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Warm
October Across Illinois Ranks Among Top 10
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[November 24, 2007]
CHAMPAIGN -- "With temperatures
in Illinois averaging 59.5 degrees, 4.8 degrees above normal,
October was the ninth-warmest since 1895," says Jim Angel, state
climatologist, of the Illinois
State Water Survey, a division of the Illinois Department of
Natural Resources.
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 Temperatures in August and September also were above normal by 4.7
and 3.5 degrees, respectively. "As a result, August-October was the
third-warmest such period on record, with temperatures averaging 4.4
degrees above normal," says Angel.
Statewide rainfall was 3.52 inches, 0.60 inches above normal,
with common amounts of 3-5 inches throughout Illinois. Rains were
heaviest in far southern Illinois, where several sites reported
October totals of more than 5 inches, including 10.79 inches at
Cairo.
"These significant rains came at the end of the growing season,
when demands on soil moisture were pretty low. Soil moisture is
already starting to recover, and only west-central Illinois remains
dry. Much of that area is still classified as either abnormally dry
or in moderate drought according to the U.S. Drought Monitor," says
Angel.
"The National Weather Service outlook for November calls for a
greater chance of precipitation below normal and equal chances of
above, below and normal temperatures. The December-February outlook
also calls for temperatures and precipitation above normal. Should
that prove true, it should help ease the drought situation in
west-central Illinois," concludes Angel.
Disclaimer: Data used for all statistics provided herein are from
the Midwestern Regional Climate Center and are based on preliminary
data.
[Text from file
received from the Illinois State
Water Survey]
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