Prairie Research Institute News

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.

Lake Effect Adds a Punch to the Latest Snowstorm

Feb 3, 2011 12:30 am

Conditions earlier this week were exactly right for Lake Michigan to help the latest intense snowstorm drop up to 2 feet of snow in the Chicago area, according to David Kristovich, head of the Center for Atmospheric Science at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS).

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.

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.

January brought winter weather of yore

Feb 4, 2025 9:15 am

January temperatures were less mild than Illinois has become accustomed to, ending the month 4.4 degrees below the 1991-2020 average, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the University of Illinois’ Illinois State Water Survey.

Wide Range of Weather Hits Illinois This Winter

Feb 8, 2008 7:15 pm

The old saying, "if you don't like the weather in Illinois, just wait a minute," was certainly true this winter. Since December 1, Illinois has experienced heavy snows, heavy rains, flooding, and severe weather, including five tornadoes in January. Both precipitation and snowfall totals this winter have been significantly above average for much of the state, 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.

Mild Winter Leads to Warmer Soil Temperatures

Feb 27, 2012 8:15 pm

The mild winter weather has led to higher soil temperatures in comparison to last winter based on temperatures collected at weather stations across the state, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program Manager at the Illinois State Water Survey.

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.

An active February finishes climatological winter

Mar 3, 2022 9:15 am

The preliminary statewide average February temperature was 27.2 degrees, 3.0 degrees below the 1991–2020 average and tied for 42nd coldest on record going back to 1895. The preliminary statewide average total February precipitation was 3.41 inches, 1.48 inches above the 1991–2020 average and the 9th wettest on record statewide.

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).

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.

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.

Soil temperatures are rising across Illinois

May 17, 2017 4:00 pm

Soil temperatures at depths of 4 inches under sod averaged 67.5 degrees in Illinois on May 15, 5 degrees higher than the long-term average. Daily highs were in the 60s and 70s for most of the state.

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.

Soil Moisture Levels Remain Slightly Above Normal

Jun 17, 2013 2:30 am

Soil moisture levels remained slightly above normal in the middle of June, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program Manager at the Prairie Research Institute, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

Soils Warmer and Drier across Illinois in Mid-June

Jun 17, 2016 7:45 pm

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

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).

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.

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.

June in Illinois: Hot and Dry

Jul 3, 2012 7:45 pm

Following the warmest spring on record, June continued to be hot and dry in Illinois, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

June Was Warm and Dry in Illinois

Jul 5, 2016 7:30 pm

The statewide average temperature for June in Illinois was 74.8 degrees, which was 2.9 degrees above normal and the 14th warmest June on record, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

Soil Moisture Levels Decline Slightly in Illinois

Jul 15, 2013 2:15 am

Soil moisture levels at depths of 2 inches declined an average of 15 percent from June, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program Manager at the Prairie Research Institute, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

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.

July in Illinois–Cool and Dry

Aug 1, 2013 2:00 am

The statewide average temperature for July in Illinois was 73.3 degrees, 2 degrees below the 1981-2010 average. It currently ranks as the 19th coolest July on record, dating back to 1895, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

July 2019: Prolonged stretch of abnormally wet weather comes to an end

Aug 1, 2019 3:30 pm

July 2019 signaled the end of a persistent and historic stretch of abnormally wet conditions across Illinois, along with several notable periods of significantly above average temperatures.

July Conditions in Illinois Ranged from Floods to Drought

Aug 2, 2017 3:45 pm

Northern Illinois experienced heavy rain and widespread flooding in July. Meanwhile, parts of central and southern Illinois experienced dry weather that caused crop damage, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey at the University of Illinois.

July brought high humidity and above average rainfall

Aug 2, 2021 3:30 pm

Rainfall was above average in July in Illinois with slightly cooler temperatures and very high humidity, even by recent climate standards, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the University of Illinois’ Illinois State Water Survey.

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).

No Surprise: July was Hot and Dry in Illinois

Aug 7, 2012 7:45 pm

This July was the second warmest and fourth driest on record, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.

Farmers Must Adapt to Climate Changes in Illinois

Aug 17, 2016 7:00 pm

Farmers who keep an eye on the sky and an ear tuned to the local weather report will also want to pay attention to long-term climate change trends which may sway production decisions down the road.

Illinois Soils Cooler, Drier in Mid-August

Aug 17, 2017 3:45 pm

Soil temperatures at depths of 4 inches under sod averaged 75.8 degrees in Illinois during the first half of August, 1.2 degrees below the long-term average and 4.0 degrees lower than the same period in 2016

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.

Illinois Has a Cool, Dry August

Sep 1, 2017 2:30 pm

August was cool across the state and dry in most places in Illinois, capping off a summer that was cool and wet, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

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.

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).

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.

August was Cool and Dry in Illinois

Sep 5, 2017 3:45 pm

The statewide average temperature in August was 70.6 degrees, 3 degrees below normal. This was the 12th coolest August on record, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

August Provided Illinois with Extremes: Rainfall Records in North and Drought in South

Sep 10, 2007 7:30 pm

"Rainfall amounts in northeastern Illinois established this as the wettest August and wettest summer since regional records began in 1895. Rainfall for northeastern Illinois (including those counties from Boone to LaSalle and eastward) averaged 11.47 inches, 7.33 inches above normal, and beat the 1987 record of 11.02 inches. JuneAugust totals thus far in this area averaged 20.05 inches, 8.02 inches above normal, and beat the 1972 record of 19.26 inches. Northwestern Illinois received 8.45 inches in August, 4.05 inches above normal and the 5th wettest on record. Its JuneAugust total was 19.18 inches, 6.69 inches above normal and the 4th wettest on record," 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.

Illinois has dry soils in mid-September

Sep 18, 2017 2:00 pm

Illinois received 0.20 inches of rain for the month as of September 17, 1.59 inches below the long-term average. Dry weather in August and September has led to low soil moisture across 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.

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.

September heat, flooding, and drought

Oct 1, 2019 2:15 pm

September 2019 was tied for the fourth-warmest September for Illinois (state average temperatures back to 1895), and the warmest September since 1933. Precipitation varied tremendously from north to south across the state.

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).

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).

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