Hard to Believe Now, But 2017 Was Sixth-Warmest Year on Record

BY DAN GRANT

The brutally cold finish to 2017 and equally frigid start of the new year makes it easy to forget last year actually was quite mild.

Just how mild was it?

The statewide temperature last year averaged 54.3 degrees, 2 degrees above average. That makes 2017 the sixth-warmest year on record in Illinois, dating back to 1895, according to Jim Angel, state climatologist with the Illinois State Water Survey.

Eight of the 12 months in 2017 featured above-average temperatures in the state, highlighted by February, which was the warmest on record at 41 degrees, 10.1 degrees above normal.

One of the few months to buck the warm trend last year, August, was pivotal for crop yields. The temperature last August averaged just 70.5 degrees, 3.1 degrees below normal, thus making it the 10th-coolest August on record, Angel noted.

That midsummer dip in temperatures reduced stress on crops and helped farmers produce some of the best yields on record at many locations.

But what about the recent cold snap, which featured wind chills at 30 to 40 degrees below zero in some parts of the state?

The statewide temperature for December averaged 28.9 degrees, one degree below normal.

“It’s funny to think that up until Christmas Eve, we were enjoying exceptionally mild December weather,” Angel said. “The end result is the cold and warm weather more or less balanced out in December.”

Precipitation last month averaged just 0.86 of an inch despite significant snowfall at some locations. It was the eighth-driest December on record.

Areas of concern for dryness include parts of central Illinois, particularly east of St. Louis, and southeast portions of the state.

“These will be areas to watch in spring for the 2018 growing season,” Angel said.

Precipitation for 2017 averaged a total of 37.65 inches in Illinois, 2.31 inches below normal. It also was very uneven as April was the fifth-wettest on record, with an average of 6.86 inches, while September was the fifth-driest on record, with just 0.82 of an inch.

Looking ahead, it appears the shift to a cold, active winter pattern could continue.

The National Weather Service’s winter outlook favors colder and wetter conditions in Illinois from January through March.

“We’re going to have a tough time getting completely out of this (Arctic) pattern over the next two weeks,” Bryce Anderson, DTN meteorologist, told the RFD Radio Network®.

Temperatures should moderate next week, but they could remain below average.

AccuWeather, as of Thursday, predicted high temperatures next week would reach the high-20s and low-30s, with a threat of a snow-ice mix to start the week.