AFTER A FAIRLY DRY AUGUST…HALF OF THE STATE IS EXPERIENCING DROUGHT OR NEAR DROUGHT CONDITIONS. 

ALTHOUGH LAST MONTH INCLUDED A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING INCLUDING HIGH TEMPS, LOWER TEMPS AND A DERECHO, IT ENDED UP COOLER THAN NORMAL AND THE 15TH DRIEST AUGUST ON RECORD IN ILLINOIS. MOST OF THE RAINFALL LAST MONTH WAS IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS, LEAVING THE TOP HALF OF THE STATE EITHER ABNORMALLY DRY OR IN A MODERATE DROUGHT. STATE CLIMATOLOGIST TRENT FORD SAYS THAT PROBABLY ISN’T CHANGING ANYTIME SOON.

THE LONG-TERM OUTLOOK CALLS FOR COOLER THAN AVERAGE TEMPERATURES AND A SLIGHT CHANCE OF ABOVE NORMAL PRECIPITATION FOR SEPTEMBER.