Jul 18 | Market Review and Weather Update
by Trent Ford, State Climatologist
Illinois State Water Survey | Prairie Research Institute
University of Illinois
It was another hot, humid, and stormy week across the Prairie State. Average temperatures this week ranged from the low 70s in far northern Illinois to the low 80s in southern Illinois, between 1 and 5 degrees above normal. July temperatures to date have been 1 to 3 degrees above normal across Illinois.
An active stormtrack with abundant humidity created multiple rounds of storms this week. 7-day rainfall totals ranged from around half an inch in parts of central Illinois to over 6 inches in northwest Illinois. Much of northern Illinois has been 2 to 5 inches wetter than normal going back to mid-June, following a prolonged dry period earlier in the season. That said, parts or most areas of Will, Kankakee, and Grundy Counties have largely missed the heavier rains that have stayed north and west. The result has been moderate to severe drought in these areas in the latest US Drought Monitor, reflecting reports of stressed crops and low flow on the Kankakee River and its tributaries.
Looking ahead, a strong high pressure system is expected to establish somewhere over the southern Plains to mid-south in coming days, bringing much more intense heat and humidity into the Midwest. It is likely we will see actual temperatures in the mid to upper 90s next week, with heat index values around 105 to 110 degrees. The good news is that the forecasts have been more consistent in recent days in keeping the center of high pressure well to our southwest, allowing multiple rounds of rainfall this weekend and into next week. 7-day totals are forecasted between a half inch in southwest Illinois to potentially 3 inches in north-central Illinois. So, while the late July heat will not be enjoyable for people, animals, or crops, we will have several opportunities to get some relief from storms and rainfall.
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WILLAg.org radio programming for the work week ending July 18, 2025
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 Naomi Blohm of TotalFarmMarketing.com, Jim McCormick from AgMarket.net and Mike Zuzolo from GlobalCommResearch.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.