2014 Was a Little Wetter, Cooler Than Average

The year 2014 was a little wetter and cooler than average in east-southeast Illinois.

The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service reports that 43.85 inches of precipitation fell in the region during 2014, about an inch and a half above the average total of 42.2 inches.

The 2014 total, though, was almost four inches less than was received in 2013, when the total was 47.44 inches.

The peak precipitation month was May, when 4.89 inches of rain fell. June and July were second and third when more than four inches of rain fell each month. February was the driest month, when only 2.35 inches of precipitation fell.

The average temperature in the east-southeast district during 2014 was 50.9 degrees. That's almost three degrees cooler than the temperature average of 53.7 degrees, and it's cooler than the 2013 temperature average of 52.5 degrees.

January was the coolest month in 2014, averaging 21.7 degrees. That's almost seven degrees cooler than the January temperature average, and more than nine degrees cooler than the average January temperature in 2013.

August was the hottest month, averaging 74.1 degrees, although that's slightly below the August temperature average of 74.5 degrees. The average temperature in June was 74.0 degrees. July is usually the hottest month in the region, but the average for July 2014 was 70.5 degrees. The July 2014 average temperature was one degree hotter than 2013 and the June 2014 average was almost two degrees hotter than 2013.