Feb 27 | Weather Update and Market Review

Temperatures were all over the place this week, as is common for late February. Overall, average temperatures were 1 to 3 degrees warmer than average in northeast Illinois, and within 1 degree of average everywhere else. Some of the more impressive daytime high temperatures this week included 74 in Flora and 72 in Carbondale, while nighttime low temperatures dipped as far as 10 degrees in Galesburg and Quincy. February will likely end 2 to 3 degrees warmer than normal statewide in Illinois, although meteorological winter will likely end 1 to 2 degree colder than normal statewide, when all is said and done..

by Trent Ford, State Climatologist
ISWS PRI University of Illinois

Temperatures were all over the place this week, as is common for late February. Overall, average temperatures were 1 to 3 degrees warmer than average in northeast Illinois, and within 1 degree of average everywhere else. Some of the more impressive daytime high temperatures this week included 74 in Flora and 72 in Carbondale, while nighttime low temperatures dipped as far as 10 degrees in Galesburg and Quincy. February will likely end 2 to 3 degrees warmer than normal statewide in Illinois, although meteorological winter will likely end 1 to 2 degree colder than normal statewide, when all is said and done.

We had another middling week of precipitation, with 7-day totals mostly less than half an inch in most places. A narrow band along Interstate 74 from Peoria to Bloomington-Normal picked up 1 to 3 inches of snow early Thursday morning, which melted quickly as temperatures quickly reached into the 40s. February has been 1 to 4 inches drier than normal across the state, and only a very narrow band around I-70 will end the month slightly wetter than normal. February adds to growing precipitation deficits from fall and this winter, and some places in east-central Illinois have had 11 to 12 inches less than average precipitation dating back to September. In fact, the last 6 months has been the driest 6 month period on record in Bloomington-Normal, reflecting how extreme our drought has become. The most recent U.S. Drought Monitor shows extreme drought across east-central Illinois and severe drought in most of central and parts of southern Illinois.

After a brief warm up early this weekend, Sunday will bring much colder weather and some snow and rain across the state. Next week, we can expect seasonable temperatures in the 40s and 50s, but with multiple chances of rain across the state. The latest 7-day precipitation forecasts from National Weather Service show the entire state picking up at least 1 inch of precipitation next week, with totals exceeding 2 to 4 inches in central and south-central Illinois. Although that kind of rain is not a drought buster, it would be a great start to improve our current conditions.

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WILLAg.org radio programming for the work week ending February 27, 2026

Commodity Week can be heard in the 2 o’clock hour central time on WILL AM580 or you may subscribe to it using the links in the player below. This week the panelists include Curt Kimmel from AgMarket.net and Dave Chatterton at SFarmMarketing.com.

The Closing Market Report airs at 2:06 p.m. central daily on WILL AM580. It, too, is a podcast. Subscribe using the link in the player.