Illinois just experienced one of its wettest Augusts in more than three decades, according to preliminary estimates from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Statewide rainfall averaged about 5.7 inches during August, well above the typical 3.5 inches. Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford said if the preliminary total holds, it would rank as the fifth-wettest August on record and the wettest since 1993.
Central Illinois received some of the heaviest rainfall. Danville recorded nearly 14 inches, making it the city’s wettest August on record. Champaign, Bloomington-Normal and Galesburg each experienced their fourth-wettest August.
Severe weather was also active during the month, including tornadoes, damaging straight-line winds and derechos. Ford said Illinois has recorded 210 tornadoes so far this year. August also closed out an unusually wet meteorological summer. Preliminary numbers show Illinois averaged about four inches more precipitation than normal during the summer, which would make it the state’s eighth-wettest summer on record and wettest since 2015.
Looking ahead, Ford said September is starting hot and dry, with conditions showing characteristics associated with a strong El Niño. A drier pattern could be particularly noticeable in southern Illinois and may help farmers begin harvest.
More seasonable temperatures could arrive by the middle of September, while current outlooks do not indicate an especially wet pattern for much of the month.
Ford said those conditions could provide favorable weather for both the fall harvest and agritourism activities across Illinois.