The 2012 Drought in Illinois: Its Development and Impacts

The 2012 drought in Illinois began in January and developed into a full-scale agricultural drought by June. Precipitation deficits by July were comparable to severe droughts in 1934, 1936, and 1988 in Illinois. The drought conditions were accompanied by much-above normal temperatures which dried out the soils early in the growing season and caused significant crop stress in June and July. This talk will address the conditions in Illinois throughout 2012, including precipitation, streamflows, and soil moisture. It will also identify key agricultural impacts as well as evolving impacts to water supplies.