ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY NUMBERS, LAST MONTH WAS THE SIXTH WARMEST JANUARY ON RECORD IN ILLINOIS.
THIS YEAR GOT OFF TO A MILD START, WITH TEMPERATURES ABOUT SEVEN DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL SAYS STATE CLIMATOLOGIST TRENT FORD.
FORD SAYS OVERALL, PRECIPITATION WAS A LITTLE ABOVE AVERAGE AS WELL.
FORD SAYS THAT’S GOOD NEWS AND ACCORDING TO THE U-S DROUGHT MONITOR, LEAVES ONLY A FEW SPOTS AROUND THE STATE WITH ABNORMALLY DRY CONDITIONS.
FORD SAYS THE OUTLOOK FOR THIS MONTH LEANS TOWARDS CONTINUED WARMER AND WETTER THAN NORMAL CONDITIONS.