Illinois, 1999Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Illinois, January 1 to 3, 1999
January 1 to 3, 1999 · NWS ILX · 35 events in 35 counties and zones
A major winter storm paralyzed much of the region during the first few days of 1999. Snow began falling across portions of Central Illinois before noon on New Year's Day and continued to fall, moderate to heavy at times for most of the following 24-hour period.
Every event with a place to put it; 35 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
- Deaths
- 1
- Injuries
- 1
- Property damage
- $1,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 35
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.
A major winter storm paralyzed much of the region during the first few days of 1999. Snow began falling across portions of Central Illinois before noon on New Year's Day and continued to fall, moderate to heavy at times for most of the following 24-hour period. Locations near and south of Charleston/Mattoon saw periods of mixed precipitation, including freezing rain, while farther north snow was predominate. After the snowfall and precipitation diminished, winds increased from the northwest and temperatures dropped, causing dangerous wind chills and treacherous driving conditions with extensive blowing and drifting snow through the third day of the year. Total snow accumulations topped 6 inches mainly along and north of Interstate 70. Lesser amounts fell to the south, where more freezing precipitation was reported. The heaviest snow band in Central Illinois was found west and north of a line from Quincy to Virginia (Cass County) to Peoria to Bloomington to Champaign where reports of 14 or more inches of snow were common. The weight of the heavy snow and ice caused many roofs and porches to collapse, resulting in one death and an injury. An overhang attached to a garage at a Dalton City (Moultrie County) residence collapsed, killing a 47-year old woman and injuring her husband. In Pekin (Tazewell County), a storage building roof collapsed. A garage roof collapsed onto a station wagon in Winchester (Scott County). In Sullivan (Moultrie County), another roof collapsed. In Chesterville (Moultrie County), the roof caved in on the Bourbon Township Shed. Structural damage was sustained at the Farm and Fleet just west of Bloomington on Route 9 (McLean County). Part of the roof collapsed on the TCI building in Decatur (Macon County). The roof caved in and fell onto a service truck and two cars at Walker's Tire and Muffler Shop in Farmer City (Dewitt County). A private airplane was totalled when the roof of one of the main hangers at Kermit Patchett Airport in Marshall (Clark County) collapsed. Several homes in town also reported collapsed porches. In Lawrence County, more than $1000 in damage was sustained to vehicles in three separate accidents, with only minor injuries reported. Elsewhere, no damage estimates were available. In addition, many locations sustained temporary or extended power outages during the storm.
Heavy Snow, Moultrie
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Moultrie forecast zone
- Deaths
- 1 direct, 0 indirect
- Injuries
- 1 direct, 0 indirect
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 39.642, -88.619 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Peoria
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Peoria forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 40.788, -89.760 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Piatt
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Piatt forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 40.010, -88.591 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Richland
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Richland forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 38.712, -88.085 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Sangamon
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Sangamon forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 39.758, -89.659 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Schuyler
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Schuyler forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 40.158, -90.615 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Scott
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Scott forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 39.644, -90.475 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Shelby
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Shelby forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 39.391, -88.805 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Stark
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Stark forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 41.093, -89.797 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Tazewell
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Tazewell forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 40.508, -89.513 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Vermilion
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Vermilion forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 40.183, -87.733 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Woodford
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Woodford forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 40.788, -89.211 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Knox
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Knox forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 40.932, -90.213 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Cass
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Cass forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 39.974, -90.247 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Champaign
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Champaign forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 40.140, -88.199 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Christian
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Christian forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 39.546, -89.277 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Clark
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Clark forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 39.334, -87.788 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Clay
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Clay forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 38.754, -88.490 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Coles
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Coles forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 39.520, -88.222 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Crawford
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Crawford forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 39.003, -87.760 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Cumberland
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Cumberland forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 39.273, -88.240 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, De Witt
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- De Witt forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 40.175, -88.904 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Douglas
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Douglas forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 39.770, -88.217 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Edgar
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Edgar forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 39.679, -87.746 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Effingham
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Effingham forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 39.060, -88.590 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Fulton
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Fulton forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 40.473, -90.207 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Jasper
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Jasper forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 39.010, -88.154 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Lawrence
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Lawrence forecast zone
- Property damage
- $1,000
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 38.720, -87.727 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Logan
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Logan forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 40.125, -89.367 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Macon
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Macon forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 39.860, -88.962 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Marshall
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Marshall forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 41.033, -89.345 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Mason
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Mason forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 40.240, -89.917 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, McLean
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- McLean forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 40.491, -88.847 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Menard
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Menard forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 40.027, -89.802 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Morgan
- When
- January 1, 12:00 PM CST to January 3, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Morgan forecast zone
- Reported by
- NWS STORM SURVEY
- Coordinates
- 39.716, -90.201 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
- Heavy Snow
- Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
- 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.
- Winter Storm in Nebraska, January 1 to 3, 19993 deaths · 6 injured · 24 events
- Winter Storm in Iowa, January 1 to 2, 19992 deaths · $440,000 · 44 events
- Winter Storm in North Dakota, January 1, 19992 deaths · 35 events
- Winter Storm in Iowa, January 1 to 3, 19992 deaths · 21 events
- Tornado in Texas, January 1, 19995 injured · $500,000 · F3 · 1 event
- Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, January 1, 19998 injured · $1.3 million · F2 · 12 events
- Tornado in Louisiana, January 1, 19991 injured · $1.0 million · F2 · 1 event
- Dense Fog in California, January 1 to 2, 19991 death · $50,000 · 2 events
- Ice Storm in Arkansas, January 1 to 2, 19991 death · 22 events
- Heavy Snow in Illinois, January 1 to 2, 19991 death · 18 events
- Winter Storm in Missouri, January 1 to 2, 1999$2.8 million · 33 events
- Tornado in Louisiana, January 1, 1999$88,000 · F2 · 1 event
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: 5684169, 5684170, 5684171, 5684172, 5684173, 5684174, 5684175, 5684176, 5684177, 5684178, 5684179, 5684180, 5685961, 5685962, 5685963, 5685964, 5685965, 5685966, 5685967, 5685968, 5685969, 5685970, 5685971, 5685972, 5685973, 5685974, 5685975, 5685976, 5685977, 5685978, 5685979, 5685980, 5685981, 5685982, 5685983.