Blizzard in Illinois, December 11, 2000

A major winter storm developed in the Texas Panhandle and moved northeast through southern Illinois and northeast Indiana on December 11, bringing blizzard conditions to much of northeast Illinois. At the onset of the storm, snow began falling at a rate of one inch per hour, with more than one-half foot snowfall totals reported across the area by mid day. By late afternoon and early evening the combination of heavy snows and wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph created near white-out conditions. Peak wind gusts were 46 mph at Morris, 45 mph at Aurora, 39 mph at Midway and O'Hare, and 37 mph at West Chicago and Wheaton. Law enforcement reported visibilities reduced to 10 feet at times along interstates. Wind chill indicies averaged 35 to 40 below zero during the evening. By the time the storm was over, the heaviest snows were reported in Cook County, with the community of Burbank reporting 14.5 inches. Other snowfall totals included 13.8 inches at Downers Grove, 13.5 inches at Elmhurst and Mount Prospect, 13.0 inches at Wheaton, and 12.2 inches at Mundelein. The official Chicago measurement at O'Hare was 9.5 inches, and 9.5 inches fell at the NWS Office in Romeoville. Some homeless shelters were not able to be open across northern Illinois due to staff personnel being unable to reach the facilities. Virtually all air travel in and out of the Chicago area was cancelled, with nearly 1,300 flights cancelled at O'hare International Airport alone. One Boeing 727 slid off a runway at O'hare while attempting to land with no injuries being reported. Many schools closed on the 11th and virtually all area schools closed on the 12th. No deaths were attributed directly to the blizzard, however 19 people died due to heart failure while shoveling snow or falling and succumbing to hypothermia. With the combination of persistently below normal temperatures and subsequent snowfalls during the remainder of the month, on January 11th, 2001, Illinois Govenor George Ryan issued a disaster declaration for the entire state. On January 17th, 2001, President Clinton declared 21 counties in Illinois, many in the northern portion of the state, as Federal Emergency Areas.