Latest news with #TrentFord
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Mild May wraps up otherwise warm spring in Illinois
Despite milder May temperatures, the spring season was still a top-10 warmest on record in many places in the Midwest, including in St. Louis, Peoria, and Paducah, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the Prairie Research Institute. The first four months of 2025 collectively were just under 1 degree warmer than normal statewide. May temperatures varied within 1 degree of normal statewide, with periods of much warmer and much cooler weather during the month. March temperatures were 4 to 8 degrees above normal, and April temperatures were 1 to 3 degrees above normal. In recent years, early spring warmth has pushed spring phenology ahead of normal, increasing the risk of frost or freeze damage to tender perennials and horticultural crops. However, a colder winter this year helped extend dormancy a bit later, resulting in a timely spring phenology and good prospects for fruit and berry crops this year. May average temperatures ranged from the mid-50s in northern Illinois to the high 60s in southern Illinois. Several stations saw their first 90-plus degree temperatures, including a daily record-breaking 94 degrees at Chicago's O'Hare Airport on May 15. Meanwhile, the state was largely spared a late spring freeze in May, with only a handful of stations experiencing temperatures below 40 degrees. Overall, the preliminary statewide average May temperature was 63.0 degrees, 0.2 degrees below the 1991-2020 average and the 58th warmest on record. While last month's precipitation was typically variable across Illinois, May was overall drier in most places. The preliminary statewide average total May precipitation was 3.75 inches, 1.02 inches below the 1991-2020 average and the 55th driest on record statewide. May precipitation ranged from around 2 inches in the Chicagoland area to nearly 8 inches in far southern Illinois. Most areas south of Interstate 70 were near to slightly wetter than normal, while most of northern and central Illinois were 1 to 3 inches drier than normal. Spring precipitation ranged from around 6 inches in far northern Illinois to over 20 inches in southern Illinois. The northern half of the state was 1 to 2 inches drier than normal, while southern Illinois was 2 to 8 inches wetter than normal. It was the fourth wettest spring on record in Salem and the fifth wettest spring in Centralia. May was very active on the severe weather front. The NOAA Storm Prediction Center listed 23 tornado reports, 92 severe wind reports, and 61 severe hail reports in Illinois. Among these include an EF-4 tornado in Williamson County, and 2-inch hail in Morgan and Sangamon Counties. Illinois set a new statewide tornado record in 2024, but is ahead of this time last year on statewide tornadoes, with 105 reports total. Outlooks June is the start of climatological summer and is an exciting month for many reasons. Warm weather is here, and schools are out. The Climate Prediction Center's June outlook shows the best chances of summer starting a bit on the warm side, with the best chance of near-normal precipitation and maybe a continued wetter trend in southern Illinois. The summer season outlooks (June through August) also show higher chances of above-normal temperatures this summer. For precipitation, Illinois is squeezed between a band of expected drier-than-normal conditions to the west and wetter conditions to the east. That often, but not always, corresponds with active stormy weather in the summer. For more information about monthly Illinois weather summaries, current conditions, and climate, visit the Illinois State Climatologist website. Data are provisional and may change slightly over time. The Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign provides scientific expertise and transformative research to the people of Illinois and beyond. PRI is home to the five state scientific surveys: the Illinois Natural History Survey, Illinois State Archaeological Survey, Illinois State Geological Survey, Illinois State Water Survey, and Illinois Sustainable Technology Center.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Rare Chicago dust storm reignites debates over the role of agriculture, experts say
