“Unseasonably warm, dry conditions during Illinois’ 4th driest September on record have
hastened corn and soybean maturation and harvest after a cool, wet summer. The average
statewide temperature for September was 67.5 degrees, 1.3 degrees above normal. Precipitation
averaged 0.86 inches, just 27 percent of normal, compared to 0.49 inches in 1979, the driest
September on record,” says State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey
(http://www.sws.uiuc.edu), a division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
Temperature extremes ranged from 94 degrees at Grand Tower (southwestern Illinois) on
September 5 to 32 degrees at Mt. Carroll on September 30. La Harpe (western Illinois) reported
the largest one-day precipitation total, 4.34 inches on September 16.
The National Weather Service is calling for an increased chance of drier-than-normal
conditions for the rest of the fall and on into winter.
“Historically, a dry September tends to precede a dry October–November. And a dry fall
tends to precede a dry winter. Fortunately, drier-than-normal fall and winter conditions pose
fewer hydrological problems in Illinois because of declining demand for water from farmers,
municipalities, and nature as temperatures drop,” says Angel.
Angel has received lots of calls about fall color this year. “Trees and shrubs need to go
into the fall without a lot of stress from disease or severe drought. Chilly, not frigid nights and
cool, sunny days enhance the changing leaf colors. Detrimental conditions include extended
periods of rain or cloudiness that mute colors, high winds that blow leaves off trees, and hard
freezes that stop color changes entirely. Recent cool temperatures in October should bring about
color changes soon. October and early November in Illinois should put on quite a show. Take
some time to go out and enjoy it,” concludes Angel.
