blog posts

• 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.

• Winter Finally Arrives in Illinois in February

  Mar 1, 2013 2:45 am

  Snowfall was below average in January, but the statewide precipitation—which includes both rain and melted snow—was 3.9 inches, nearly 2 inches above average, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

• 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 

• 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.

• February breaks record for warm temperatures in Illinois

  Mar 3, 2017 4:30 pm

  February was the warmest February on record for Illinois, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel at University of Illinois’ Illinois State Water Survey.

• 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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  February’s roller coaster weather wraps up winter

  Mar 4, 2025 12:15 pm

  The month of February is known for bringing cold weather in Illinois, but it also often sees some of the biggest day-to-day temperature changes — as it did last month, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the University of Illinois’ Illinois State Water Survey.

• Snowy, Wet February, 9th Coldest on Record

  Mar 5, 2007 8:30 pm

  "Old Man Winter weather arrived in full force across much of Illinois in February, the 9th coldest on record since 1895, with a statewide temperature of 21.9°F, 8.9°F below normal, based on preliminary data. Snowfall generally was 2–6 inches (southern Illinois), 6–25 inches (central Illinois), and 12–25 inches (northern Illinois). Heaviest amounts occurred in east-central Illinois, with Sidell (Champaign County) reporting 27.5 inches, the most for any Illinois station.

• Warmer Soil Temperatures Continue Into February and March

  Mar 11, 2012 8:00 pm

   Soil temperatures continued to rise across Illinois in February and March, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program Manager at the Illinois State Water Survey.

• Illinois Soils Warm Over the First Half of March

  Mar 18, 2016 10:30 pm

  Soil temperatures increased through 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.

• Awareness of Flood Risk Lessens Losses

  Mar 24, 2012 8:00 pm

  Damages as a result of flooding happen unnecessarily every year in the U.S. and in the U.K., much to the shock of many home and business owners who suffer losses in floodplain areas.  It is vital to raise public awareness for citizens who are at risk for flood losses and must understand how much risk they face and how to mitigate the hazard, according to speakers at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) and University of Leeds workshop in Champaign on April 17.

• 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.

• 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.

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  March 2019: A cold start with a stormy, wet finish to the month

  Apr 1, 2019 2:30 pm

  March 2019 will be a month remembered for an unseasonably cold start, followed by an active and wet weather pattern which resulted in a continuation of excess soil moisture, and major flooding events on many local streams and rivers.

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  March was warmer with above average precipitation in Illinois

  Apr 2, 2020 9:15 am

  March was warmer and wetter than average across the state, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford.

• March 2012 Was the Warmest March on Record for Illinois

  Apr 3, 2012 8:00 pm

  The statewide average temperature for March was 54.9 degrees, 13.8 degrees above normal, making March 2012 a record-setting month, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.isws.illinois.edu).

• A Snowy, Rainy March in Illinois

  Apr 3, 2017 4:15 pm

  Statewide precipitation averaged 3.62 inches, 0.66 inches above normal. The highest monthly total precipitation was in Lockport with 7.22 inches, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel at the University of Illinois’ Illinois State Water Survey.

• No Surprises for March: Near Average Temperatures

  Apr 5, 2011 12:15 am

  The statewide average temperature for Illinois in March was 41.0 degrees, just 0.1 degrees below the 1971–2000 average, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.isws.illinois.edu).

• 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).

• 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.

• Soil Moisture Levels Near Normal for the Start of the Growing Season

  Apr 16, 2013 2:45 am

  Soil moisture levels are normal in Illinois for the start of the growing season, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program Manager at the Illinois State Water Survey.

• 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.

• 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.

• Illinois has Warmer, Drier Soils in Mid-April

  Apr 18, 2016 8:15 pm

  Warmer weather in the second week of April brought warmer and drier soils, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

• Warm Soils Reported Throughout Illinois

  Apr 18, 2017 4:15 pm

  Soil temperatures rose steadily over the first half of April, increasing 11.5 degrees during the first 15 days. At depths of 4 inches under sod, temperatures averaged 54.9 degrees for the period, 4.4 degrees higher than the long-term average.

