Soils warmer, drier across Illinois in mid-June

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) - Soil temperatures are warming across Illinois, rising 6 to 9 degrees on average during the first half of June.

Jennie Atkins of the Prairie Research Institute at University of Illinois says the state average temperature at two inches under bare soil was 84.4 degrees on June 15. That was 5.8 degrees above last year's average.

Central Illinois had the highest regional average with 85.9 degrees on June 15.

Farmers monitor soil temperatures as they make decisions affecting crops.

Higher soil temperatures and drier weather caused soil moisture levels to fall. Moisture levels at two inches declined on average 35 percent between June 1 and 13.

Rains moving through northern and central Illinois on June 14 and 15 led to an increase in soil moisture in those areas.