A tall, imposing plume of agricultural sediment blew from central Illinois and over dry farmland to envelop Chicago, dropping visibility to near zero last week during a type of dust storm mostly seen in arid climates in the Middle East, North Africa and the southwestern U.S. 'It's pretty rare to have dust storms in Illinois,' said Trent Ford, the Illinois state climatologist. 'It's not unprecedented, but it's uncommon. And for a dust storm to affect Chicago is even more uncommon.' The last dust storm to hit Chicago occurred on May 31, 1985 — and the last one of this kind of magnitude in Chicago happened during the Dust Bowl in the early to mid-1930s. But Friday was the first time the local National Weather Service office in Romeoville issued a dust storm warning that included the Chicago area. An unprecedented dust storm in Chicago might raise the possibility of a strong connection to climate change, 'because we just haven't seen this before,' Ford said. 'But at the same time, the discussion of climate change often overrides what can be, in some cases, a more important discussion of land management.' Meteorologists and farming experts say these events are like 'perfect storms' of different factors: specifically dry conditions, sustained winds and, of course, dry soil that is waiting to be blown away. No matter the weather circumstances, wherever there is uncovered, open farmland — tilled or otherwise — there is an increased risk for a storm to form, Ford said. Dust storms in recent years, particularly the deadly one south of Springfield in 2023 and Friday's storm, have reignited debates over how big a role agriculture plays in what some think are just freak acts of nature. Known as a haboob — an Arabic word that translates as 'blast' or 'gust' — this kind of weather event occurs when a thunderstorm or cold front forms and collapses, sending powerful winds downward that displace loose dust like silt, clay and soil. Former WGN-TV meteorologist Tom Skilling said it has been compared to taking a running garden hose and pointing it at the ground. When the water hits the ground, it fans out in all directions like air does when it flows out of a storm system. The weather conditions were similar to a fatal dust storm two years ago that killed eight people and injured at least 36 in an 84-car pileup on Interstate 55. But that storm was not considered a haboob, given there was no large-scale organization of strong, straight-line winds around a weather front, according to Ford. On Friday, no deadly crashes were reported to Illinois State Police, which had closed some portions of I-55, I-74 and U.S. Route 136. 'The biggest difference,' Ford said, 'is not necessarily the impact, but the actual driving factor.' It's difficult to predict whether such massive dust storms reminiscent of the Dust Bowl will become more common under a changing climate, Ford said. 'You kind of have to break it down into the individual ingredients.' On Friday, those included drought conditions during the state's windiest time of year, the start of the season when farmers are planting or actively working the soil, and when little vegetation covers their fields. Clear, sunny conditions likely also meant fieldwork was underway, loosening dry topsoil that can easily drift away, Ford added. Midwest springs are trending toward a wetter climate. But that doesn't mean the region won't experience drier years, like it has recently, due to natural variability. Illinois also isn't getting any windier — or less windy, for that matter, despite what 'everybody and their dog thinks,' Ford said. 'The data that we have does not support that.' Farm fields that are regularly tilled and left bare, without plant roots to hold soil in place, tend to be at greater risk of that topsoil being swept away by high winds or rain. Other methods don't disturb the soil as much, making it less susceptible to erosion: One-pass tillage uses tractors with a special tool that turns over the soil once, and strip-tilling turns over just the row of soil where seeds are planted, leaving the rest of the field undisturbed and covered by residue from the previous crop. 'It (isn't) just the practices, it (is) that perfect storm. But the practices fit within the storm,' said Richard Lyons, who runs a 300-acre family farm in Harvel, about 40 miles south of Springfield. He strip-tills his corn but doesn't till his soybean fields at all. Since 2014, Lyons has also planted cover crops to protect the soil against the elements, to keep a living root in the soil all year, and to add biodiversity to the state's dominant two-crop rotation of corn and soybean. Many farmers are more reluctant to change their tried-and-true methods, while others might feel pressured to keep their fields neat-looking with uniform, straight crops and no vegetation cover. Most, however, worry about the expenses associated with changing their practices. Lyons has only seen long-term benefits, however, including high crop yields and healthy soil. For instance, his cover crops recycle nutrients from lower levels and bring them closer to the surface, where most corn and soybean roots are located. 'Therefore, you reduce the use of synthetic fertilizers on the land,' he said. That also prevents nutrient runoff toward the Mississippi River and into the Gulf of Mexico. It's a win-win, he said. 