Illinois State Water Survey
Institute of Natural Resource Sustainability
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Illinois State Climatologist Office

Jim Angel, state climatologist

Ten Warmest Years in Illinois

Jim Angel, state climatologist

Here are the 10 warmest years in Illinois based on the 1895-2006 record. Normal is defined as the 1971-2000 average. The state-wide normal temperature for Illinois is 51.7 degrees F.

Unlike global and U.S. temperature records, the warmest year on record in Illinois was 1921. Three of the 10 warmest years came from the 1930s decade. The two most recent entries were 1998 and 2006.

Rank Year Temperature (F) Departure from Normal (F)
1 1921 55.6 3.9
2 1931 55.3 3.6
3 1998 55.0 3.3
4 1938 54.4 2.7
5 1946 54.2 2.5
6 1954 54.1 2.4
7 1953 54.1 2.4
8 1933 54.0 2.3
9 1913 53.9 2.2
10 2006 53.9 2.2

These data are extracted from the National Climatic Data Center records at this location on their website. A complete, chronological list of Illinois annual temperatures beginning in 1895 can be found here.