Illinois, 1996

Cold in Illinois, February 1 to 4, 1996

February 1 to 4, 1996 · NWS DVN · 13 events in 13 counties and zones

After January Winter Storms on the 19th and the 26th, a blanket of snow lay across much of the area. A re-enforcing shot of cold air pushed over the area on the 30th of January and remained over the area through the 4th of February.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 13 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
13

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS DVN wrote it up.

After January Winter Storms on the 19th and the 26th, a blanket of snow lay across much of the area. A re-enforcing shot of cold air pushed over the area on the 30th of January and remained over the area through the 4th of February. All time record low temperatures occurred at many locations during a 6 day period. Record lows ranged from -25 to -32 for 2 to 3 nights with highs reaching only the -10 to -15 degree range during the day. The extreme cold also caused insulator failures that left thousands without power. The crew would restore power in one area only to have another failure elsewhere. In the Quad City area 1 man nearly lost his fingers due to exposure while he changed a tire on his car. A homeless man lost toes due to frostbite after sleeping oustide under a bridge. Other homeless persons were using busses to stay inside and warm.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

13 cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.

Cold/Wind Chill, Jo Daviess

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 4, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Jo Daviess forecast zone
Coordinates
42.366, -90.212 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Stephenson

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 4, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Stephenson forecast zone
Coordinates
42.352, -89.662 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Carroll

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 4, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Carroll forecast zone
Coordinates
42.069, -89.934 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Whiteside

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 4, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Whiteside forecast zone
Coordinates
41.756, -89.914 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Rock Island

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 4, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Rock Island forecast zone
Coordinates
41.467, -90.567 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Henry

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 4, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Henry forecast zone
Coordinates
41.353, -90.131 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Bureau

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 4, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Bureau forecast zone
Coordinates
41.404, -89.529 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Putnam

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 4, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Putnam forecast zone
Coordinates
41.205, -89.286 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Mercer

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 4, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Mercer forecast zone
Coordinates
41.205, -90.741 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Henderson

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 4, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Henderson forecast zone
Coordinates
40.818, -90.925 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Warren

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 4, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Warren forecast zone
Coordinates
40.849, -90.615 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Hancock

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 4, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Hancock forecast zone
Coordinates
40.404, -91.165 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, McDonough

When
February 1, 12:00 AM CST to February 4, 12:00 PM CST
Where
McDonough forecast zone
Coordinates
40.456, -90.678 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Cold/Wind Chill
Cold or wind chill below warning criteria that caused deaths, injuries or damage.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Illinois in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, February 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5542818, 5542819, 5542820, 5542821, 5542822, 5542823, 5542824, 5542825, 5542826, 5542827, 5542828, 5542829, 5542830.