•March 2, 2016•

Soil temperatures in Illinois have been above normal for most of the winter, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

For the period of December 1 through February 21, soil temperatures at 4 inches under bare soil averaged 36.7 degrees F across Illinois, 2.6 degrees above the long-term average and 2.9 degrees higher than last winter.

Soil temperatures this winter have fluctuated with air temperatures. The highest temperatures were reported in December with a statewide monthly average of 42.7 degrees or 6.8 degrees above average. Temperatures averaged 33.4 degrees in January, only 0.2 degrees above average, but have climbed slightly so far in February to an average of 35.1 degrees.     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.