Winter Storm in Illinois, January 2 to 3, 1996

Name: Winter Storm in Illinois, January 2 to 3, 1996
Start: 1996-01-02T02:00
End: 1996-01-03T03:00
Location: Illinois

January 2 to 3, 1996 · NWS ILX · 19 events in 19 counties and zones

The second major winter storm of the season moved through Central Illinois January 2nd and 3rd. The storm dumped up to 8 inches of snow across the area.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 19 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: 4
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 19

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 ILX wrote it up.

The second major winter storm of the season moved through Central Illinois January 2nd and 3rd. The storm dumped up to 8 inches of snow across the area. Also, gusty northwest winds from 30 to 40 mph accompanied the storm, creating near whiteout conditions, making travel hazardous, and closing numerous roads. There were numerous minor accidents, though only two accidents resulted in 4 serious injuries.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

19 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, De Witt

When: January 2, 2:00 AM CST to January 3, 3:00 AM CST
Where: De Witt forecast zone
Injuries: 2 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates: 40.175, -88.904 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Piatt

When: January 2, 2:00 AM CST to January 3, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Piatt forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.010, -88.591 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Champaign

When: January 2, 2:00 AM CST to January 3, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Champaign forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.140, -88.199 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Vermilion

When: January 2, 2:00 AM CST to January 3, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Vermilion forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.183, -87.733 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Christian

When: January 2, 2:00 AM CST to January 3, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Christian forecast zone
Coordinates: 39.546, -89.277 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Macon

When: January 2, 2:00 AM CST to January 3, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Macon forecast zone
Coordinates: 39.860, -88.962 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Moultrie

When: January 2, 2:00 AM CST to January 3, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Moultrie forecast zone
Coordinates: 39.642, -88.619 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Douglas

When: January 2, 2:00 AM CST to January 3, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Douglas forecast zone
Coordinates: 39.770, -88.217 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Coles

When: January 2, 2:00 AM CST to January 3, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Coles forecast zone
Coordinates: 39.520, -88.222 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Edgar

When: January 2, 2:00 AM CST to January 3, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Edgar forecast zone
Coordinates: 39.679, -87.746 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Shelby

When: January 2, 2:00 AM CST to January 3, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Shelby forecast zone
Coordinates: 39.391, -88.805 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Cumberland

When: January 2, 2:00 AM CST to January 3, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Cumberland forecast zone
Coordinates: 39.273, -88.240 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Clark

When: January 2, 2:00 AM CST to January 3, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Clark forecast zone
Coordinates: 39.334, -87.788 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Effingham

When: January 2, 2:00 AM CST to January 3, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Effingham forecast zone
Coordinates: 39.060, -88.590 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Jasper

When: January 2, 2:00 AM CST to January 3, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Jasper forecast zone
Injuries: 2 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates: 39.010, -88.154 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Crawford

When: January 2, 2:00 AM CST to January 3, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Crawford forecast zone
Coordinates: 39.003, -87.760 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Clay

When: January 2, 2:00 AM CST to January 3, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Clay forecast zone
Coordinates: 38.754, -88.490 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Richland

When: January 2, 2:00 AM CST to January 3, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Richland forecast zone
Coordinates: 38.712, -88.085 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Lawrence

When: January 2, 2:00 AM CST to January 3, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Lawrence forecast zone
Coordinates: 38.720, -87.727 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Illinois in 1996 Every state in 1996 This day in weather history Warnings in Illinois, January 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: 5535574, 5535575, 5535576, 5535577, 5535578, 5535579, 5535580, 5535581, 5535582, 5535583, 5535584, 5535585, 5535586, 5535587, 5535588, 5535589, 5535590, 5535591, 5535592.