Winter Storm in Iowa, January 3 to 4, 2000

Low pressure over the southern plains intensified and raced northeast along a frontal boundary into East Central Illinois during the evening. The storm system brought a mixture of freezing drizzle, freezing rain, sleet and snow to the region. The depth of the cold air kept much of the precipitation in the form of snow along and north of Highway 34 where amounts ranged from 2 to 4 inches . The heaviest band of snow fell in a swath from Scotland County Missouri northeast through the Quad Cities into Northwest Illinois near Freeport and Sterling-Rock Falls. Further south, the precipitation fell mainly as rain mixed at times with sleet and freezing rain before changing to snow as the precipitation diminished. Snowfall amounts generally ranged from 1 to 2 inches. Light ice accumulations made for hazardous travel in Linn and Jones counties where numerous accidents were reported. The adverse weather conditions prevented some Jefferson High School Band of Blue members from returning from the Fiesta Bowl. Their United Airlines flights were rerouted and they spent the night in Chicago.