• Weather was Average for April in Illinois

  May 2, 2016 8:00 pm

  Colder temperatures in the first half of April in Illinois were nearly canceled out by warmer temperatures in the second half of the month, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

• A Wet April and Record-Warm January-April in Illinois

  May 2, 2017 4:15 pm

  The statewide average precipitation for April in Illinois was 7.01 inches, 3.23 inches above normal and the second wettest April on record, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel at the University of Illinois’ Illinois State Water Survey.

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  April's temperature roller coaster ends colder, wetter than average

  May 4, 2020 1:45 pm

  According to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford, April ended colder and wetter than average across the state. 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Illinois Had the Warmest Spring on Record

  Jun 1, 2012 7:45 pm

  Spring in Illinois-March, April, and May-was the warmest on record dating back to 1895, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey.

• 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.

• 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.

• Heavy Rains Strike Parts of Illinois in May

  Jun 2, 2016 7:45 pm

  The statewide average precipitation for May was 4.52 inches, just 0.08 inches below normal. However, heavy rains struck parts of Illinois, causing flooding. Some areas received up to 10 inches of precipitation by the end of the month, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

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  May brought a cool end to a warm spring

  Jun 2, 2021 8:15 am

  May temperatures varied substantially across Illinois, with an average temperature 2.5 degrees below the 30-year normal, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the University of Illinois’ Illinois State Water Survey.

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  May brought spring and a taste of summer to Illinois

  Jun 2, 2022 11:00 am

  Illinois temperatures in May varied from periods of below average to periods of far above average, breaking records across the state, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the University of Illinois’ Illinois State Water Survey. Rainfall was slightly below normal in May statewide.

• 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).

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  May 2019: Exceptionally wet and stormy across Illinois

  Jun 3, 2019 3:30 pm

  May 2019 will be a month remembered for exceptional, record-breaking wet conditions locally, as well as an active, stormy, and at times severe weather pattern across the state.

• Wet Month Leads to Seventh Wettest Spring for Illinois

  Jun 6, 2011 12:45 am

  The statewide average rainfall for Illinois in May was 5.6 inches, 1.3 inches above average for the month. Combined with the 2.8 inches in March and 7.3 inches in April, the total rainfall for this spring was 15.7 inches. This is the seventh wettest spring on record since 1895 and 4.3 inches above average, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.isws.illinois.edu).

• ISWS Website for Water Supply Operators Offers New Social Media Features

  Jun 6, 2011 12:45 am

  Operators of water systems that serve small communities face many challenges:  overcoming compliance issues with few resources and a lack of money to train staff.  That’s where the Illinois State Water Survey’s www.smallwatersupply.org website can help.

• 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).

• Warmer, Drier Soils in Illinois the First Half of June

  Jun 16, 2017 3:00 pm

  Soil temperatures at depths of 4 inches under sod averaged 77.7 degrees in Illinois on June 14, 4.7 degrees above the long-term average.

• 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.

• High-density Network Measures Incredible Differences in Recent Heavy C-U Rains

  Jun 27, 2007 7:00 pm

  A high-density raingage network identified large differences in rainfall amounts from June 26-27 storms across Champaign County, Illinois. Amounts ranged from 2.58 inches just west of the I-57/I-72 interchange (west of Champaign) to less than 0.20 inch (southeast Urbana).

• 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.

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  June 2019: Stormy and wet with a warm finish

  Jul 1, 2019 4:30 pm

  June 2019 will be a month remembered for a continuation of above average precipitation and near to seasonably cool temperatures, despite an unseasonably warm finish.

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  June brought all kinds of weather to start the summer in Illinois

  Jul 1, 2021 2:15 pm

  June in Illinois started out particularly warm and ended with above average rainfall from numerous storms, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the University of Illinois’ Illinois State Water Survey.

• 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).

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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.

• June was Warm with Extreme Rainfall Variations across Illinois

  Jul 5, 2017 3:00 pm

  The average temperature for June in Illinois was 72.8 degrees, 0.9 degrees above normal, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel with the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.