Spring weather in region slightly warmer than normal

Weather during the spring season in Southern Illinois, Southeast Missouri and Western Kentucky was slightly warmer than normal. 

Precipitation during the spring varied throughout the region.

The National Weather Service office in Paducah reported that temperatures averaged around 1 degree above normal. 

The warmest months compared to normal were March and May, both of which averaged above normal by around 1.5 to 2 degrees. April finished 1 to 2 degrees below normal.

Precipitation was wetter than normal across much of Western Kentucky and Southeast Missouri.

Much of Southern Illinois and far northwest Kentucky registered precipitation amounts that were near or slightly drier than normal. 

March tended to be the wettest month compared to average across the northern half of the region.

April was the wettest across southern portions of the region. 

May was the driest month compared to average for much of the region. 

The highest amount observed during the season was 20.70 inches at a CoCoRaHS station 4.2 miles northwest of Poplar Bluff, Mo.

The weather service office in Paducah issued a combined total of 118 severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings for its 58-county forecast area during the spring. That was a bit below the average number of 155 warnings for the spring season.