Illinois is suffering its worst drought in a decade, with no rain forecast for the next ten days.
The most recent update from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows severe drought recorded in parts of central, northwest and western Illinois, while a large portion of the rest of the state is seeing moderate drought or abnormally dry conditions.
Sixty-five percent of the state is in a moderate drought, while 15 percent is experiencing a severe drought, according to the monitor. While it is not the first time this state has seen drought conditions, this is the worst it has been in ten years. In 2012, the entire state was in a drought, Champaign news station WCIA reported.
"The drought across the area continues to worsen, with portions of our area now in the "Severe" category," the National Weather Service in Chicago said in an update. "Much of our area has seen less than 25% of the normal rainfall in the past 30 days, and the long-range forecasts do not look favorable widespread, soaking rain"
Illinois has suffered from flash droughts since mid-April due to an extremely dry period. Just three months ago, the state had no drought conditions at all.
Last month, the National Weather Service warned that flash droughts could be headed for the state after May only recorded 0.42 inches of rainfall. This dry pattern has so far continued into June and does not appear to be letting up anytime soon.
"The drought is being caused by an unusually persistent 'blocking' pattern that started in April, which is preventing deep moisture from the Gulf of Mexico from reaching the Great Lakes," the National Weather Service said in a tweet. "The blocking pattern shows no signs of breaking down through at least the next 10 days."
Other parts of the Midwest have also been suffering from extremely dry conditions recently. Drought has been increasing in the U.S. due to climate change, which is causing also more extreme weather conditions like "whiplash," a drastic shift between weather conditions.
California has experienced extreme whiplash in recent years as climate change worsens. The state, along with other parts of the Southwest, has been in the throes of drought for years. But Californians were in for a shock this past winter when the area experienced an extremely wet period as a series of atmospheric rivers descended on the state, causing flooding and elevated snowfall.
Extremely dry periods followed by extremely wet periods like this are set to become more common as the planet heats up. This weather pattern can also cause severe flooding, as when a place has been dry for so long, a sudden influx of water does not saturate.
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Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Robyn White is a Newsweek Nature Reporter based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on wildlife, science and the ... Read more
