Cooler days have hit central Illinois, and it looks like they might stick around for a little while. 

Ed Shimon with the National Weather Service in Lincoln explains that outlooks are showing a cooler than normal start to the month of May. He adds that we can expect less than average precipitation for the month as well. 

The back half of May is showing similar below-average temperatures, however Shimon says that precipitation should shift back towards normal. He notes that average temperatures for May are typically very comfortable, so they do not expect slightly below normal lows to cause any overnight freezes. 

While March is the most impactful month when it comes to daylight, Shimon indicates that we will gain about an hour of sun from the start of the month to the end. 

The summer outlooks are showing equal chances of above or below normal precipitation and temperatures, but Shimon indicates that heat waves may push in periodically from the western half of the Country. 

The National Weather Service has been teaming up with the University of Illinois Extension to provide better warnings of dust storms or other weather events that are caused by or affect agriculture. We'll have more on that with Shimon in the days ahead from the Hart Media Group.