SEPTEMBER WAS A LITTLE WARMER AND DRIER THAN NORMAL IN ILLINOIS. 

SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL ILLINOIS RECEIVED WITHIN AN INCH OF AVERAGE PRECIPITATION LAST MONTH, WHILE NORTHERN ILLINOIS WAS TWO TO THREE INCHES BELOW NORMAL SAYS STATE CLIMATOLOGIST TRENT FORD.

STATEWIDE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES WERE ONE TO TWO DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL, BUT IT WAS MORE LIKE THREE TO FOUR DEGREES ABOVE AVERAGE IN NORTHERN ILLINOIS. LAST MONTH WAS THE FIFTH WARMEST SEPTEMBER IN CHICAGO.

THE LATEST U-S DROUGHT MONITOR SHOWS EXPANDED SEVERE DROUGHT CONDITIONS ACROSS MOST OF ILLINOIS AND EXTREME DROUGHT IN MCHENRY COUNTY. EIGHT POINT EIGHT PERCENT OF THE STATE IS NOW IN SEVERE OR EXTREME DROUGHT, THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE SINCE 2013.