Month: March 2017

This winter was the 5th warmest winter on record for Illinois. The statewide average temperature was 34.0 degrees, 4.9 degrees above the 1981-2010 normal. It actually beat out last winter, which was a surprise. Last winter was expected to be mild because of El Niño. Here are the top 10 mildest winters in Illinois history. Temperatures are in degrees F. Three of those top ten winters have occurred since 2000 and seven since 1980.

Rank	Winter	Temperature	Departure
1	1931-32	36.4	7.3
2	2001-02	34.7	5.6
3	1997-98	34.6	5.5
4	2011-12	34.5	5.4
5	2016-17	34	4.9
6	1991-92	33.9	4.8
7	2015-16	33.9	4.8
8	1982-83	33.6	4.5
9	1920-21	32.9	3.8
10	1918-19	32.8	3.7

Here are the winter temperatures in Illinois since 1895. There is a 1.7-degree warming per century. That doesn’t sound very spectacular. But what’s really happening is that we are getting more mild winters and fewer severe winters (highlighted). But what about 2013-14? That was the exception that proved the rule – a cold winter by modern standards, but not unusual by 1970s or early 20th century standards. Continue reading “Fifth Warmest Winter in Illinois”

All those days with 60- and 70-degree weather paid off – this February was the warmest February on record for Illinois. The statewide average temperature for February was 41.0 degrees, 10.1 degrees above normal. It beat the old record of 40.0 degrees set back in 1998. [Updated March 8 to reflect NCEI report]
It was dry too. The statewide average precipitation for February was 0.7 inches, 1.36 inches below normal and the 9th driest February on record.
Statewide records go back to 1895.

Precipitation

High-resolution radar/rain gauge product showing amounts and departure from normal. Precipitation was near normal in the northern half of the state but below normal in the southern half. For many places, February is the driest month of the year. We don’t notice it because the water demand is low and most of the precipitation falls as snow so it feels like a bigger deal than it really is. Continue reading “Warmest February on Record for Illinois”