Even though we picked up a little bit of rain overnight, it didn't add up to much - just 0.05". That brings our total rainfall for the month of May to only 0.52", officially making it the 2nd driest May on record. A stark turn around from the wet start to spring, and a clear sign of just how dry conditions have been across northern Illinois.
June 1st marks the official start of the hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean - but closer to home, it kicks off meteorological summer. This is the time of year when our average temperatures begin to peak, with normal highs climbing into the low 80s across northern Illinois. It's the beginning of our warmest stretch of the year, where longer days and stronger sun really start to take hold.
High pressure remains firmly in place, which means rain chances will stay limited. The tradeoff, though, is a pleasant stretch of weather - expect plenty of dry time today, Tuesday, and Wednesday with highs holding steady in the low 80s, right in line with early summer comfort. As we get closer to the weekend, there are some early signs of that rain chances may tick slightly higher, but for now, meaningful rainfall still looks hard to come by.
