Illinois, 1997

Heavy Snow in Illinois, April 10 to 11, 1997

April 10 to 11, 1997 · NWS ILX · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

5 inches of heavy wet snow over northern portions of Central Illinois. 5 inches of snow.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 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
9
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
8

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.

An early spring snow storm dumped between 4 and 13.5 inches of heavy wet snow over northern portions of Central Illinois. A 30 mile wide band centered along a line from just south of Galesburg to just north of Peoria received from 10 to 13.5 inches of snow. Numerous trees, tree branches, and powerlines collapsed due to the weight of the heavy wet snow. Some caused damage to vehicles and homes. In Normal (McLean County), the fieldhouse at Illinois State University had a 12 foot high by 150 foot section of the northwest wall collapse under the weight of the 4 inch snowfall, causing $500,000 in damage. Also, numerous accidents occurred throughout the area with a few minor injuries reported.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Knox

When
April 10, 11:00 AM CST to April 11, 10:00 AM CST
Where
Knox forecast zone
Injuries
2 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates
40.932, -90.213 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Fulton

When
April 10, 11:00 AM CST to April 11, 10:00 AM CST
Where
Fulton forecast zone
Coordinates
40.473, -90.207 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Marshall

When
April 10, 11:00 AM CST to April 11, 10:00 AM CST
Where
Marshall forecast zone
Coordinates
41.033, -89.345 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, McLean

When
April 10, 11:00 AM CST to April 11, 10:00 AM CST
Where
McLean forecast zone
Coordinates
40.491, -88.847 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Peoria

When
April 10, 11:00 AM CST to April 11, 10:00 AM CST
Where
Peoria forecast zone
Injuries
5 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates
40.788, -89.760 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Stark

When
April 10, 11:00 AM CST to April 11, 10:00 AM CST
Where
Stark forecast zone
Coordinates
41.093, -89.797 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Tazewell

When
April 10, 11:00 AM CST to April 11, 10:00 AM CST
Where
Tazewell forecast zone
Injuries
2 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates
40.508, -89.513 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Woodford

When
April 10, 11:00 AM CST to April 11, 10:00 AM CST
Where
Woodford forecast zone
Coordinates
40.788, -89.211 (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: 5599879, 5599880, 5599974, 5599975, 5599976, 5599977, 5599978, 5599979.