Late September Record Heat

Several days of record breaking heat affected central and southeast Illinois from September 20-26. The table below lists record highs along with the observed high temperatures for selected cities. Records set this year are highlighted in red.

Note the observation time for the 24-hour high temperature listed for each location. Readings for Charleston, Danville, Decatur, Effingham, Galesburg, Jacksonville, Normal, Olney, and Urbana are provided by NWS Cooperative Weather Observers. The official measurement sites for Peoria and Springfield are at each airport. Lincoln's temperatures are measured at the NWS Office.

		9/20	9/21	9/22	9/23	9/24	9/25	9/26
Charleston 7 pm	Record 2017	93 95	95 96	95 M	93 M	93 96	91 M	92 95
Danville 5 pm	Record 2017	95 92	97 93	93 93	91 93	92 93	94 92	91 91
Decatur midnight	Record 2017	96 90	95 93	94 93	92 92	93 90	91 90	96 90
Effingham 7 am	Record 2017	96 89	96 96	96 97	95 98	95 95	92 97	93 94
Galesburg 7 am	Record 2017	91 80	90 92	92 91	89 92	90 92	90 90	92 89
Jacksonville 7 am	Record 2017	96 87	95 96	96 89	94 96	94 94	93 94	97 M
Lincoln midnight	Record 2017	94 92	94 94	94 94	92 93	93 91	92 92	91 91
Normal 5 am	Record 2017	95 85	94 93	94 90	92 95	94 93	93 92	93 92
Olney 7 am	Record 2017	100 86	100 92	96 93	94 93	94 90	92 92	94 M
Peoria midnight	Record 2017	94 94	93 91	93 94	92 93	91 91	92 92	93 91
Springfield midnight	Record 2017	96 96	96 95	95 96	93 95	93 94	94 94	92 94
Urbana midnight	Record 2017	94 95	95 95	95 95	94 94	94 93	96 91	94 93

Other September Records:

Springfield: Record warm low of 72 on the 21st and tied record warm low of 72 on the 22nd

Why have conditions been so warm? NWS Chicago provides the explanation in this graphic: