurately to inform soil conservation efforts. This on-the-job training will better prepare students for future studies and their careers.

• Study Gleans Insights on How Lake Breezes Move Through Chicago

  May 1, 2012 7:00 pm

  Lake breezes that bring some relief on a scorching summer afternoon are thought to move more slowly through Chicago than through the surrounding suburbs. Scientists at the Illinois State Water Survey have discovered that this is often not the case and have gained new insights into the mysteries of how cities affect winds off a lake.

• 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.

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  Study shows future climate changes in wind patterns vary by U.S. region and season

  Jul 15, 2020 10:00 am

  The Midwest is a particularly promising region for future wind energy development out to 2100 when accounting for climate change, according to a new study at the University of Illinois.

• 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.

• 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.

• Study Shows NE Illinois Should Have Enough Water to 2050

  Jun 18, 2012 7:45 pm

  Water supplies in NE Illinois should be adequate for the next 40 years, yet communities should still analyze their own situations and work with neighboring communities to avoid conflicts in the years ahead, according to Scott Meyer, hydrologist with the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) at the University of Illinois.

• Summer drought may dull fall color

  Sep 14, 2012 2:00 pm

• 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).

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  Summer started mostly warm and dry in Illinois

  Jul 2, 2020 1:30 pm

  The preliminary statewide average June temperature was 73.7 degrees, 1.8 degrees above the 30-year normal, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the University of Illinois’ Illinois State Water Survey. The preliminary statewide average total June precipitation was 3.70 inches, 0.51 inches below the 30-year normal.

• Surveyors Collect Data on Home Elevations in North-Central Illinois for Flood Risk Project

  Jun 8, 2017 3:00 pm

  As part of an Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) project to determine the risk of flooding for individual homes and businesses in floodplains, licensed surveyors will visit properties to measure the height of structures from late June to July for two pilot areas in the City of Ottawa and the City of Moline.

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  Survey seeks ideas to help specialty crop growers make pest control decisions

  Feb 19, 2019 10:15 am

  Researchers at the University of Illinois’ Prairie Research Institute are developing new pest degree day tools for the state’s specialty crop growers. A short online survey offers growers the opportunity to contribute their opinions on how this information is delivered.

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  Team spotlight: Climate and Atmospheric Science

  Mar 11, 2020 12:00 pm

  The Water Survey’s Climate and Atmospheric Science team investigates the potential statewide impacts of climate change, including extreme precipitation changes (flooding, drought), availability of atmospheric resources for green energy generation, changes in the urban heat island, and integration of climate models into systems that take into account human population growth, health, and activities.

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  Temperature changes were common throughout November in Illinois

  Dec 1, 2021 11:30 am

  The preliminary statewide average November temperature was 40.7 degrees, 1.0 degree below the 1991–2020 average and 53rd coldest on record going back to 1895. The preliminary statewide average total November precipitation was 1.00 inch, 2.31 inches below the 1991–2020 average and the 9th driest on record.  

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  Temperature swings were typical for March in Illinois

  Apr 1, 2022 2:30 pm

  As is typical for March weather, Illinois temperatures varied from day to day, with an average statewide temperature 1.5 degrees above normal, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the University of Illinois’ Illinois State Water Survey. March average precipitation was 1.32 inches above normal.

• Tenth Warmest March on Record in Illinois

  Apr 6, 2016 10:15 pm

  March 2016 was the 10th warmest March on record with an average temperature of 46.5 degrees, 5.2 degrees above normal. Illinois was not alone; essentially the entire US was warmer than normal in March, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• Tenth Wettest February on Record for Illinois

  Mar 7, 2011 12:30 am

  The statewide average precipitation in Illinois for February was 3.39 inches, 1.46 inches above normal. This ranks as the tenth wettest February since statewide records began in 1895, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.isws.illinois.edu).

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  Testing for lead in private wells

  Jan 27, 2021 12:00 pm

  To prevent public health crises that result from widespread lead contamination in drinking water, community water supplies are required to closely monitor their drinking water quality. 

