Mar 13 | Weather Update and Market Review
We had a very warm and active weather week that reminded us that we are in spring. Average temperatures this week ranged from the mid-40s in northern Illinois to the low 60s in southern Illinois, between 8 and 16 degrees above normal. Some of the more impressive daytime high temperatures this week included 86 degrees in Jacksonville, which was the warmest March temperature on record there since 1986. Peoria hit 83 degrees this week, which is the earliest 80 degree high on record there.
by Trent Ford, State Climatologist
ISWS PRI University of Illinois
The big weather story this week was the severe weather that tore across north-central and northeast Illinois on Tuesday. A handful of supercells produced multiple, large tornadoes and some gargantuan hail across parts of Livingston and Kankakee County, and into northwest Indiana. There are two confirmed deaths in Indiana, and one reported death in Kankakee County. Among the dozens of hail reports, there were several hailstones with reported sizes of 4.5 to 5.5 inches, and a few nearly or just over 6 inches. The National Weather Service, U of I, and Northern Illinois University are currently reviewing these reports to determine if any of these stones officially broke the current state hailstone record of 4.75 inches, which fell in 2015 near Minooka. These and other storms this week produced quite a bit of rain. 7-day totals ranged from around 1 inch in northwest Illinois to isolated pockets of 6 inches in southern Illinois. Some areas of the central and southern Illinois received more rain this week than for the entire winter season, and the wetter weather was greatly beneficial to easing drought across the state.
Looking ahead, we’re heading out on a temperature roller coaster. After a mild weekend, temperatures will plummet across the state on Monday and Monday night. Forecasted low temperatures could dip into the single digits in northern and central Illinois, and low teens in southern Illinois, approaching March records in some places. The very late season cold could damage sensitive plants, including peach trees that are already showing signs of breaking dormancy. We will quickly warm up late next week and push back into the 60s by next weekend. More rain, and possibly some snow, is expected across the state next week, with 7-day totals ranging from around a half inch in southwest Illinois to possibly over 2 inches in far northern Illinois.
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WILLAg.org radio programming for the work week ending March 13, 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 Matt Bennett and Curt Kimmel from AgMarket.net, along with Brian Stark of the Andersons and Mike Zuzolo from Global Commodity Analytics and Consulting.
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.