'And it's an economic saving to boot.' Farming advocates also say the state and federal governments have failed at encouraging these types of planting methods through so-called conservation programs to provide financial and technical assistance. Illinois farmers, saying they face 'so many challenges as it is,' criticize USDA funding freezes Editorial: The day Chicago got a dusty taste of 'The Grapes of Wrath' As tornado season ramps up, risks rise from Trump weather service cuts, experts say Under President Franklin Roosevelt and in the wake of the Dust Bowl, volunteer-led agencies in Illinois — 97 across the state's 102 counties — popped up to help and educate farmers through local and state efforts in hopes of preventing soil erosion and subsequent similar disasters. Over the next few administrations, however, most lessons learned fell by the wayside. The districts have remained underfunded for years. 'The Dust Bowl was the largest man-made environmental disaster in U.S. history,' said Eliot Clay, executive director of the Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts. 'And it was born, pretty much, out of farming and the way that it was being practiced.' With a projected state budget shortfall estimated close to $1 billion and uncertainty regarding federal funding, advocates worry about what the future holds for conservation practices in Illinois, which is three-quarters agricultural land. 'Now, especially, more than ever, with the current administration, those incentives are disappearing in a lot of ways. And farmers are being stuck with the practices that they're being told are best — even though they're likely not,' Clay said. 'I really, truly believe that funding for agricultural conservation is incredibly important for our nation's security and economy.' Some worry that the state might remain unable to step in with incentives to replace those that the federal government has taken away through Inflation Reduction Act and U.S. Department of Agriculture funding. 'As much as I don't want to see any of this happen,' Clay said, 'I hope that somebody is watching and thinking to themselves, 'What can I do about this when I get back to Springfield?'' Friday in Chicago began sunny and warm, with a high of nearly 80 degrees and a gentle breeze. It was a perfect day for Brett Borer, a Lakeview resident, to take friends who were visiting from out of town for a Beyoncé concert on an architectural boat tour of Chicago that also goes out on Lake Michigan. But as the wind picked up, things quickly changed. The water got choppy. When the boat turned around on its way back to the river, a gray cloud was looming over the city. 'It looked like it was a rain cloud. And the forecast showed no rain,' Borer told the Tribune. 'I was like, 'I don't know what's happening.' It happened so fast. All of a sudden, everything went brown.' Passengers watched as Chicago disappeared in front of their eyes. While the boat was not engulfed in the dusty winds, it rocked violently and sprayed tourists with water. As fast as it came on, the storm soon passed and the sun came out again. After a foggy week and a tornado warning that delayed the Beyoncé show on Thursday, Borer was worried about what the weather had in store for the weekend. He didn't really expect a dust storm the likes of which he'd never seen here. 'We were (put) through hell and high water,' Borer said. A dust storm enveloping Chicago is an unusual sight. And experiencing it anywhere is frightening, Clay said. But to conventional farmers, a dust storm entails additional losses: Recently planted seeds and fertile topsoil from thousands of years of prairie can be blown away in seconds. Which also makes the issue an economic one. 'That's also money in the air, leaving,' he said. Chicago Tribune's Jonathan Bullington, Jake Sheridan, Kori Rumore Finley, Ikram Mohammed and Rebecca Johnson contributed. adperez@
Chicago Tribune
20-05-2025
- Climate
- Chicago Tribune
Rare Chicago dust storm reignites debates over the role of agriculture, experts say
A tall, imposing plume of agricultural sediment blew from central Illinois and over dry farmland to envelop Chicago, dropping visibility to near zero last week during a type of dust storm mostly seen in arid climates in the Middle East, North Africa and the southwestern U.S. 'It's pretty rare to have dust storms in Illinois,' said Trent Ford, the Illinois state climatologist. 'It's not unprecedented, but it's uncommon. And for a dust storm to affect Chicago is even more uncommon.' The last dust storm to hit Chicago occurred on May 31, 1985 — and the last one of this kind of magnitude in Chicago happened during the Dust Bowl in the early to mid-1930s. But Friday was the first time the local National Weather Service office in Romeoville issued a dust storm warning that included the Chicago area. An unprecedented dust storm in Chicago might raise the possibility of a strong connection to climate change, 'because we just haven't seen this before,' Ford said. 