State-wide rainfall for the week of August 25-31 was 0.89 inches, 8 percent above normal. Much of southern Illinois received above-normal rainfall especially from the remains of hurricane Katrina. Meanwhile central and northern Illinois were considerably drier. Overall, August is slightly above normal statewide with 4.08 inches compared to a normal of 3.65 inches. However, northeastern Illinois and portions of central Illinois were below normal. The U.S. Drought Monitor still has much of northern and western Illinois is a severe to extreme drought due to long-term rainfall deficits of 8 to 10 inches since March 1.

 

                                  Illinois

                         8/ 1/2005 to  8/31/2005

 

Climate         <------Temperature----->  <---------Precipitation--------->

Division        Actual   Normal      Dev   Actual   Normal     Dev      Percent

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Northwest         72.1     71.5      0.7     4.33     4.40    -0.07     98

Northeast         72.8     71.6      1.3     3.24     4.15    -0.90     78

West              75.0     73.9      1.1     4.03     3.58     0.45     113

Central           74.5     73.0      1.5     3.04     3.60    -0.56     84

East              73.6     72.4      1.2     2.88     3.77    -0.88     77

West-southwest    76.2     74.6      1.6     3.68     3.23     0.45     114

East-southeast    76.9     74.6      2.3     4.37     3.39     0.98     129

Southwest         78.7     75.9      2.8     5.06     3.34     1.72     151

Southeast         79.0     76.0      3.0     6.77     3.27     3.50     207

 

State             75.3     73.6      1.7     4.08     3.65     0.43     112

 

"Dev" means "Deviation From Normal"; "Percent" means "Percent of Normal"; and "Normal" is the 1971-2000 average.

 

The latest maps and tables on the current conditions in Illinois can be found at:

http://www.sws.uiuc.edu/atmos/statecli/Current/current.htm