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Soil temperatures at depths of 4 inches under
bare soil averaged 79.9 degrees on July 15, 2.1 degrees above
the long-term average. Soils were warmer than normal for all but
one day in the first half of July as daily high temperatures
reached into the 90s and above. In the sandy soils of Mason
County, temperatures above 100 degrees were measured.
Temperatures were slightly cooler under sod. At depths of 4
inches, soils averaged 78.3 degrees on July 15, 0.9 degrees
above the long-term average. Daily highs were in the 90s
throughout the state.
On average, soil moisture changed little during the first half
of the month in Illinois. However, localized rainfall led to
large variations in soil moisture levels. A monitoring station
in Warren County near Monmouth has had a 52 percent increase at
the 2 inch depths so far in July. Other locations have had
declines of more than 15 percent as moisture levels approached
wilting points.
Soil moisture remained high at depths greater than 39 inches
with little change in July.
The Illinois State Water Survey’s WARM Program collects hourly
and daily weather and soil information at 19 stations across the
state. Daily and monthly summaries can be found at the WARM
website
http://www.isws.illinois. edu/warm/ and in the Illinois
Water and Climate Summary
http://www.isws. illinois.edu/warm/climate.asp .
[Lisa A. Sheppard]
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