A winter storm brought an extended period of freezing rain to portions of central Illinois on December 8th and 9th. The area most impacted by the ice storm received widespread 3 to 4 tenths of an inch of ice.
Every event with a place to put it; 15 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS ILX wrote it up.
A winter storm brought an extended period of freezing rain to portions of central Illinois on December 8th and 9th. The area most impacted by the ice storm received widespread 3 to 4 tenths of an inch of ice. Localized measurements of 5 to 7 tenths of an inch of ice were reported, mainly around Scott, Morgan and Cass counties. The areas receiving half inch or greater ice accumulation also had the most significant tree and power line damage. Many, mainly minor, vehicular accidents were reported on the icy roads. However, two of the accidents resulted in fatalities (indirect), one in McLean County and the other in Logan County.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Lincoln, IL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 8, 11:58 AM CST, 2 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 1158 AM CST SAT DEC 8 2007 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 1039 AM CST SAT DEC 8 2007 WINDS HAVE TURNED NORTHEASTERLY ACROSS THE ENTIRE CWA THIS MORNING. PRECIP IS MOVING IN FROM THE SOUTH...AND REACHING THE GROUND AS LIGHT RAIN OR DRIZZLE. FREEZING TEMPERATURES STRETCHING FROM SHELBYVILLE TO MATTOON TO PARIS AND POINTS NORTH WILL SEE THIS FREEZING DRIZZLE AND FREEZING RAIN TURN INTO A LIGHT GLAZE AS THE MORNING PROGRESSES. HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED REPORTS OF LIGHT ICING ON TREES AND VEHICLES. HAVE UPDATED THE FORECAST FOR CATEGORICAL POPS AND TO DROP TEMPS A SMIDGE AS A LARGE DIURNAL HEATING SWING IS NOT ANTICIPATED. OTHERWISE...FORECAST LOOKS GOOD. SENDING OUT UPDATE MOMENTARILY. && .AVIATION... ISSUED 1154 AM CST SAT DEC 8 2007 LITTLE IN THE WAY OF CHANGE TO THE FORECAST AS ALL SIGNS POINT TO FZRA AND FZDZ WITH SOME IP MIXED IN THROUGH THE PERIOD FOR ALL TAF SITES. DEC IS ON THE EDGE OF THE FZ LINE AND MAY SEE SOME FLUCTUATION IN PRECIP TYPE. AS FOR CIGS...SHOULD START TO LOWER THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE TO LOWER INTO LIFR QUICKLY AFTER SUNSET. LOW CIGS AND FZ PRECIP CONTINUING THROUGH 24 HOURS AS ACTIVITY SHOULD BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD. THOUGH THERE MAY BE POCKETS WITHOUT PRECIP...IT WILL MORE AND MORE BECOME THE PREDOMINANT CONDITION. HJS && .PREV DISCUSSION... ISSUED 235 AM CST SAT DEC 8 2007 MAJOR WINTER STORM TO IMPACT CENTRAL ILLINOIS SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY. LATEST SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWS STATIONARY FRONTAL BOUNDARY SHARPENING ACROSS THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY...WHILE CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS SOUTHWARD INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST. ALOFT...DEEP TROUGH CONTINUES TO DIG ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST CONUS. SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH MONDAY HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD SOUTHEASTWARD TODAY...BRINGING A DRY N/NE FLOW INTO THE REGION. MEANWHILE...A WEAK DISTURBANCE WILL PROVIDE JUST ENOUGH ISENTROPIC LIFT TO KEEP THE THREAT FOR VERY LIGHT PRECIP ALIVE. BASED ON CURRENT RADAR LOOPS AND 00Z FORECAST SOUNDINGS...A LIGHT MIX OF SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN WOULD BE IN ORDER. WILL CARRY LOW POPS TO COVER THIS MINIMAL EVENT. MAIN STORY DEVELOPS THIS EVENING...AS SOUTHWEST CONUS WAVE BEGINS LIFTING NORTHEASTWARD TOWARD THE MIDWEST. BOTH NAM-WRF AND GFS ARE IN REASONABLE AGREEMENT WITH THE EVOLUTION OF THIS SYSTEM...WITH SOME DIFFERENCES IN TIMING AND QPF FIELDS. GIVEN ITS SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE WITH RECENT