'But at the same time, the discussion of climate change often overrides what can be, in some cases, a more important discussion of land management.' Meteorologists and farming experts say these events are like 'perfect storms' of different factors: specifically dry conditions, sustained winds and, of course, dry soil that is waiting to be blown away. No matter the weather circumstances, wherever there is uncovered, open farmland — tilled or otherwise — there is an increased risk for a storm to form, Ford said. Dust storms in recent years, particularly the deadly one south of Springfield in 2023 and Friday's storm, have reignited debates over how big a role agriculture plays in what some think are just freak acts of nature. Known as a haboob — an Arabic word that translates as 'blast' or 'gust' — this kind of weather event occurs when a thunderstorm or cold front forms and collapses, sending powerful winds downward that displace loose dust like silt, clay and soil. Former WGN-TV meteorologist Tom Skilling said it has been compared to taking a running garden hose and pointing it at the ground. When the water hits the ground, it fans out in all directions like air does when it flows out of a storm system. The weather conditions were similar to a fatal dust storm two years ago that killed eight people and injured at least 36 in an 84-car pileup on Interstate 55. But that storm was not considered a haboob, given there was no large-scale organization of strong, straight-line winds around a weather front, according to Ford. On Friday, no deadly crashes were reported to Illinois State Police, which had closed some portions of I-55, I-74 and U.S. Route 136. 'The biggest difference,' Ford said, 'is not necessarily the impact, but the actual driving factor.' It's difficult to predict whether such massive dust storms reminiscent of the Dust Bowl will become more common under a changing climate, Ford said. 'You kind of have to break it down into the individual ingredients.' On Friday, those included drought conditions during the state's windiest time of year, the start of the season when farmers are planting or actively working the soil, and when little vegetation covers their fields. Clear, sunny conditions likely also meant fieldwork was underway, loosening dry topsoil that can easily drift away, Ford added. Midwest springs are trending toward a wetter climate. But that doesn't mean the region won't experience drier years, like it has recently, due to natural variability. Illinois also isn't getting any windier — or less windy, for that matter, despite what 'everybody and their dog thinks,' Ford said. 'The data that we have does not support that.' Farm fields that are regularly tilled and left bare, without plant roots to hold soil in place, tend to be at greater risk of that topsoil being swept away by high winds or rain. Other methods don't disturb the soil as much, making it less susceptible to erosion: One-pass tillage uses tractors with a special tool that turns over the soil once, and strip-tilling turns over just the row of soil where seeds are planted, leaving the rest of the field undisturbed and covered by residue from the previous crop. 'It (isn't) just the practices, it (is) that perfect storm. But the practices fit within the storm,' said Richard Lyons, who runs a 300-acre family farm in Harvel, about 40 miles south of Springfield. He strip-tills his corn but doesn't till his soybean fields at all. Since 2014, Lyons has also planted cover crops to protect the soil against the elements, to keep a living root in the soil all year, and to add biodiversity to the state's dominant two-crop rotation of corn and soybean. Many farmers are more reluctant to change their tried-and-true methods, while others might feel pressured to keep their fields neat-looking with uniform, straight crops and no vegetation cover. Most, however, worry about the expenses associated with changing their practices. Lyons has only seen long-term benefits, however, including high crop yields and healthy soil. For instance, his cover crops recycle nutrients from lower levels and bring them closer to the surface, where most corn and soybean roots are located. 'Therefore, you reduce the use of synthetic fertilizers on the land,' he said. That also prevents nutrient runoff toward the Mississippi River and into the Gulf of Mexico. It's a win-win, he said. 'And it's an economic saving to boot.' Farming advocates also say the state and federal governments have failed at encouraging these types of planting methods through so-called conservation programs to provide financial and technical assistance. Under President Franklin Roosevelt and in the wake of the Dust Bowl, volunteer-led agencies in Illinois — 97 across the state's 102 counties — popped up to help and educate farmers through local and state efforts in hopes of preventing soil erosion and subsequent similar disasters. Over the next few administrations, however, most lessons learned fell by the wayside. The districts have remained underfunded for years. 