CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – A continued lack of rain coupled with hot weather is making drought conditions worse in Illinois.
The latest U.S Drought Monitor report released on Thursday shows the entire state at some level of drought.
Around 30% of Illinois is experiencing severe levels of drought, up from about 15% last week. All of Peoria, Woodford, Marshall, and Stark Counties are at a severe level, as well as most of Tazewell County.
82% of the state is at a minimum moderate level of drought, up 65% from the week before. The entire state is now experiencing some level of drought, after portions of Christian and Montgomery Counties had no drought conditions.
State Climatologist Trent Ford says the hot and dry conditions are having negative effects on crops.
“We look at the corn and soybeans, especially north of I-70, and hanging on is probably the best way to put it. But honestly, it’s getting to a point now where we’re seeing quite a bit of stress throughout the day, not just in the afternoon when the temperatures come up,” Ford said.
Ford says an average amount of rainfall was in the forecast for June, but that has not occurred. He says July and August will be pivotal in determining how bad drought will be in the state. That’s when crops could be ruined and water sources negatively affected.
He says the last time Illinois experienced drought conditions this bad was in 2012.
