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Water Survey

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  • 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).

  • 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).

  • 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.

  • 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

  • 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.

  • 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 

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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).

  • 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).

  • 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).

  • 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.

  • 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).

  • 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).

  • 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.

  • 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).

  • 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.

  • 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).

  • November Snow Climatology for the Midwest

    Nov 4, 2010 12:45 am

    In the Midwest, November is typically the first month of the cold season when measureable snowfall occurs over a majority of the region, according to the Midwestern Regional Climate Center at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS).  However, it is not uncommon for northern portions of the Midwest to experience their first snowfall in October.

  • October Solar Radiation in Illinois: Record High in 2010, Record Low Last Year

    Nov 10, 2010 12:45 am

    Did it seem to you that the weather in October was quite a bit sunnier than in Octobers of the past? Do you remember last October as being rather cloudy?

    If these are your impressions, you are correct, according to Bob Scott, Director of the Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring Program at the Illinois State Water Survey. Scott operates an array of weather sites across the state called the Illinois Climate Network, and one of the sensors on the stations measures solar radiation.

  • Warm November in Illinois

    Dec 3, 2010 12:30 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).

  • December 2010 in Illinois–Cold and Snowy

    Jan 3, 2011 12:30 am

    The statewide average temperature for December was 24.0 degrees, which is 5.8 degrees below normal. This ranks as the 12th coldest December on record, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.isws.illinois.edu).

  • 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).

  • ISWS Scientist Honored for Contribution to Meteorological Sciences

    Feb 7, 2011 12:30 am

    The American Meteorological Society at its Annual Conference in Seattle during January 24–27, 2011 awarded the distinction of Honorary Member to Stanley A. Changnon, a scientist at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

  • 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).

  • 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).

  • Soil Temperatures Important for Spring Field Work

    Apr 7, 2011 12:15 am

    With the arrival of spring, Illinois farmers are monitoring soil temperatures for decisions in the field. Soil temperatures across the state have been on the rise, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

  • Record-Setting Rainfall in April for Illinois

    Apr 29, 2011 12:15 am

    The statewide average rainfall for Illinois in April was 7.45 inches, nearly double the average rainfall of 3.83 inches for the month. This exceeds the old record of 7.13 inches set in 1957, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.isws.illinois.edu).

  • ISWS Staff Will Measure Private Wells in McHenry County

    May 17, 2011 12:00 am

    The Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) will contact well owners in McHenry County in May and throughout the summer for permission to measure water levels in wells as part of a multi-year investigation to support future policies for managing water resources in the county.

  • New Online Map Tracks Freezing Temperatures

    May 18, 2011 12:45 am

    The Midwestern Regional Climate Center (MRCC) in the Illinois State Water Survey, a division of the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois, has provided a new tool for users to glean information on the occurrences of freezing temperatures to help assess the vulnerability of spring flowers and plants.

  • Lessons Learned from 1950s' Heat Wave Show Planning Needed for Future Severe Events

    May 18, 2011 12:45 am

    Studying the impacts of a widespread, long-lasting heat wave in 1954 foretells increased power and water shortages if a weather event of that magnitude were to happen today, according to Nancy Westcott, climatologist at the Illinois State Water Survey, a division of the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

  • ISWS Engineer is Elected Chair of the ASFPM

    May 31, 2011 12:45 am

    Sally McConkey, Water Resources Engineer at the Illinois State Water Survey, has been elected Chair of the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM). She began her one-year term on May 19.

  • Artificial Intelligence Scores High in Accuracy to Predict Water Contamination

    Jun 6, 2011 12:30 am

    New, effective solutions are revealed when scientists use computer programs that simulate human intelligence to forecast drinking water contamination in agricultural areas, according to Momcilo Markus, hydrologist at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS), a division of the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois.

  • 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.

  • July: A Month of Extremes for Illinois

    Aug 4, 2011 9:15 pm

    July could be described as a month of extremes for Illinois. Hot and humid weather was persistent throughout the month. Meanwhile, heavy rains occurred in parts of northern and southern Illinois while central Illinois struggled with dry weather, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.isws.illinois.edu).

  • High Arsenic Levels in Well Water are Scattered Across Tolono Area

    Sep 6, 2011 9:15 pm

    Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) findings of a study on arsenic in drinking water from wells near Tolono, IL showed no discernable pattern of elevated arsenic levels except in the small subdivision south of Tolono where the safe drinking water issue was initiated, according to Walt Kelly, ISWS groundwater geochemist.

  • August: Drought Arrives in Illinois

    Sep 6, 2011 9:15 pm

    The statewide average precipitation was 2.06 inches, 1.6 inches below average and 56 percent of average. This was the 13th driest August on record since 1895, based on preliminary data, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.isws.illinois.edu).

  • 2011 Midwest Summer

    Sep 6, 2011 9:15 pm

    Summer (June through August) in the Midwest was marked by above average temperatures, especially in July and early August, and extreme precipitation conditions.  Drought conditions occurred for half of the Midwest, while at the same time, several severe precipitation events resulted in flash flooding, breaking 17 all-time precipitation records, according to the Midwestern Regional Climate Center at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS).

  • Public Meeting on Arsenic in Tolono Wells to be Held Oct. 4

    Sep 23, 2011 9:15 pm

    The Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) is presenting information and outcomes from a study on arsenic concentrations found in resident wells in the Tolono area on Tuesday, October 4, 2011.

     

  • September: A Cool Month in Illinois

    Oct 7, 2011 9:15 pm

    The statewide average temperature in Illinois was 63.2 degrees, 3 degrees below average, and the 13th coolest September on record for the state.  The coolest September was in 1918 with 59.3 degrees, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel at the Illinois State Water Survey.

  • 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).

  • Fall 2011 Precipitation in the Midwest: From Shortage in the West to Surplus in the East

    Nov 3, 2011 9:00 pm

    In the Midwest during the fall of 2011, precipitation was plentiful in the eastern Midwest but scarce in western parts of the region (meteorological fall is September through November), according to the Midwestern Regional Climate Center at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS).

  • A Dry October in Illinois

    Nov 4, 2011 12:45 am

  • November: An Interesting Month for Weather in Illinois

    Dec 7, 2011 9:00 pm

    November in Illinois was the sixth wettest November on record and the ninth warmest, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  In addition, the drought in central and western Illinois has ended due to the above average rainfall.

  • MRCC Climatologist Appointed to World Meteorological Organization Expert Task Team

    Dec 20, 2011 8:00 pm

    Nancy Westcott, research climatologist at the Midwestern Regional Climate Center (MRCC), was recently appointed as the North American representative to the Task Team on Climate Data Rescue, initiated by the World Meteorological Organization's Commission for Climatology.

  • December in Illinois: Warm with Little Snow

    Jan 3, 2012 8:30 pm

    The statewide average temperature for December 2011 in Illinois was 35.7 degrees, 5.9 degrees above average. This ranked as the ninth warmest December on record with statewide records going back to 1895, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

  • Rainy and Dry, Chilly and Warm: 2011 Was a Unique Year

    Jan 10, 2012 8:30 pm

    The year 2011 was the 10th wettest year and a year of extreme monthly temperatures and precipitation, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign