June was hotter, drier than normal state climatologist says

CHAMPAIGN — A mid-month heat wave put Illinois temperatures for June above normal, Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the University of Illinois’ Illinois State Water Survey reported.

However, rainfall was below normal for the month.

The climatologist’s report says the trend will continue through September, based on a forecast from the Climate Prediction Center.

The preliminary statewide average for the month of June temperature was 73.5 degrees, 1.6 degrees above the 1991 to 2020 average.

Temperatures reached 15 to 20 degrees above normal during the heat wave from Monday, June 13 to Saturday, June 18. Highs were in the upper 90s on multiple days and even broke 100 degrees at a few weather stations.

Combined with humidity, heat index values approached 120 degrees in parts of southern Illinois on June 13-14. All-time high nighttime temperature records for June were broken at eight stations in Illinois, including a 78-degree low temperature in Peoria and an 83-degree low at Chicago’s Midway Airport.

June precipitation was also unusually low, with total precipitation ranging from less than one inch in east-central Illinois to just over five inches in northwest Illinois. Only the Quad Cities received normal precipitation.

The only area that received more rain then the average was the Quad Cities area, while other places in the state were between one-half inch and three inches drier than normal. The driest parts of the state in June were in east-central and southern Illinois.

The Climate Prediction Center expects July to also be warmer and drier than normal, a trend that could continue through to September. Western Illinois will be hit the hardest, matching climate expectations for most of the Plains states.