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Daily records indicate that Springfield,
Champaign, Quincy, and Carbondale all had daily mean
temperatures at or above normal for each day of the month. On
the other hand, Chicago, Rockford, and Peoria had a few dips
into the below-normal territory, but overall, average
temperatures in these cities finished above normal for the
month.
The statewide average precipitation for Illinois in May was 3.98
inches, 0.62 inches below normal. Areas in northern and
southwestern Illinois received sizable rainfall amounts.
Meanwhile, precipitation amounts in a few spots in east-central
and southeastern Illinois were well below normal and a cause for
concern as the summer begins. The highest monthly total reported
in the state was at Barrington in Cook County with 12.69 inches.
On the other hand, Effingham reported one of the lower totals in
the state with 1.11 inches.
One of the key rainfall-producing systems in Illinois in May was
when the remains of Subtropical Storm Alberto tracked up the
Illinois-Indiana border. The remains of tropical storms have
reached Illinois in the past.
The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center
released their updated outlook for June. In Illinois, there is a
greater chance of seeing the above-normal temperatures continue
in June. The area around Chicago has an increased chance of
below-normal rainfall, which may be welcome after the wet May.
The 6-10 and 8-14 days forecasts are showing Illinois with an
increased chance of both warmer and drier than normal conditions
for the first half of June.
[Lisa A. Sheppard]
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