Illinois Drought (Peoria, Springfield, Decatur: landscaping, safe area, safe)

[linicx]

Corn is a heat and humidity producing plant as it grows. It attracts all types of insects like the corn borer, aphid, and at least five types of worms, not to mention fleas in some fields, and our course our favorite pest - the Illinois mosquito -- which I think should be named the State Bird. The fact that IL generally has a good growing medium and a lot of lakes, streams and rivers, does little to reduce the humidity or misery to life forms.

Now I am reading IL is in the worst drought since 1936, and the US is in the longest recession since the Great Depression.

Yesterday we had temps that were in the low to mid-80s all day! It is 1:00pm, sunny and still in the 70s. It was a nice relief. A few days before that we had several days of typical late afternoon summer rain. The rain cloud wasn't large enough to cover a great area, and it didn't rain much longer than the average shower at home. It did not have time to do much good as it was followed by full sun. All this week the temps are projected to be in the mid-90s - a very small relief. Concrete sidewalks. paved and blacktop roads are still hotter than in the county that is removed 50 miles from Interstates and large towns. In the winter the reverse is true.

[Evenstar51]

Originally Posted by sunnyandcloudydays

Appears even the recent rains in some parts of the state are not going to be enough to salvage most crops.

The Tribune had stated there are insects that thrive in this hot weather and now that is a concern.

August is a few days away and that typically is the one of the driest and warmest months
We can only hope the jet stream changes or the high pressure system moves and changes this pattern.

Feel real bad for the folks down South as it appears worse than the northern part of the state.

It's horrible down here...there's no relief. This is the worst year that I can remember for ticks; one friend has Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and there is a new tick-borne disease entering the area. I have to check my DH every night after he waters the yard, and check the dogs every day as well. My solution is just to stay inside as much as possible! There aren't many mosquitoes, as the shallow bits of water where they usually breed are dried up. My water lilies gave up the ghost.

[CSD610]

Illinois is not the only state going through a drought so it really is not a huge news flash anywhere.

[madpaddy]

Originally Posted by CSD610

Illinois is not the only state going through a drought so it really is not a huge news flash anywhere.

Except this is an Illinois forum so it's only natural that the a widespread atypical weather phenomenon would be discussed here in terms of how it is affecting the state.

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Originally Posted by CSD610

Illinois is not the only state going through a drought so it really is not a huge news flash anywhere.

Certainly is not new news as the drought has been effecting areas of Illinois for over a year now, mainly in the Southern portion of the state.

It is however an interesting topic to discuss considering the intensity and severity across the state of Illinois.

Interesting to hear other conditions across the state and to see how people are enduring the heat.

[AbqTeacher]

Has anyone ever done studies on the psychological effects of a drought? Everyone seems more irritable, and they're not farmers. I know I could do with a good day-long rain

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by AbqTeacher

Has anyone ever done studies on the psychological effects of a drought? Everyone seems more irritable, and they're not farmers. I know I could do with a good day-long rain

I know that in Illinois, it has ALSO been very hot and humid ... and for a long time. That tends to wear on everyone's mood.

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Agree with the comments in addition-
I have noticed this summer no one is overly joyed with summer.

No one seems to really long for the 90 plus degree days
even the people who love summer are not praising the heat and drought.

[linicx]

The dry heat is much like desert SW except the humidity is lower. The type of weather we are having now is limiting and dangerous. I'm bored. I'm ready for a break so I can go outside for awhile. I am ready for a gentle soaking rain that does not flood the fields and rivers. .

[AbqTeacher]

Originally Posted by linicx

The dry heat is much like desert SW except the humidity is lower. The type of weather we are having now is limiting and dangerous. I'm bored. I'm ready for a break so I can go outside for awhile. I am ready for a gentle soaking rain that does not flood the fields and rivers. .

I understand what you mean- I was lucky enough to have a week to spend in NE Wisconsin where their idea of hot is 85.

In a more positive vein- it's been raining steadily for over an hour(!) here in Springfield. It's a relief- and probably already more rain than we got in the entire month of July (0.33 inches).

I'll stop complaining for at least a week now