Chicago broke its record Thursday for the most rainfall during the month of May with a full day to spare.
A total of 8.25 inches of rain fell last month, up almost 5 inches from the 3.68-inch May average, according to the National Weather Service. The previous record for May was 8.21 inches, set in 2018.
With 21 days of rainfall of at least over .01 inches, Chicago also tied its record for the most days with measurable precipitation in a single month, the weather service said. The only other month with that many days of rain was November 1985.
This also mark’s the city’s second-wettest spring since the weather service started keeping track in 1871, with 16.36 inches of rainfall recorded for the season. The wettest spring recorded for Chicago saw 17.51 inches of rain in 1983.
Chicago is now at the wettest May on record since 1871 with 8.25". It is also currently the 2nd wettest spring on record since1871 with 16.36". Record for wettest spring is 17.51" in 1983.
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) May 30, 2019
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, in its latest weekly report issued Tuesday, said corn and soybean plantings in Illinois are lagging well behind seasonal norms because of extremely wet weather.
The USDA said 35% of corn acreage in the state was planted as of May 26 compared with 99% a year ago. The agency said the average for the past five seasons at this point in the year is 95%.
Illinois soybeans are 14% planted, the USDA said, compared with 89% last year and a five-year average of 70%.
The trend has been pushing corn futures higher as investors and farmers consider the possibility of a smaller and lower-quality crop compared to past years. Soybean prices have been less affected because of their connection to the U.S. trade dispute with China.
