"Wet times ahead," Predicts Meteorologist

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Published on March 22 2017 7:58 am
Last Updated on March 22 2017 7:59 am

BY JEFF BROWN

The state of Illinois continues to turn a darker shade of dry on the U.S. Drought Monitor map, but one meteorologist from the southern part of the state says help might be on the way.

Eric Schmidt, of EJS Weather in Newton, predicted a pattern that will drop moisture on at least portions of Illinois every few days, beginning this weekend and lasting into early April.

“Most of the forecast models are indicating more of an active pattern,” he told RFD Radio on Tuesday. “Certainly, we’re going to have some wet times ahead, between now and when the planting season is going to start gearing up.”

The Drought Monitor currently classifies the entire southern half of Illinois as being in an abnormally dry state, the least severe drought classification. Additionally, small parts of west-central and southwestern Illinois currently suffer from moderate drought, the next level.

Schmidt expects the moisture to begin to arrive this weekend.

“Saturday’s going to have a slow-moving storm system,” he said. “It looks like a good portion of Illinois will see some rainfall on Saturday. Next Monday looks like potentially another system, and then a pretty wet system possibly around next Thursday.

“Most spots are going to see their share of rainfall.”