Illinois, 1997

Heavy Snow in Illinois, April 10, 1997

April 10, 1997 · NWS PAH · 10 events in 10 counties and zones

A very unusual April snowstorm affected a small part of southern Illinois. The narrow path of snow extended from the Mt.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 10 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
10

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 PAH wrote it up.

A very unusual April snowstorm affected a small part of southern Illinois. The narrow path of snow extended from the Mt. Vernon and Carbondale areas to around Shawneetown on the Ohio River. The highest snowfall total was 6 inches in Willisville. About five inches of snow fell at Du Quoin, and three to four inches fell at Harrisburg, Herrin, and Zeigler. The Marion and Carbondale areas received 1 to 3 inches. The wet, slushy snow accumulated mostly on grassy areas. There was enough on the roads to cause some accidents. The state police district headquarters at Du Quoin reported 17 traffic wrecks. A head-on collision along Route 37 near West Frankfort injured two persons. Another head-on collision along U.S. 51 near Du Quoin injured 3 persons. The snow melted rather quickly as temperatures rose into the 40s later in the day.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Jefferson

When
April 10, 6:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where
Jefferson forecast zone
Coordinates
38.301, -88.924 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Perry

When
April 10, 6:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where
Perry forecast zone
Coordinates
38.084, -89.367 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Franklin

When
April 10, 6:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where
Franklin forecast zone
Coordinates
37.992, -88.924 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Hamilton

When
April 10, 6:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where
Hamilton forecast zone
Coordinates
38.082, -88.539 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, White

When
April 10, 6:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where
White forecast zone
Coordinates
38.088, -88.180 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Jackson

When
April 10, 6:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where
Jackson forecast zone
Coordinates
37.785, -89.382 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Williamson

When
April 10, 6:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where
Williamson forecast zone
Coordinates
37.730, -88.930 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Saline

When
April 10, 6:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where
Saline forecast zone
Coordinates
37.753, -88.541 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Gallatin

When
April 10, 6:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where
Gallatin forecast zone
Coordinates
37.763, -88.230 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Hardin

When
April 10, 6:00 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST
Where
Hardin forecast zone
Coordinates
37.518, -88.267 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Illinois in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, April 1997

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: 5593314, 5593315, 5593316, 5593317, 5593318, 5593319, 5593320, 5593321, 5593322, 5593323.