>>> ALL THE SIGNS OF SUMMER ARE HERE EXCEPT ONE NOTABLES ONE , A BIG THUNDERSTORM.

CHICAGO IS IN THE MIDST OF ONE OF ITS WORST DROUGHTS IN DECADES AND NOT EXPECTED TO LET UP ANYTIME SOON.

ABUNDANT SUNSHINE AND WHAT ECONOMIC IMPACT COULD IT HAVE?

KEVIN JOINS US, A METEOROLOGIST AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

PUT THIS INTO PERSPECTIVE FOR US .

HOW HISTORIC HAS THIS BEEN ?

>> GOOD EVENING.

THE DROUGHT HAS BEEN QUITE REMARKABLE.

GOING BACK TO THE FIRST PART OF MAY.

THE LAST 45 TO 50 DAYS , ONLY ABOUT 20% TO 30% OF OUR NORMAL RAINFALL.

WHEN YOU START THE SEASON OUT DRY LIKE THAT , THE GROUND DRIES OUT, SUNSHINE , LITTLE CLOUD COVER, IT DRIES THINGS OUT.

WE ARE ON PACE FOR SOME OF THE DRIEST YEARS ON RECORD , THE DROUGHT OF 1988 AND THE MORE RECENT DROUGHT OF 2012.

>> WE ARE SEEING PARCHED LAWNS AND PARK AREAS.

WHY ARE WE IN THIS DROUGHT ?

WHAT IS THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT?

>> THE ATMOSPHERE , FLOW PATTERNS IN THE MID AND UPPER LEVELS HAVE BEEN STAGNANT.

THE BETTER FLOW AND MOISTURE TO PRODUCE OUR TYPICAL THUNDERSTORMS IS SOUTH.

YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THE WEATHER ACROSS THE GULF COAST IN RECENT DAYS.

THAT IS WHERE A LOT OF THE ENERGY IS.

FURTHER NORTH INTO OUR REGION, WE HAVE BEEN STUCK IN THE DOLDRUMS.

WE HAVE HAD VERY LITTLE MOISTURE ENERGY TO SUPPORT PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE AREA.

>> PEOPLE LOVE TO DO OUTDOOR EVENTS , THEY ARE NOT COMPLAINING WITH NO RAINOUTS.

BUT THERE IS A COST ON CROPS AND WILDLIFE .

ESPECIALLY SPECIES THAT RELY ON WETLANDS.

HOW TAXING IS THE DROUGHT ON THEM ?

>> ABSOLUTELY .

LOOKING AT OUR AREA , THE STREAMS AND RIVERS ACROSS THE AREA , SOIL MOISTURE, NEAR RECORD LEVELS , SOME STREAMS ARE BARELY FLOWING AT ALL.

THIS IS STARTING TO IMPACT THE GROUNDWATER AND THE MOISTURE .

>> I WAS WATCHING VARIOUS WEATHER REPORTS WITH NO REAL SIGNIFICANT RAIN EVENT IN THE IMMEDIATE FORECAST.

WHAT DO YOU PREDICT OVER THE LONGER-TERM IN THE NEXT WEEK OR COUPLE WEEKS?

WILL WE GET OUT OF THIS?

>> OUR NEXT CHANCE OF ANY RAINFALL ACROSS THE AREA IS SUNDAY.

AS WE GET INTO THE NEXT WEEK , WE MAY SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE ACTIVITY BUT LOOKING AT THINGS RIGHT NOW, NOTHING THAT WILL TAKE US OUT OF THIS DROUGHT.

TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, WE AVERAGED THIS TIME OF YEAR ABOUT 1507 INCH OF PRECIPITATION , WHICH EQUATES TO ONE INCH PER WEEK.

JUST TO KEEP UP WITH NORMAL CONDITIONS, WE HAVE TO HAVE RAIN EVERY WEEK .

IT LOOKS LIKE WE WILL NOT BE DOING THAT.

IT IS LIKELY THE DROUGHT CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE.

AT LEAST FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE .

>> HOW DEVASTATING COULD THAT BE IF THIS CONTINUES FOR WEEKS AND MONTHS?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

CROPS ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING.

THEY ARE STARTING TO SHOW SIGNS OF THE GRIND .

IF WE CONTINUE THIS TREND WITH LITTLE RAINFALL , THAT COULD IMPACT YIELDS AS WE GO THROUGH THE SUMMER SEASON.