Good morning! I heard from my weather watcher, Jim, in Lowell, Indiana this morning.  He has a beautiful farm and told me "you can turn the rain off now.  I need to get my corn in."  Max Armstrong from WGN Radio updated me earlier this week and told me that Illinois and Indiana corn planting is way behind the average.   If you're keeping a scorecard, here is the latest update from the National Weather Service regarding our rain stats! 

Rain, Rain, Go Away! - updated 4/30

It has been a very wet start to the year for Chicago. Officially at O'Hare International Airport, 14.89 inches of rain has been measured from January 1 through 100 p.m. April 30.  This puts 2009 in the top five wettest starts to a year. Here are the five wettest January-April periods in Chicago weather records, which date back to 1871.

1975 16.25 inches

1999 15.35 inches

1909 15.16 inches

2009 14.89 inches

1929 14.49 inches

The rainfall total so far (as of midday on April 30th) for the spring months of March and April was 10.34 inches, which was 4.13 inches above normal for the 2 month period, and almost an inch above the normal of 9.36 for the total 3 month climatological spring - March April and May. This is the third wettest March-April combination on record, behind 1983 with 11.25 inches, and 1947 with 11.02 inches.

Additional rainfall is expected tonight. And if you think has been especially wet lately, you are correct. At least a trace of precipitation has fallen on 12 of the last 13 days.  Chicagoans should get a break from the dismal weather this weekend, but more rain is possible by the middle of next week.

Have a Great Weekend!

Wishing you sunny days,

Tracy