Drought conditions worsen in dry February         

[MARCH 8, 2006]  CHAMPAIGN -- "Preliminary data for Illinois indicate that only 0.90 inches of precipitation fell in February -- 1.09 inches below normal, or 45 percent of normal," said Jim Angel, state climatologist, of the Illinois State Water Survey, a division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

"Despite a promising January, winter (December-February) precipitation was 4.86 inches -- 1.84 inches below normal, or 73 percent of normal," he said. "As a result, soil moisture near the surface is below normal across the state except in far southern Illinois.

"The statewide February mean temperature of 31.5 degrees was 1.4 degrees above normal -- cooler than January's 39.1 degrees but warmer than December's 26.7 degrees. Usually January is the coldest winter month, and this is only the 12th time since 1895 that January was warmer than both December and February. The statewide average winter temperature of 32.4 degrees was also the 12th-warmest winter on record -- 4.3 degrees above normal."

Temperature extremes ranged from 71 degrees at Du Quoin on Feb. 16 to minus 16 at Mount Carroll on Feb. 18. Lawrenceville reported the heaviest one-day precipitation, 1.89 inches on Feb. 17, and Grayville reported the highest monthly total, 3.01 inches.

"We are in worse shape than last year, which had a very wet January -- 3.42 inches above normal," Angel said. "Lack of adequate precipitation this winter means that soil moisture, streams, lakes and groundwater have not yet recharged after last year's drought, making timely precipitation even more critical this year. The Water Survey will continue to monitor the situation and post updates (http://www.sws.uiuc.edu/hilites/drought/)."

[Illinois State Water Survey news release]

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