SPRING IN ILLINOIS CLOSED OUT WITH A COOL, WET MAY. 

IT STARTED WARMING UP TOWARDS THE END OF LAST MONTH...BUT THE MAJORITY OF DAYS WERE FAIRLY COOL SAYS STATE CLIMATOLOGIST TRENT FORD.

STATEWIDE AVERAGE RAINFALL IN MAY CAME IN AT NEARLY FIVE AND A HALF INCHES. THAT'S NEARLY AN INCH ABOVE NORMAL...MAKING LAST MONTH THE 25TH WETTEST MAY ON RECORD IN ILLINOIS. FORD SAYS TROPICAL DEPRESSION CRISTOBAL IS EXPECTED TO RE-EMERGE AS A TROPICAL STORM AND IMPACT THE STATE TOWARD THE MIDDLE PART OF NEXT WEEK.

RAINFALL TOTALS WERE THE HIGHEST IN THE CHICAGO AREA LAST MONTH, WITH SOME PARTS OF NORTHEASTERN ILLINOIS RECEIVING OVER NINE INCHES IN MAY.