This week’s Drought Monitor has now captured over 50% of IL, designating some level of drought stress. That is a 13% jump from last week, and compared to 35% at the start of the growing season. So far, only 2% of the state in the is in the severe drought category, limited to Kane and Will Counties. 19% is in the next lesser moderate drought category, across the northern quarter of IL and down into the Champaign, Ford, and Piatt County region. And balance is considered abnormally dry. Most of the change in the past week has been the addition of “abnormally dry” conditions throughout the central part of the northern half of the state.