SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Average in one way, below average in another way.
Weather figures for May from Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford indicate temperatures in Illinois averaged about a half degree above normal, while precipitation was much below normal.
The state average temperature in May was 64 degrees, but often felt warmer or cooler than that.
“Because of the dryness, we had some pretty cool nights…at least cool, pleasant nights. A couple times, places in northern and Central Illinois hit the 30’s at night,” said Ford.
In terms of dryness, Ford says most of the state is sitting at only half its normal precipitation, which means drought for some areas is settling in.
“The drought monitor that got released has moderate drought from the Quad Cities down to Danville, all across that I-74 corridor, as well as much of Chicagoland, and a lot of the Missouri border in Western Illinois,” said Ford. “About 75 percent of the state is abnormally dry — which is not technically drought, but we’re getting there.”
Chicago received less than an inch of rain, where ares south of Springfield saw nearly 12 inches of rain, Ford said.
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