Illinois, 2000

Winter Storm in Illinois, December 11, 2000

December 11, 2000 · NWS LOT · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

A major winter storm developed in the Texas Panhandle and moved northeast through southern Illinois and northeast Indiana on December 11th, causing heavy snow and ice over the area. In southern Livingston County and most of Ford and Iroquois Counties, significant accumulations of freezing rain and sleet fell, knocking out power.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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
4

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 LOT wrote it up.

A major winter storm developed in the Texas Panhandle and moved northeast through southern Illinois and northeast Indiana on December 11th, causing heavy snow and ice over the area. In southern Livingston County and most of Ford and Iroquois Counties, significant accumulations of freezing rain and sleet fell, knocking out power. The ice changed to snow in the afternoon and evening and winds gusted to 25 to near 35 mph causing significant blowing and drifting snow. Mostly snow fell in northern Livingston County and most of Kankakee County. Snowfall totals included 9.1 inches at Chatsworth, 8.0 inches at Chebanse, 11.0 inches at Dwight, 9.7 inches at Momence, and 5.0 inches at Piper City. 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.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Ford

When
December 11, 3:00 AM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Ford forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
40.597, -88.223 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Iroquois

When
December 11, 3:00 AM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Iroquois forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
40.747, -87.824 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Kankakee

When
December 11, 3:00 AM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Kankakee forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
41.138, -87.862 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Livingston

When
December 11, 3:00 AM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Livingston forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
40.892, -88.558 (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 2000Every state in 2000This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, December 2000

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: 5166097, 5166098, 5166099, 5166100.