The Centralia Water Treatment Plant is reporting its highest monthly rain total for July since they began keeping records in 1995. The department measured 10.43 inches of rain, with six inches of that coming on three days last week.
The Salem Water Plant recorded 9.87 inches of rain for the month, which fell short of the record 10.63 inches of rain that fell in July, 1942. There was 2.71 inches of rain on July 17th. It was also rainy last July when 9.01 inches of rain fell.
Rainfall for the year to date in Salem is 33.57 inches, up from 29.26 inches for the first seven months of last year.
Temperatures were also much higher this July. The high temperature was 97 on July 24th and 25th compared to a high of 92 last July. Low temperature of the month was 61 on July 26th compared to 58 last year.
Statewide, July was wetter than normal and State Climatologist Trent Ford says this July could end up being among the 20 wettest on record. He reports rainfall across South Central Illinois were three to nine inches above normal. Most areas north of I-80 were one to six inches above normal.
Conversely, drought conditions persist in East Central Illinois.
