Most of Illinois has warmer than normal soils

[June 21, 2018]    The warmer weather has led to higher than normal soil temperatures for the first two weeks of June, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

Soil temperatures at depths of 4 inches under sod averaged 75.5 degrees in Illinois during the first half of June, 2 degrees higher than last year and 5 degrees higher than the long-term average. Highs reached into the mid-90s with lows in the 60s. Southern Illinois had the warmest soils with an average of 77.3 degrees for the period, and the north had the lowest with 71.9 degrees.

Temperatures were warmer under bare soil where temperatures averaged 77.6 degrees at depths of 4 inches and 78.4 degrees at 2 inches. Highs of over 100 degrees were measured.

Soil moisture increased in all parts of Illinois during the first half of June except in the south where several locations were still drying out from a wet May. In all regions, moisture levels declined the first week of the month and rose in the second as the state received more than 2 inches of rain. Overall, soil moisture at 2 inches decreased 3 percent but increased at depths of 4 inches and greater.

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]