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  The impact of Bulletin 75

  Jul 8, 2020 11:00 am

  As Illinois experiences a third consecutive year of record-breaking rainfall stretching from Chicago to Cairo, researchers at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) have updated the publication that provides Illinois’ standards for expected extreme storms, known as Bulletin 75.

• 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.

• 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.

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  Thunderstorms Produce Tsunami-like Waves in the Great Lakes

  May 31, 2016 7:00 pm

  Spring and summer storms that create thunder and lightning on land also cause tsunami-like waves on the Great Lakes, bringing water surges onshore and jeopardizing docked boats and beach lovers, according to David Kristovich, head of the Climate and Atmospheric Science section with the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois.

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  Time for Illinoisans to report irrigation water use

  Sep 30, 2021 3:00 pm

  The deadline is approaching for Illinoisans to report their 2021 irrigation water use to the Illinois Water Inventory Program. The deadline for individual reporting is Jan. 1, 2022, while aggregate reports are due by March 1, 2022.

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  Trent Ford named new Illinois State Climatologist

  Aug 12, 2019 11:15 am

  Hydroclimatologist Trent Ford, currently an assistant professor at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, has been selected as the next Illinois State Climatologist, the authoritative source of weather and climate information and services for the state of Illinois. 

• 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).

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  Understanding water’s role in decarbonization

  Jul 27, 2021 4:45 pm

  ISTC researchers needed to find adequate and reliable water sources to keep a carbon capture system running without compromising fragile aquatic ecosystems, local economies, and nearby communities’ water supply. Fortunately, ISTC knew the right expertise was close at hand in another unit within its parent Prairie Research Institute – The Water Survey’s Watershed Science team.

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  Unequal August precipitation leads to drought in Illinois

  Sep 3, 2019 10:00 am

  August 2019 will be remembered for remarkable differences in monthly precipitation totals across Illinois, as well as the first appearance of drought in the state since September 2018.

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  University of Illinois-Washington University team part of NSF’s program focused on equitable water solutions

  Mar 19, 2024 4:15 pm

  The National Science Foundation recently announced the awarding of 15 grants, totaling $9.8 million, to interdisciplinary teams under Track K: Equitable Water Solutions, focused on research to benefit society at large. The University of Illinois team, working with researchers at Washington University in St. Louis, received $650,000 for a one-year effort to further develop their idea of passive sampling of water quality at the tap.

• Unseasonably Dry And Warm Conditions Kick Off October In The Midwest

  Oct 17, 2011 9:15 pm

  It was an unseasonably dry and warm start to October across the Midwest.  On average, the Midwest experienced only 23 percent of its normal precipitation during the first 12 days of October, and temperatures were an average of 6 degrees above normal, according to Steve Hilberg at the Midwestern Regional Climate Center at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS).

• Upwind Lakes Can Influence the Intensity of Lake-Effect Snowstorms over Downwind Lakes

  Apr 11, 2013 2:45 am

  Research shows that small lakes even hundreds of miles away can cause lake-effect snows to intensify around the Great Lakes, a phenomenon that may occur more often with climate change, according to David Kristovich, head of the Center for Atmospheric Science at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• Users of data on Illinois environmental conditions will now register for access

  Feb 6, 2018 8:45 am

  Starting this month, users will be asked to register to access data on Illinois’ weather, soil, and water conditions on the University of Illinois’ Water & Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) program website. Data are still free of charge.

• Very Dry May, 8th Warmest on Record

  Jun 1, 2007 8:15 pm

  "May 2007 was the 8th warmest and 23rd driest May since 1895. Statewide May precipitation in Illinois was 2.62 inches (1.65 inches below normal), and statewide temperatures were 67.3°F degrees (4.5°F above normal). Fortunately, short-term impacts of the dry weather were minimal because of abundant soil moisture from rainfall in previous months. Timely and widespread rains across northern and central Illinois over the Memorial Day weekend also provided relief for shallow-rooted corn and soybeans in those areas," says State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.sws.uiuc.edu), a division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.