MORE THAN 66 PERCENT OF THE STATE IS STILL DEALING WITH DROUGHT CONDITIONS, BUT SOME AREAS ARE STARTING TO IMPROVE.

ACCORDING TO THE LATEST U-S DROUGHT MONITOR, THE EXTREME DROUGHT IN SPOTS OF PIKE AND ADAMS COUNTIES LESSENED, BUT WESTERN ILLINOIS AND THE FAR NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN BORDERS OF THE STATE REMAIN IN A SEVERE DROUGHT. NOT MUCH RAIN FELL THIS PAST WEEK NORTH OF I-70 EXCEPT FOR IN MCCLEAN AND VERMILLION COUNTIES, BUT SOUTHERN ILLINOIS GOT PLENTY SAYS STATE CLIMATOLOGIST TRENT FORD.

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SAW HEAVY RAINFALL AS A SERIES OF STORMS ROLLED THROUGH WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. THAT WASN'T THE CASE ELSEWHERE.

FORD SAYS THE WEEK AHEAD LOOKS HOT AND DRY, WITH HUMIDITY PUSHING THE HEAT INDEX INTO THE TRIPLE DIGITS SOME DAYS.