February weather in Illinois featured record precipitation
The statewide average precipitation (rain and water content of snow) was 5.0 inches in February, which was 2.9 inches above normal and the wettest February on record, according to Illinois state climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
This year’s February precipitation beat the record of 4.4 inches, which was set in 2008. Statewide records go back to 1895.
The highest reported monthly precipitation total was in Streator with 11.45 inches, followed by Cobden with 10.88 inches.
Local weather observer Dana Cross recorded 10.98 inches of precipitation during February in Jonesboro.
Northern Illinois and far western Illinois received 3 to 5 inches of precipitation.
The largest monthly snowfall total was at Aurora with 26.0 inches. The second highest total was Chicago Heights with 25.5 inches.
While Northern Illinois experienced between 10 and 25 inches of snowfall, which was above normal for February, the rest of the state saw little snow.
Areas south of Springfield reported less than an inch for the month.
The statewide average temperature for the month was 31.2 degrees, which was 0.3 of a degree above average.
However, the range of temperatures was impressive, Angel said.
The warmest daily high temperature was 83 degrees at Belleville on February 15.
The coldest daily low temperature was 16 degrees below zero at Fulton on Feb. 7.
The highest temperature recorded in Jonesboro was 74 degrees, on Feb. 20. The low for the month was 9, recorded on Feb. 5.