'The Dust Bowl was the largest man-made environmental disaster in U.S. history,' said Eliot Clay, executive director of the Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts. 'And it was born, pretty much, out of farming and the way that it was being practiced.' With a projected state budget shortfall estimated close to $1 billion and uncertainty regarding federal funding, advocates worry about what the future holds for conservation practices in Illinois, which is three-quarters agricultural land. 'Now, especially, more than ever, with the current administration, those incentives are disappearing in a lot of ways. And farmers are being stuck with the practices that they're being told are best — even though they're likely not,' Clay said. 'I really, truly believe that funding for agricultural conservation is incredibly important for our nation's security and economy.' Some worry that the state might remain unable to step in with incentives to replace those that the federal government has taken away through Inflation Reduction Act and U.S. Department of Agriculture funding. 'As much as I don't want to see any of this happen,' Clay said, 'I hope that somebody is watching and thinking to themselves, 'What can I do about this when I get back to Springfield?'' Friday in Chicago began sunny and warm, with a high of nearly 80 degrees and a gentle breeze. It was a perfect day for Brett Borer, a Lakeview resident, to take friends who were visiting from out of town for a Beyoncé concert on an architectural boat tour of Chicago that also goes out on Lake Michigan. But as the wind picked up, things quickly changed. The water got choppy. When the boat turned around on its way back to the river, a gray cloud was looming over the city. 'It looked like it was a rain cloud. And the forecast showed no rain,' Borer told the Tribune. 'I was like, 'I don't know what's happening.' It happened so fast. All of a sudden, everything went brown.' Passengers watched as Chicago disappeared in front of their eyes. While the boat was not engulfed in the dusty winds, it rocked violently and sprayed tourists with water. As fast as it came on, the storm soon passed and the sun came out again. After a foggy week and a tornado warning that delayed the Beyoncé show on Thursday, Borer was worried about what the weather had in store for the weekend. He didn't really expect a dust storm the likes of which he'd never seen here. 'We were (put) through hell and high water,' Borer said. A dust storm enveloping Chicago is an unusual sight. And experiencing it anywhere is frightening, Clay said. But to conventional farmers, a dust storm entails additional losses: Recently planted seeds and fertile topsoil from thousands of years of prairie can be blown away in seconds. Which also makes the issue an economic one. 'That's also money in the air, leaving,' he said.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
April breaks weather records
April broke records for being among the wettest on record in much of southern Illinois, which experienced an extreme rain event early in the month, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the Prairie Research Institute. Among active April weather was an exceptionally intense rainfall event in the first week of the month that produced 6-10 inches of rain in just four days. The event caused moderate to major flooding on many streams and rivers in southern Illinois, and dangerous flash flooding in several places. Figures in the full blog show the estimated return interval of these heavy rainfall totals according to the Illinois State Water Survey's Bulletin 75 report. While maximum rainfall totals at shorter intervals, like one or three hours, were intense, they were maximally a 10-year return interval. However, the longer duration totals had much higher return intervals, and the 72-hour totals represented truly extreme precipitation. Rainfall, exceeding 10 inches in some places, had estimated return intervals between 25 years and 500 years across most of southern Illinois. Last month was the wettest April on record in St. Louis and Fairfield, and was a top 10 wettest April on record for most places in southern Illinois. Total precipitation ranged from around 2.5 inches in northwest Illinois to more than 15 inches in southern Illinois. South of I-70 ran 4 to 8 inches wetter than normal in April. Most of central and northern Illinois were within 1 inch of normal precipitation last month, apart from areas around the Wisconsin border, which were closer to 2 inches drier than normal. No measurable snow fell in Illinois in April. Many stations in central and northern Illinois recorded trace snowfall in the first week of the month without accumulation. Overall, the