This year was 13th-driest summer since 1895 in Illinois

In direct contrast with a very wet spring and early summer, most of Illinois suffered from not enough rain and above average temperatures during August.
According to Jim Angel, Illinois state climatologist with the Illinois State Water Survey at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, August was the 13th-driest August in Illinois ince 1895.
Statewide average precipitation was 2.06 inches, with is 1.6 inches lower than average.

Central Illinois was the driest with rainfall amounts generally less than an inch and is experiencing an agricultural drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The driest spot in Illinois was in Lovington in Moultrie County where only 0.03 inches of rain fell during August.
Northern Illinois received above average rainful during the month with the wettest spot in Illinois being Morris in Grundy County. Morris received 7.02 inches of rain during August.
Temperatures statewide were above average with highs in the 90s and low 100s common. The statewide average temperature, which is an average of both the high and low temperatures during the month, was 74.9 degrees which was 1.2 degrees above average.
The hottest spot in Illinois on Aug. 4 happened when the thermometer registered 103 in Cairo and again on Aug. 25 with another reading of 103 in Bently.