 Cold arctic air pushed into Illinois on Jan. 15 and 16, causing
temperatures to drop to levels not seen since 1999. Mount Carroll
and Elizabeth both reported official readings of minus 33 degrees on
Jan. 16. Numerous locations in northern Illinois reported lows of
minus 20 degrees or colder. The official state record low
temperature of minus 36 degrees at Congerville on Jan. 5, 1999,
still stands.
Statewide average precipitation for January was 1.0 inch, 0.9
inches below normal. Precipitation is a measure of both rainfall and
the water content of snowfall.
Snowfall amounts were above normal across the state in January.
Snowfall totals of 6 to 12 inches occurred throughout much of
southern and central Illinois, while totals of 12 to 24 inches were
common in northern Illinois. Joliet reported the largest official
total of 25.3 inches.
The Illinois State Water Survey, at the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign, under the Institute of Natural Resource
Sustainability, is the primary agency in Illinois concerned with
water and atmospheric resources.
[Text from file received from
the Illinois
State Water Survey] |
