July and August have seen record rainfalls in Illinois. The average totals in the months of July and August have ranged from 12 to 15 inches across the state. (Photo by Adrian Benko)

Illinois’ heavy rainfall in the last two months has broken records over 100 years old.

July and August have seen record rainfalls in Illinois. The average totals in the months of July and August have ranged from 12 to 15 inches across the state.

State Climatologist Jim Angel says the rains are far past normal.

“We had a little over 13 inches for those two months combined and that’s about 5 inches above normal. It beats the old record set back in 1915. So that record stood for a long time, and we really crashed through that in the last couple of weeks,” he said.

Illinois Farm Bureau President Richard Guebert says the rain will be good for yields, but difficult for farmers.

“It’s pretty tough to get the crop out of the ground, get it harvested, and to the marketplace,” he said. “Hopefully, it dries up, and we’re able to get the crops harvested and to town, so we can replenish the checkbook, you might say.”

Angel adds that the above-average humidity in August made living in the prairie state a little more uncomfortable. Southern Illinois got the brunt of the rains, averaging up to 15 inches in the two months. The northeastern corner of Illinois in Lake County was drier.

— Wet summer breaks 100-year state rainfall record —