WINTER SYSTEMS...WILL TREND TOWARD THE GFS SOLUTION. AS WAVE APPROACHES FROM THE SOUTHWEST...ISENTROPIC LIFT INCREASES MARKEDLY FROM WEST TO EAST AFTER 21Z...ESPECIALLY ON THE 290 AND 290K SURFACES. CONDENSATION PRESSURE DIFFS DROP STEADILY AS WELL...WITH THE PRIME TIME FOR THE BEST LIFT SETTING UP BETWEEN 00Z SUN AND 18Z SUN. GFS DEVELOPS PRECIP FIRST ACROSS THE NW KILX CWA DURING THE EVENING...THEN QUICKLY SPREADS IT E/SE ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA OVERNIGHT. SOUNDINGS SUPPORT FREEZING RAIN ACROSS THE BOARD...EXCEPT LOCATIONS SOUTH OF I-70 WHERE RAIN WILL BE THE PRIMARY PRECIP TYPE. WITH HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUING TO FUNNEL COLD AND DRY AIR INTO THE REGION...LOWEST LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE WILL STRUGGLE TO RISE ABOVE FREEZING ON SUNDAY. SURFACE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO MAINTAIN A LARGELY EAST/NORTHEAST COMPONENT...WHICH IS NOT CONDUCIVE TO WARMING. SOUNDINGS WILL ONLY SLOWLY WARM...WITH FREEZING RAIN TRANSITIONING TO RAIN ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-72 BY MIDDAY. FURTHER NORTH...FREEZING RAIN WILL CONTINUE FOR THE BALANCE OF THE DAY IN THE PEORIA AND BLOOMINGTON AREAS. WILL ISSUE FREEZING RAIN ADVISORIES FOR LOCATIONS NORTH OF I-70 TO COVER THE SITUATION FOR NOW...BUT WILL LIKELY NEED TO BUMP UP TO WARNINGS ACROSS AREAS NORTH OF I-72 IF CURRENT TRENDS CONTINUE. ONCE UPPER WAVE PASSES BY TO THE NORTH...PRECIP AREA WILL SHIFT E/SE BY SUNDAY EVENING. MODELS IN EXCELLENT AGREEMENT WITH A LULL IN THE PRECIP EXPECTED SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MUCH OF MONDAY...BEFORE THE NEXT WAVE OF PRECIP ARRIVES MONDAY NIGHT. WITH FRONTAL BOUNDARY REMAINING IN PLACE ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY...ATMOSPHERE WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED ACROSS CENTRAL ILLINOIS. AS A RESULT...WILL LIKELY SEE ANOTHER ROUND OF FREEZING RAIN ACROSS THE AREA MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY. LONG TERM...TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY MEDIUM RANGE MODELS KEEP FRONT IN THE VICINITY THROUGH MIDWEEK...BEFORE FINALLY PUSHING IT EASTWARD BY THURSDAY. MADE VERY FEW CHANGES TO THE EXTENDED...AS CURRENT GRIDS HANDLE SITUATION QUITE WELL. BARNES && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 PM CST SUNDAY FOR ILZ027>031-036>038-040-041. FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM CST SUNDAY FOR ILZ052-054>057-061. FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 12 PM CST SUNDAY FOR ILZ042>051-053. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 1122 AM CST SAT DEC 8 2007 ILZ027>031-036>038-040-041-091200- FULTON-KNOX-MARSHALL-MASON-MCLEAN-PEORIA-SCHUYLER-STARK-TAZEWELL- WOODFORD- 1122 AM CST SAT DEC 8 2007 ...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 PM CST SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THERE IS A CHANCE FOR SOME LIGHT FREEZING RAIN OR SLEET TODAY...BUT THE BETTER CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION WILL COME TONIGHT. AREAS NORTH OF A LINE FROM RUSHVILLE TO BLOOMINGTON WILL SEE THE STEADY PRECIPITATION START OUT AS SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN THIS EVENING...AND THEN CHANGE TO ALL FREEZING RAIN AFTER MIDNIGHT. ICE ACCUMULATION TONIGHT MAY REACH UP TO A TENTH OF AN INCH...BUT ADDITIONAL ICING IS EXPECTED ON SUNDAY. TRAVEL WILL QUICKLY BECOME HAZARDOUS TONIGHT...AS SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN CREATE VERY SLIPPERY CONDITIONS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY LIGHT FREEZING RAIN WILL LIKELY CONTINUE FOR MUCH OF THE DAY ON SUNDAY...ESPECIALLY NORTHWEST OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. FARTHER SOUTH AND EAST...FREEZING RAIN WILL EVENTUALLY CHANGE TO RAIN. ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL CLIMB TO NEAR ONE QUARTER INCH BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY NORTHWEST OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. ADDITIONAL ICE OR SLEET ACCUMULATION MAY OCCUR LATE MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY...AS THE NEXT WEATHER DISTURBANCE AFFECTS CENTRAL ILLINOIS. TRAVEL MAY BECOME HAZARDOUS AGAIN EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. STAY TUNED FOR LATER STATEMENTS ON THAT DEVELOPING WINTER SITUATION. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ042>051-053-091200- CASS-CHAMPAIGN-DE WITT-LOGAN-MACON-MENARD-MORGAN-PIATT-SANGAMON- SCOTT-VERMILION- 1122 AM CST SAT DEC 8 2007 ...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 12 PM CST SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THERE IS A CHANCE FOR SOME LIGHT FREEZING RAIN OR SLEET TODAY...BUT A BETTER CHANCE FOR FREEZING RAIN WILL COME TONIGHT. AREAS FROM JACKSONVILLE AND SPRINGFIELD...TO CHAMPAIGN AND DANVILLE WILL SEE PERIODS OF FREEZING RAIN DEPOSIT UP TO A TENTH OF AN INCH OF ICE ON MANY OBJECTS...INCLUDING TRAVEL SURFACES. TRAVEL WILL QUICKLY BECOME HAZARDOUS THIS EVENING. ADDITIONAL ICING IS EXPECTED ON SUNDAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY LIGHT FREEZING RAIN WILL CONTINUE IN THE MORNING ON SUNDAY. BETWEEN 9 AM AND NOON...THE WARM AIR ALOFT WILL CHANGE THE FREEZING RAIN TO ALL RAIN. TOTAL ICE ACCUMULATIONS MAY CLIMB TO NEAR TWO TENTHS OF AN INCH...BEFORE THE WARMER RAIN BEGINS TO MELT THE ICE LATE SUNDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON. ADDITIONAL ICE OR SLEET ACCUMULATION MAY OCCUR LATE MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY...AS THE NEXT WEATHER DISTURBANCE AFFECTS CENTRAL ILLINOIS. TRAVEL MAY BECOME HAZARDOUS AGAIN EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. STAY TUNED FOR LATER STATEMENTS ON THAT DEVELOPING WINTER SITUATION. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ052-054>057-061-091200- CHRISTIAN-COLES-DOUGLAS-EDGAR-MOULTRIE-SHELBY- 1122 AM CST SAT DEC 8 2007 ...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM CST SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THERE IS A CHANCE FOR SOME LIGHT FREEZING RAIN OR SLEET TODAY...BUT A BETTER CHANCE FOR FREEZING RAIN WILL COME TONIGHT. AREAS FROM TAYLORVILLE AND SHELBYVILLE...TO PARIS...WILL SEE PERIODS OF FREEZING RAIN DEPOSIT UP TO A TENTH OF AN INCH OF ICE ON MANY OBJECTS TONIGHT...INCLUDING TRAVEL SURFACES. TRAVEL WILL QUICKLY BECOME HAZARDOUS THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY LIGHT FREEZING RAIN IS EXPECTED TO CHANGE TO ALL RAIN BY 6 AM SUNDAY MORNING...WHICH WILL HELP TO MELT THE ICE. ADDITIONAL ICE OR SLEET ACCUMULATION MAY OCCUR LATE MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY...AS THE NEXT WEATHER DISTURBANCE AFFECTS CENTRAL ILLINOIS. TRAVEL MAY BECOME HAZARDOUS AGAIN EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. STAY TUNED FOR LATER STATEMENTS ON THAT DEVELOPING WINTER SITUATION. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ062-063-066>068-071>073-091200- CLARK-CLAY-CRAWFORD-CUMBERLAND-EFFINGHAM-JASPER-LAWRENCE-RICHLAND- 1122 AM CST SAT DEC 8 2007 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT LIGHT RAIN IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP TONIGHT ACROSS SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. FOR AREAS ALONG AND NORTH OF I-70...FREEZING RAIN MAY DEVELOP. SOME LIGHT ICING MAY OCCUR. BE PREPARED FOR HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS TONIGHT IF TRAVELING NORTH OF I-70. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM IS TAKING AIM ON CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS FOR MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY. A MIX OF RAIN AND FREEZING RAIN MAY DEVELOP MONDAY NIGHT...BUT PRECIPITATION SHOULD BECOME ALL RAIN ON TUESDAY FOR AREAS SOUTH OF I-70. STAY TUNED FOR LATER STATEMENTS ON THAT DEVELOPING WINTER SITUATION. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. HJS
