Drought conditions worsen across parts of northern Illinois

 

The latest drought monitor shows drought conditions have worsened for some in northern Illinois with severe drought conditions noted in northwest, west-central, and central Illinois. Locally, this includes the counties of Stephenson, Ogle, Lee, Whiteside, Carroll and Jo Daviess.

Rainfall has been in short supply over the last month or so, despite some of the rain that came down in northwest Illinois Tuesday evening. Upcoming rain chances remain on the lower end with a few sprinkles possible throughout the afternoon and evening Friday and then scattered showers Saturday. After that, conditions look to remain mostly dry and some of the long-range outlooks support the drier, and warmer, trend into the first week and a half of November.

Going into the winter season in a drought isn't something that is ideal, especially if the drought has been persistent over the last several months or season without much soil moisture replenishment. Consecutive drier seasons can deplete deeper soil moisture which, in turn, can have an impact on the upcoming spring and growing season. These impacts can take longer to recover from and potential lead to ongoing drought into the following year, especially if the winter season is also dry.