Drought in Douglas, Illinois

Due to a multi-month rainfall deficit, Severe Drought (D2) conditions developed across Douglas County on September 16th and persisted through the end of the month.

Below average rainfall during the month of August continued into September...as most locations across central and southeast Illinois saw September deficits of 1 to 3 inches. It was the 2nd driest September on record at Peoria with only 0.09 rainfall, while it was the 7th driest September for Springfield with 0.56. Thanks to the second consecutive month of well below normal rainfall, Severe Drought (D2) conditions developed across a good portion of the region by the end of the month. The D2 drought first developed across portions of Champaign and Piatt counties on September 2nd...then spread southwestward from there into the Saint Louis metro and also included much of the Illinois River Valley by the end of the month. While local water restrictions have yet to be put into place, several communities have instituted burn bans. As of September 30th, burn bans have been issued for Champaign, Edgar, and Coles counties...as well as portions of Cumberland, De Witt, Macon, Menard, Peoria, and Shelby counties.