Winter finally arrives in Illinois in February

[March 04, 2013]  CHAMPAIGN -- Temperatures were below average and precipitation was above average during February, indicating that winter arrived at last in Illinois, according to Jim Angel, state climatologist, of the Illinois State Water Survey at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

The statewide average temperature for February was 29.3 degrees, which was 1.5 degrees below average. The statewide precipitation was 2.7 inches, which was 0.6 inches above average. The precipitation total represented both rainfall and the water content of any snow.

Snowfall for February ranged from less than 1 inch in southern Illinois to over 20 inches in the far northeast corner of the state.

For the core winter months of December, January and February, the statewide temperature was 31.8 degrees, which was 2.8 degrees above average. The statewide average precipitation was 9.1 inches, 2.2 inches above average. It was the 11th-wettest winter on record for Illinois.

Snowfall for December-February ranged from less than 10 inches in east-central Illinois to over 20 inches in parts of far western and northern Illinois, as well as in a band across southern Illinois.

[Text from file received from the Illinois State Water Survey]