The state climatologist says this year's meteorological winter is the seventh warmest in Illinois on record. Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey at the University of Illinois says the average statewide temperature for the December-February period was 4.4 degrees above average.
He says the average statewide precipitation for the winter months was 2.12 inches above average and the 11th wettest on record.
February's average temperature was 2.3 degrees above average, and precipitation was about normal.
Most of the state received between 1 to 2 inches of precipitation during the month, except for southeastern Illinois, where 2 to 4 inches were more common.
