(4:00PM Fri, August 18th 2023) The latest NOAA drought monitor update valid Tuesday August 15th, 2023 shows that much of Illinois continues to experience abnormally dry (D0) to severe drought (D2) conditions. The biggest news with this update is the removal of extreme drought (D3) areas, as well as an overall improvement in conditions and a shrinking of areal coverage across the state. With a few rounds of hit or miss rain and t’storms across the state over the past week or so, drought conditions have continued to improved for some areas, while maintaining for other areas, since the previous update on August 10th. The weather pattern over the next week will support little chances for rain and t’storms across the state, which will lead to a maintainance of drought conditions for some areas, while conditions may worsen a bit in other areas.
Impacts…
•Widespread abnormally dry (D0) to severe drought (D2) conditions exist across much of the state.
•Drought conditions have improved for some areas, while maintaining for other areas across the state, since the previous update on August 10th.
The next drought monitor update will be on Thursday, August 24th.
