[FEB. 4, 2006] CHAMPAIGN -- "Preliminary data
for Illinois indicate January was the second-warmest one since
1895," says Jim Angel, state climatologist with the
Illinois State Water Survey,
a division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
"Temperatures statewide averaged 37.5 degrees F, 12.7 degrees
above normal and only 0.1 degree behind the all-time record of 12.8
degrees set in 1933.
"January was also wet, with 2.81 inches of precipitation, 0.88
inches above normal. Much of that precipitation fell as rain rather
than snow because of the warm temperatures, helping Illinois recover
from effects of the 2005 drought.
"A benefit of the wet, warm
January is that precipitation has been able to soak into the ground
because it's not frozen. Soil moisture and stream flows in northern
and western Illinois are looking much better than they did a month
ago," Angel said.
Temperature extremes ranged from 71 degrees at Belleville on Jan.
8 to 3 degrees at Mount Carroll on Jan. 21. Shabbona reported the
heaviest one-day precipitation, 3.05 inches on Jan. 29, and Grand
Tower reported the highest monthly total, 4.91 inches.
So what comes next? Historically, after a warmer-than-normal
January, February temperatures typically are also warmer than normal
-- 41 percent chance -- while the chance of normal temperatures is
27 percent and of below-normal readings, 32 percent. March
temperatures after such a January typically are just the reverse,
with a 41 percent chance of colder than normal, a 32
percent chance of normal readings and a 27 percent chance of warmer
than normal.