preliminary statewide average total April precipitation was 5.46 inches, 1.22 inches above the 1991-2020 average and the 18th wettest on record statewide. The preliminary statewide average April temperature was 53.1 degrees, 0.5 degrees above the 1991-2020 average and tied for 42nd warmest on record going back to 1895. April average temperatures ranged from the high 40s in northern Illinois to the high 50s in southern Illinois, between 1 and 3 degrees above normal. The short periods of warmer weather in April broke seven daily high maximum temperature records and three daily high minimum temperature records. Meanwhile, the colder weather in the first half of the month broke three daily low maximum temperature records and two daily low minimum temperature records. Waukegan was the coldest place in the state last month with an average temperature of 46.7 degrees. Carbondale was the warmest with an average temperature of 60.3 degrees. Outlooks Even though April can give a taste of summer, May is the first month to offer real summer weather. May outlooks from the Climate Prediction Center show the highest chances of warmer and drier than normal weather this month in Illinois. The most recent summer (June through August) outlooks from the Climate Prediction Center show continued best chances for warmer than normal weather, with slightly higher chances of below normal precipitation in western Illinois. Data are provisional and may change slightly over time. For more information about monthly Illinois weather summaries, current conditions, and climate, visit the Illinois State Climatologist website.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Afternoon Briefing: Yellow Banana gets six more months to complete city-funded grocery project
Good afternoon, Chicago. Chicago-area residents might feel like it's been a really long winter after enduring stretches of below-normal temperatures in January and February and a couple snowfalls in March. But the lingering cold snaps actually contributed to a proper winter — unlike the record highs and bitter but brief Arctic blasts of recent years. 'You look at the numbers — whether it be for Chicago, for Illinois, for the Great Lakes — and it was sort of an unremarkable winter,' said Trent Ford, the Illinois state climatologist. 'But it felt like it was intense because we're getting these types of winters, as far as temperatures are concerned, so much less frequently.' Here's what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices. Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History The Elgin Fire Department found Karen Schepers' car in the Fox River three years ago, but believed it was an ATV and did not recover it, according to a statement released by city officials. Read more here. More top news stories: DOJ reviewing 'ComEd Four' bribery case, defense reveals in asking for sentencing delay Chicago Public Schools and teachers union close to contract deal after year of tough negotiations Nearly three years after the city first announced it would hand out $13.5 million in public dollars to grocery operator Yellow Banana, the company says it will soon drag the delay-beset grocery store rehab project across the finish line. Read more here. More top business stories: Europe lashes out over President Donald Trump auto tariffs and the economic threat to both continents FAA acknowledges it must do better after deadly DC air collision The White Sox open the season this afternoon against the Los Angeles Angels at Rate Field, but barring an eleventh-hour breakthrough, a million Chicago-area Comcast subscribers may not be able to see the game. Read more here. More top sports stories: Chicago Blackhawks takeaways: Landon Slaggert defends Connor Bedard – but Anders Sorensen doesn't defend him Column: Ashton Jeanty to the Chicago Bears? It's fun to imagine — even if it's only a possibility. The Lyrical Lemonade's Summer Smash Festival has announced its musical lineup for summer 2025. Headliners include Young Thug, Don Toliver, Yeat and Future, with Chance the Rapper also performing Sunday night. Read more here. More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories: Column: Clint Eastwood made a movie about soldier Ira Hayes, and the propaganda machine Lyric Opera receives $25 million, among its largest donations FBI Director Kash Patel was not part of a Signal chat in which other Trump administration national security officials discussed detailed attack plans, but that didn't spare him from being questioned by lawmakers this week about whether the nation's premier law enforcement agency would investigate. Read more here. More top stories from around the world: Department of Health and Human Services will cut 10,000 jobs as part of a major restructuring plan US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visits Colombia to discuss immigration and crime
