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Illinois received 0.20 inches of rain for the
month as of September 17, 1.59 inches below the long-term
average. Dry weather in August and September has led to low soil
moisture across Illinois. Moisture levels at 2-inch depths have
declined 84 percent in September to a statewide average of 0.16
water fraction by volume (wfv). Soils at several locations
monitored were near or at the wilting points.
Declines of 10 percent or more occurred at depths of 4 to 20
inches. Smaller declines of 4 and 2 percent occurred at depths
of 39 and 59 inches, respectively.
Soil temperatures were lower than normal the first week of
September, but have been rising since the second week.
Temperatures at 4 inches under sod averaged of 73.3 degrees on
September 17 with regional averages ranging from 71.0 degrees in
the north to 75.2 in southern Illinois.
Temperatures were warmer under bare soil, averaging 75.6 degrees
at 2 inches and 76.5 at 4 inches.
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]
The Illinois State Water Survey at
the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a division of
the Prairie Research Institute, is the primary agency in
Illinois concerned with water and atmospheric resources.
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