SPRINGFIELD – The entire state of Illinois is now officially in a drought, and Gov. Pat Quinn has scheduled a trip to southern Illinois on Monday to discuss the state's plans for responding to the dry conditions.

Officials at the National Drought Mitigation Center in Nebraska said that Cook County is fully in a moderate drought for the first time this year.

But that isn't the worst of it. Climatologists on Thursday said two-thirds of Illinois is experiencing at least a severe drought, and far southern Illinois is designated as being in an exceptional drought, the most serious classification.