SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois’ state climatologist confirms what many state residents have probably already guessed and what many local meteorologists have buzzed about for days.
It’s been a very wet and much cooler month of April so far and not just in Central Illinois.
We received the update Friday from Illinois Climatologist Trent Ford. He says one item which stands out is how well below normal temperatures have been.
“April to date, temperatures have been four to eight degrees below normal. For example, the average April temperature in Peoria thus far is closer to the 30 year normal for Minneapolis, Minnesota.”
He adds precipitation in April has been roughly one inch above normal in western Illinois and half an inch above normal in southern Illinois.
Naturally, these conditions mean soils all across the state remain mostly saturated with water and much cooler than they normally would be.
“Soil moisture above four and eight inch depths remain near to well above normal statewide and four inch soil temperatures remain five to eight degrees below normal for this time of the year,” he said.
This has lead many Illinois farmers to delay their plans for the planting season.
Comments