“Precipitation totals in winter include both rainfall and melted snow, but most of January’s 5.56
inches fell as rain on the first 13 days of January when temperatures were unseasonably mild
(36.7°F, 12.7 degrees above normal). Rainfall during that period was heaviest along the I-70
corridor, with 8- to 9-inch totals not uncommon, including 9.29 inches at Effingham, 9.17 inches
at Palestine, and 8.79 inches at Edwardsville. As a result, there was extensive local flooding from
rivers and streams and standing water in fields in mid-January, but the waters had receded and
some fields had drained by the end of January across the state,” continues Angel.
Then temperatures in the second half of January averaged 22.5°F (2.9 degrees below normal).
For the whole month, January temperatures averaged 28.4°F , 3.6 degrees above normal.
Extremes ranged from 72°F at Kaskaskia (southern Illinois) on January 1 to -13°F at
Morrisonville (west-central Illinois) on January 18. Edwardsville had the highest one-day
precipitation total (3.05 inches on January 5), and Olney had the highest monthly total (9.30
inches).
All but extreme southern Illinois saw snow in January, with heaviest amounts in the Chicago
area, including 35.1 inches at Lake Villa, 29.3 inches at Midway Airport (5th snowiest), 27.8
inches at O’Hare Airport, and 20.7 inches at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
“With records dating back to 1928, Midway Airport has the longest continuous record of
snowfall in Chicago. Not since 1999 has there been snowfall like this, but it still does not top the
40.4-inch record at Midway Airport in January 1979,” says Angel.
The National Weather Service outlook for February calls for an increased chance of above
normal precipitation and a very strong chance of above normal temperatures across Illinois.
Long-term outlooks for spring and summer call for equal changes of above, below, and normal
temperatures and precipitation. The weak El Niño event currently occurring in the Pacific is
expected to persist over the next few months but should have little influence on Midwestern
weather.
“The prospect of a wet February after such a wet January raises concerns about the potential for
soggy fields this spring. We’ll just have to wait and see what February and March actually
deliver in terms of precipitation,” concludes Angel.
