Illinois State Climatologist Office

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The January statewide average temperature was 20 degrees, 4.5 degrees below normal with some low temperatures approaching the state record on January 16, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.sws.uiuc.edu).

Cold Arctic air pushed into Illinois on January 15 and 16, causing temperatures to drop to levels not seen since 1999. Mt. Carroll and Elizabeth both reported official readings of minus 33 degrees on January 16. Numerous locations in northern Illinois reported lows of minus 20 degrees or colder. The official state record low temperature of minus 36 degrees at Congerville on January 5, 1999, still stands.

Statewide average precipitation for January was 1.0 inches, 0.9 inches below normal. Precipitation is a measure of both rainfall and the water content of snowfall.

Snowfall amounts were above normal across the state in January. Snowfall totals of 6 to 12 inches occurred throughout much of southern and central Illinois, while totals of 12 to 24 inches were common in northern Illinois. Joliet reported the largest official total of 25.3 inches.

The Illinois State Water Survey, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign under the Institute of Natural Resource Sustainability, is the primary agency in Illinois concerned with water and atmospheric resources.