The climate in the Midwest is ever-changing — and that’s what makes it fascinating, says Jim Angel.
Angel is a climate scientist with the Illinois State Water Survey. He served as Illinois State Climatologist for more than two decades until 2018, and has been studying climate extremes in Illinois and the Midwest for almost 40 years. Angel’s research focuses on extreme rainfall events and the impact of weather and climate on agriculture.
Angel will give a talk titled, “Our Fascinating and Ever-Changing Climate of East-central Illinois,” on Monday, Oct. 21 at the University of Illinois Extension Office on Country Fair Dr. in Champaign. The talk will also be livestreamed on Zoom.
The East and West coasts of the United States are moderated by the oceans, Angel said, so they have less climate variability.
In contrast, Illinois is sandwiched between the heat and humidity of the Gulf of Mexico and the cold dry air that comes out of Canada. This, he said, can lead to wild fluctuations in temperature and precipitation levels.
“We are kind of a very active region. And as a result, we have quite a bit of variability in our climate,” Angel said. “And that’s especially challenging if you’re trying to grow anything, whether your vegetables in your backyard or if you’re growing corn and soybeans, those kinds of things can be a real challenge.”
Precipitation levels in Illinois have increased over the last century by approximately by 10 to 15% across four seasons, Angel said.
“Winter is getting wetter. Spring, summer and fall are getting wetter,” Angel said.
These wetter conditions can make it more difficult for growers to plant, and heavy rain events can cause soil to lose nutrients.
Lately, Illinois has experienced flash drought conditions — a short period of hot, dry weather that causes a rapid depletion of soil moisture despite the overall pattern of wet conditions.
In recent months, temperatures have been warmer than average, which affects the colors of plants and vegetation.
“If you look outside, the grass is kind of brown, and some trees and bushes are losing leaves in an ugly sort of way in that they just turn brown and fall off as opposed to the beautiful fall colors,” Angel said.
During his talk on Monday, Angel will present a historical look at weather patterns, including temperature, precipitation, droughts and heat waves and share information about climate tools that growers can use to monitor current and historical conditions.
He’ll also present a look ahead at what might be in store for east-central Illinois weather this fall and winter.