Storms rolled through a large portion of Illinois last week leaving behind hot and humid conditions that are expected to stick around for a while.
June 13 storm systems caused widespread damage, mostly between Interstates 72 and 80. Winds up to 70 mph hit areas of DuPage, Peoria, Adams, McLean and Livingston counties among other locations — damaging trees, outbuildings, implement buildings and other structures.
State Climatologist Trent Ford said the most significant wind damage occurred in the central part of the state spanning from western Illinois to the Indiana border. The National Weather Service (NWS) reported two EF-U Tornados in McDonough County near Macomb and Bushnell.
But crops should be OK for the most part, he said.
“It’s a little too early to see reports of crop damage,” Ford told FarmWeek. “In most places, the corn is not quite tall enough to sustain significant damage.”
Even though most crops can be marked safe from this round of storms, the upcoming heat could cause problems.
According to Ford, rain totals from the storm varied from just 0.25 inches to as much as 2 inches, but missed many areas that need moisture. Ford expects the dryness to continue throughout the week as temperatures climb to the warmest levels of the year so far, well above 90 degrees.
“This is going to be a significant event,” Ford said of this week’s high temperatures. NWS’s “Heat Risk” forecasted a major to extreme risk of heat through at least Thursday for the entire state. “We’ll see how the crops respond,” he said.
The extreme heat means the public should avoid the outdoors if possible, Ford said. When being outside is unavoidable, stay hydrated and take breaks.
Livestock are also at risk during long periods of high temperatures. “This is going to be one of those places where we need to watch our livestock to make sure they can get to shade and have plenty of water,” he added.