Illinois, 1999

Winter Storm in Illinois, March 8, 1999

March 8, 1999 · NWS DVN · 13 events in 13 counties and zones

A powerful late season winter storm pulled out of the Rockies and into the Mid Mississippi Valley producing a large swath of significant snowfall throughout Eastern Iowa and Northwest and West Central Illinois. Snowfall amounts generally ranged between 6 and 8 inches.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 13 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
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
13

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 DVN wrote it up.

A powerful late season winter storm pulled out of the Rockies and into the Mid Mississippi Valley producing a large swath of significant snowfall throughout Eastern Iowa and Northwest and West Central Illinois. Snowfall amounts generally ranged between 6 and 8 inches. Thunder and lightning accompanied the snow over East Central Iowa and West Central Illinois which enhanced snowfall totals. 9 to 12 inches of snow fell over much of Cedar, Scott, Rock Island, Henry Illinois, Bureau and Putnam counties. Law enforcement agencies were scrambling to deal with accidents ranging from fenderbenders to jackknifed semis, though no serious injuries were reported. The snow forced early closings of many area shopping malls, schools and businesses.Many remained closed on Tuesday. The University of Iowa and Iowa State University cancelled classes on Monday. It marked the first time the University of Iowa cancelled classes since 1995. Also, flights were delayed and cancelled at The Quad City International Airport. Winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 40 mph created blowing and drifting of snow with visibility near zero at times making snow removal difficult.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

13 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Bureau

When
March 8, 4:00 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Bureau forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
41.404, -89.529 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Carroll

When
March 8, 4:00 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Carroll forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
42.069, -89.934 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Hancock

When
March 8, 4:00 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Hancock forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
40.404, -91.165 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Henderson

When
March 8, 4:00 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Henderson forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
40.818, -90.925 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Henry

When
March 8, 4:00 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Henry forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
41.353, -90.131 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Jo Daviess

When
March 8, 4:00 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Jo Daviess forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
42.366, -90.212 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, McDonough

When
March 8, 4:00 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
McDonough forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
40.456, -90.678 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Mercer

When
March 8, 4:00 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Mercer forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
41.205, -90.741 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Putnam

When
March 8, 4:00 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Putnam forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
41.205, -89.286 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Rock Island

When
March 8, 4:00 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Rock Island forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
41.467, -90.567 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Stephenson

When
March 8, 4:00 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Stephenson forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
42.352, -89.662 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Warren

When
March 8, 4:00 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Warren forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
40.849, -90.615 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Whiteside

When
March 8, 4:00 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Whiteside forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
41.756, -89.914 (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

More

Every storm in Illinois in 1999Every state in 1999This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, March 1999

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: 5686253, 5686254, 5686255, 5686256, 5686257, 5686258, 5686259, 5686260, 5686261, 5686262, 5686263, 5686264, 5686375.