Category: Heavy Rains

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Now 4th Wettest June on Record in Illinois

Right now the statewide precipitation average of 7.20 inches makes this the 4th wettest June on record. Statewide records go back to 1895. Here are the top 5 …

  1. 8.37 inches in 1902
  2. 7.68 inches in 1998
  3. 7.31 inches in 1928
  4. 7.20 inches in 2010 (as of June 25)
  5. 7.13 inches in 2000

With rain in the NWS forecast for the weekend, it is possible to move up to third or perhaps even second place. However, it would take widespread heavy rains to beat 1902. By the way, normal statewide June rainfall is 4.1 inches.
Of the ten wettest Junes, in 7 out of 10 cases rainfall returned to within an inch of normal conditions in July and August. Only in 1993 did the wet conditions persist into July and August. Only in 1945 and 1947 did we experience much drier conditions in July and August.
Meanwhile temperatures have been above normal for June so far. The statewide average temperature of 74.9 degrees is 3.6 degrees above normal. This is now the tenth warmest June on record (as of June 25). The warmest June on record for Illinois is 1934 with 78.5 degrees. The only recent year in the top 10 list is 2005 with 74.8 degrees.

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Wettest June on Record for Lincoln IL

The National Weather Service just posted the message below. As noted in an earlier posting Galesburg has already experienced its wettest June on record with 11.25 inches.

RECORD EVENT REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
1055 PM CDT TUE JUN 22 2010
...RECORD DAILY MAXIMUM RAINFALL 2.46 INCHES IN LINCOLN IL JUNE 22...
...WETTEST JUNE ON RECORD IN LINCOLN WITH 9.85 INCHES SO FAR THIS
MONTH...
A RECORD RAINFALL OF 2.46 INCHES WAS SET AT LINCOLN IL TODAY WITH
2.42 INCHES FALLING IN LESS THAN 6 HOURS THIS MORNING. THIS BREAKS
THE OLD RECORD OF 2.33 INCHES SET IN 1924.
SO FAR THIS MONTH 9.85 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN IN LINCOLN THROUGH
JUNE 22ND AND THIS BECOMES THE WETTEST JUNE ON RECORD...JUST BEATING
THE 9.83 INCHES SET IN 1947. THERE ARE STILL EIGHT MORE DAYS IN THE
MONTH TO GET MORE PRECIPITATION...AND MORE HEAVY RAINS ARE STILL
POSSIBLE THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
HUETTL
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Rains and Hot Weather Continue in Illinois

The wetter and warmer than normal weather continued in Illinois this week. For the period of June 16-22, the state average temperature was 76.8 degrees, 3.6 degrees above normal. Meanwhile the statewide average precipitation was 2.46 inches, 1.55 inches above normal.
Illinois already experienced above normal temperature and precipitation in the first half of June. Combined with this week’s weather, the statewide average temperature for June so far is 74.5 degrees, 3.4 degrees above normal. The statewide average precipitation at this point is 6.35 inches, 3.37 inches above normal.
If you are thinking that we must be closing in on a record, you are correct. Statewide this is already the 10th wettest June on record. The wettest June on record is 1902 with 8.37 inches. Several individual station records will be set as well. For example, Galesburg has already received 11.25 inches this month. This handily beat the old June record of 9.97 inches set in 1974. This is impressive given that their records go back to 1927.
The wettest areas of the state are western Illinois and east-central Illinois. Based on radar estimates and reports from weather observers, monthly totals of 9 inches or more were common in these areas. The wettest spot so far is Warsaw (Hancock County CoCoRaHS observer) which has reported 11.38 inches through today (June 22) with more rain falling after the regular reporting time.
Here are the precipitation and precipitation departure maps for June 1-22, 2010, for Illinois.

June 1-22, 2010 rainfall in Illinois
The June 1-22, 2010, rainfall in Illinois. Map courtesy of the NOAA Midwestern Regional Climate Center.

June 1-22, 2010 rainfall departure for Illinois
The June 1-22, 2010, rainfall departures from normal in Illinois. Map courtesy of the NOAA Midwestern Regional Climate Center.

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First Half of June – Warm and Wet

Based on preliminary data, the statewide average temperature for the first half of June was 73.4 degrees, 3.3 degrees above normal.
The statewide average rainfall for the first half of June was 3.85 inches, 1.78 inches above normal. Much of the southern and northern thirds of the state were near normal while central Illinois was much above normal.
The wettest areas are in a region between Quincy and the Quad Cities (again) and in east-central Illinois. For June 1-15, the following rainfall totals were reported: Moline with 4.35 inches, Quincy with 4.78 inches, Springfield with 3.85 inches, Champaign with 4.88 inches , and a CoCoRaHS observer in Sidney (SE of Champaign) with 7.84 inches.
The National Weather Service provides a high-resolution precipitation product that combines both rain gauge and radar data. It can be found at http://water.weather.gov/precip/. Here is the rainfall departure map for June 1-15, 2010, clearly showing the heavy rain areas in western and east-central Illinois.
More rains are falling in Illinois while this is being written on the afternoon of June 15.

June 1-15, 2010 radar image
The NWS precipitation departure for the period June 1-15, 2010, centered on Illinois (click to enlarge).