Drought in Jackson, Illinois

Drought conditions from September continued into October, with portions of Southern Illinois from Murphysboro to Fairfield remaining in D2 (Severe Drought) status until mid-month. Drought onset began with a very dry August and first half of September, with a rainy late September. The first half of October was dry for this area, as heavy rain passed by to the south on October 6th. Heavy rain on October 18th, with 1-2 inches of rain in the Severe Drought region, finally improved drought conditions to D1 status in the following update. Harvest season was ongoing, resulting in limited additional agricultural impacts for Southern Illinois.