RSS Feeds2008 Wettest Year for 6 Central IL cities
Recent media reports indicated that central Illinois has seen its wettest year on record. Some clarification is needed on how this should be applied.
The city of Lincoln has established its wettest year on record, with a total of 56.25 inches through Dec 31. However, this cannot be applied to central Illinois as a whole, as the measurement was at a specific location. Additionally, the length of record varies with location. For example, records began in Lincoln in 1905. In nearby Springfield, the top 3 wettest years on record occurred prior to 1900, when no station was operating in Lincoln.
The Illinois state climatologist's office keeps track of averages over a wide area, such as the entire state, and how they rank with the historical records.
| Location | 2008 Total | Historical Rank |
Current/Old Record |
Records |
Needed to |
| Beecher City | 52.29 inches | 1st wettest | 51.44 (2000) | 1974 | 0 |
| Decatur | 59.77 inches | 2nd wettest | 60.58 (1927) | 1893 | 0.81 |
| Effingham | 59.29 inches | 2nd wettest | 59.69 (1993) | 1951 | 0.40 |
| Flora | 57.77 inches | 4th wettest | 60.48 (1993) | 1893 | 2.71 |
| Havana | 50.18 inches | 5th wettest | 60.51 (1993) | 1917 | 10.33 |
| Hoopeston | 45.36 inches | 9th wettest | 55.68 (2004) | 1902 | 10.32 |
| Hutsonville | 61.76 inches | 1st wettest | 54.22 (2000) | 1946 | 0 |
| Lawrenceville | 43.18 inches | 25th wettest | 56.64 (1990) | 1962 | 13.46 |
| Lincoln | 56.25 inches | 1st wettest | 50.84 (1927) | 1905 | 0 |
| Mackinaw | 50.86 inches | 4th wettest | 59.70 (1993) | 1940 | 8.84 |
| Mason City | 46.88 inches | 4th wettest | 56.56 (1993) | 1937 | 9.68 |
| Mattoon | 52.78 inches | 2nd wettest | 53.79 (1950) | 1893 | 1.01 |
| Minonk | 45.93 inches | 7th wettest | 54.26 (1982) | 1895 | 8.33 |
| Morrisonville | 47.38 inches | 2nd wettest | 47.98 (1982) | 1948 | 0.60 |
| Mount Pulaski | 51.51 inches | 1st wettest | 50.73 (1977) | 1942 | 0 |
| Moweaqua | 52.77 inches | 1st wettest | 46.48 (1985) | 1963 | 0 |
| Normal | 49.32 inches | 7th wettest | 63.35 (1993) | 1893 | 14.03 |
| Palestine | 54.77 inches | 6th wettest | 59.09 (1945) | 1892 | 4.32 |
| Paris | 50.07 inches | 8th wettest | 61.59 (1957) | 1893 | 11.52 |
| Peoria | 46.57 inches | 8th wettest | 55.35 (1990) | 1882 | 8.78 |
| Rushville | 47.17 inches | 11th wettest | 57.16 (1990) | 1890 | 9.99 |
| Springfield | 53.73 inches | 5th wettest | 58.21 (1882) | 1879 | 4.48 |
| Tuscola | 55.13 inches | 1st wettest | 55.05 (1927) | 1893 | 0 |
| Urbana | 52.54 inches | 4th wettest | 58.54 (1993) | 1888 | 6.00 |
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