Area rivers are below flood stage and should remain that way for a while. Here’s the latest stages: the Little Wabash River east of Fairfield is at 12.74 feet. Flood stage is 17 feet. At Clay City the reading is an even nine feet. Flood stage is18 feet. At Carmi the stage is10.03 feet, below the 27-foot flood stage. The Skillet Fork at Wayne City is at 6.07 feet. Flood stage is 15 feet. The Wabash River at Mt. Carmel reads 7.76 feet. Flood stage is 19 feet. Bonpas Creek at Browns is at 3.89 feet.
The current forecast is indicating mainly dry conditions for most of next week, with only small chance of rain late Wednesday night and Thursday. A warmup is expected next week, with high temperatures into the mid and upper 60s by midweek, and near 70 towards this Friday. The extended forecasts, running through March 21st,are indicating above normal temperatures and precipitation expected.
The above normal precipitation chances may be some good news for areas to the north of Wayne County. Most of central and northern Illinois is in a Moderate Drought, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor map, with Wayne County and southern Illinois not listed in any dry conditions. Parts of west-central Illinois are now in Severe Drought conditions.
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