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
1006 AM CST SAT DEC 08 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0954 AM FREEZING RAIN SPRINGFIELD 39.78N 89.64W
12/08/2007 U0.00 INCH SANGAMON IL CO-OP OBSERVER
MIXTURE OF SLEET/FREEZING DRIZZLE. LIGHT ACCUMULATION OF
ICE ON VEHICLES.
&&
JPARRThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
15 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Significant icing was reported in Cass county, with a maximum report of 7 tenths of an inch of ice received around Philadelphia. Around 2,000 homes and businesses lost power and numerous trees were damaged.
Significant icing was reported in Menard county, with a maximum report of 4 tenths of an inch of ice received around Athens. Around 2,000 homes and businesses were without power due to downed tree limbs and power lines.
Significant icing was reported in Morgan county, with a maximum report of a half inch of ice received around Jacksonville. Significant tree and power line damage occurred and resulted in Morgan county being declared a state disaster area. More than 10,000 homes and businesses were without power, some up to 5 days. One person was hospitalized after being hit by a falling tree branch. Another person was indirectly injured, and hospitalized after a traffic accident on an icy road.
Significant icing was reported in Sangamon county, with a maximum report of 4 tenths of an inch of ice received around Springfield.
Significant icing was reported in Scott county. Around 2,000 homes and businesses were without power due to downed power lines. Numerous trees were damaged from the coating of ice. One home was damaged when a large tree limb fell through the roof.
Significant icing was reported in Christian county, with a maximum report of a quarter inch of ice received in western sections of the county.
Significant icing was reported in De Witt county, with a maximum report of 3 tenths of an inch of ice received around Clinton.
Significant icing was reported in Logan county, with a maximum report of 4 tenths of an inch of ice received around Lincoln. An indirect fatality occurred when a 35 year old female slid off the road and was ejected from her car.
Significant icing was reported in Macon county, with a maximum report of a quarter of an inch of ice received over northern sections of the county.
Significant icing was reported in Mason county, with a maximum report of a half inch of ice received around Havana.
Significant icing was reported in Schuyler county, with a maximum report of a quarter of an inch of ice received over eastern sections of the county.
Significant icing was reported in Champaign county, with a maximum report of 4 tenths of an inch of ice received around Urbana.
Significant icing was reported in Piatt county, with a maximum report of 4 tenths of an inch of ice received around Monticello.
Significant icing was reported in Tazewell county, with a maximum report of a half inch of ice received around Mackinaw.
Significant icing was reported in McLean county, with a maximum report of 3 tenths of an inch of ice received around Bloomington. An indirect fatality occurred when a 41 year old male slid across the median in his car into an oncoming semitrailer.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm, Logan | 2007-12-08 | 35 | Female | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Indirect |
| Ice Storm, McLean | 2007-12-08 | 41 | Male | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Indirect |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2007Every state in 2007This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, December 2007
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: 69140, 69157, 69160, 69223, 69227, 69142, 69147, 69149, 69150, 69151, 69226, 69141, 69221, 69229, 69155.