Winter Storm, Vermilion
- When
- March 19, 12:00 AM CST to March 20, 3:00 AM CST
- Where
- Vermilion forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 40.183, -87.733 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm in Illinois, March 19 to 20, 1996
A winter storm moved into southeastern Illinois early on March 19th. The storm dumped up to 11 inches of snow across the area.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 14 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 1
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 14
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.
A winter storm moved into southeastern Illinois early on March 19th. The storm dumped up to 11 inches of snow across the area. There was considerable blow and drifting of snow which temporarily closed some roads in the area. One man was killed, near Casey in Clark County, when he lost control of his semi-truck and slammed into a concrete overpass and burst into flames. Several schools, a nursing home, and several businesses in the area were evacuated because the truck was carrying some type of chlorine compound, which emitted dense smoke and a bleach-like smell through the area. The buildings were evacuated as a precaution. Otherwise, there were numerous minor accidents which did not result in any serious injuries.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
14 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Winter Storm, Moultrie
- When
- March 19, 12:00 AM CST to March 20, 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
- March 19, 12:00 AM CST to March 20, 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
- March 19, 12:00 AM CST to March 20, 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
- March 19, 12:00 AM CST to March 20, 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
- March 19, 12:00 AM CST to March 20, 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
- March 19, 12:00 AM CST to March 20, 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
- March 19, 12:00 AM CST to March 20, 3:00 AM CST
- Where
- Clark forecast zone
- Deaths
- 1 direct, 0 indirect
- Coordinates
- 39.334, -87.788 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Effingham
- When
- March 19, 12:00 AM CST to March 20, 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
- March 19, 12:00 AM CST to March 20, 3:00 AM CST
- Where
- Jasper forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 39.010, -88.154 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Crawford
- When
- March 19, 12:00 AM CST to March 20, 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
- March 19, 12:00 AM CST to March 20, 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
- March 19, 12:00 AM CST to March 20, 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
- March 19, 12:00 AM CST to March 20, 3:00 AM CST
- Where
- Lawrence forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 38.720, -87.727 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The people who died
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Storm, Clark | 1996-03-19 | 36 | Male | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
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
- Winter Storm in Ohio, March 19 to 21, 1996
- Heavy Snow in Ohio, March 19 to 21, 1996
- High Wind in Maryland, March 19, 1996
- High Wind in New York, March 19 to 20, 1996
- High Wind in Pennsylvania, March 19 to 20, 1996
- Heavy Snow in Indiana, March 19 to 20, 1996
- High Wind in New York, March 19 to 20, 1996
- High Wind in Vermont, March 19 to 20, 1996
- High Wind in New Jersey, March 19, 1996
- Heavy Snow in Kentucky, March 19 to 20, 1996
- Flash Flood in Pennsylvania, March 19, 1996
- High Wind in South Carolina, March 19, 1996
More
Every storm in Illinois in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, March 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: 5539843, 5539844, 5539845, 5539846, 5539847, 5540039, 5540040, 5540041, 5540042, 5540043, 5540044, 5540045, 5540046, 5540047.