After ending one of the coolest Aprils on record in Illinois, May finished as the warmest. The statewide average temperature for May in Illinois was 70.6 degrees – which is 7.9 degrees above normal – the warmest May on record. The old record was set in 1962 at 69.4 degrees. “A brief examination of daily records indicates that Springfield, Champaign, Quincy, and Carbondale all had daily mean temperatures at or above normal for each day of the month,” State Climatologist Jim Angel said. “On the other hand, Chicago, Rockford and Peoria had a few dips into the below normal territory, but overall finished above normal for the month.” The majority of the United States, especially the Midwest, experienced hotter temperatures throughout May as well. The statewide average for rainfall in Illinois during May was 3.98 inches. “…it’s .62 inches below normal,” Angel added. “Areas in northern and south-western Illinois received sizeable rainfall amounts, meanwhile a few spots in east-central and south-eastern Illinois were well below average. It’s a cause for concern as we move into the summer months.” Angel said the 6-10 and 8-14 day forecasts show that Illinois has an increased chance of being warmer and drier than normal during the first half of June as well.
