A storm system tracked from the Texas panhandle northeastward into the Ohio River Valley on January 6th, spreading a mixture of light freezing rain, sleet, and snow across central and southeast Illinois. Locations along and south of the I-72 corridor experienced the most serious impacts from this system, as a prolonged period of freezing drizzle created icy road conditions and numerous traffic…
Every event with a place to put it; 5 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 storm system tracked from the Texas panhandle northeastward into the Ohio River Valley on January 6th, spreading a mixture of light freezing rain, sleet, and snow across central and southeast Illinois. Locations along and south of the I-72 corridor experienced the most serious impacts from this system, as a prolonged period of freezing drizzle created icy road conditions and numerous traffic accidents.
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 Jan 5, 11:40 PM CST, 20 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 1140 PM CST MON JAN 5 2009 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 853 PM CST MON JAN 5 2009 LATEST SURFACE ANALYSIS HAD HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED NEAR THE OH/PA BORDER...WITH A RIDGE AXIS EXTENDING WEST INTO ILLINOIS. MEANWHILE...A COMPLEX LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WAS GETTING ORGANIZED OVER THE PLAINS STATES. ALOFT...A POSITIVELY TILTED TROF EXTENDED FROM THE UPPER MIDWEST TO BAJA CALIFORNIA. SEVERAL PIECES OF ENERGY WERE RIPPLING NORTHEAST ALONG THE EAST SIDE OF THE TROF TOWARD ILLINOIS. A LOW LEVEL DRY AIRMASS IS IN PLACE ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA PER 00Z KILX AND FORECAST SOUNDINGS...WITH THE EASTERLY LOW LEVEL FLOW AROUND THE DEPARTING AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE HELPING TO REINFORCE THE DRY LOW LEVEL AIR. HOWEVER...WAA/ISENTROPIC LIFT IS OCCURRING AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING UPPER IMPULSE FROM THE PLAINS. THE BEST LIFT IS OCCURRING ALONG THE OHIO RIVER NORTH TO THE I-70 CORRIDOR. THIS LIFT AND THAT PROVIDED BY THE IMPULSE ITSELF WILL CAUSE PRECIPITATION TO BREAK OUT TO OUR SOUTHWEST OVERNIGHT. EXPECT THIS PRECIPITATION TO SPREAD INTO SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS OVERNIGHT...BUT THE DRY AIR FURTHER NORTH SHOULD RESULT IN A SHARP NORTHERN EDGE TO THE PRECIPITATION. NEW 00Z NAM SOUNDINGS SUGGEST THAT DEEPER MOISTURE/LIFT WILL WORK INTO LOCATIONS ALONG/SOUTH OF I-70 THAN EXPECTED EARLIER...AS WELL AS A WARMER NOSE OF AIR ALOFT. SO...EXPECT PRECIPITATION IN SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS TO BEGIN AS SNOW...AND THEN RAPIDLY CHANGE OVER TO SLEET OR FREEZING RAIN. THE AREA THREATENED IS CURRENTLY UNDER A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY AND THIS STILL LOOKS GOOD...BUT THE ICING THREAT APPEARS MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN BEFORE. WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE AT LEAST A TENTH OF AN INCH OF ICE IN SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS BY LATE TUESDAY MORNING BEFORE SURFACE TEMPERATURES WARM ABOVE FREEZING. GOING FORECAST LOOKS PRETTY GOOD OVERALL. MAIN CHANGE WILL BE TO ADD FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET MENTION TO SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. OTHERWISE...PLAN ON TWEAKING REMAINDER OF FORECAST PER THE LATEST AND EXPECTED TRENDS. BAK && .AVIATION... ISSUED 1140 PM CST MON JAN 5 2009 HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO SLOWLY LOSE ITS GRIP ON THE REGIONS WEATHER OVERNIGHT AS A STORM SYSTEM LIFTS TOWARD THE REGION FROM THE SOUTHWEST. THE MAIN STORM TRACK AND HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO STAY WELL SOUTH OF THE TERMINALS TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT...SO DID NOT CARRY A MENTION OF PRECIPITATION IN THE TAFS AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER...AS THE LOW LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE MOISTEN TUESDAY FREEZING DRIZZLE OR VERY LIGHT SNOW MAY DEVELOP. THE BEST CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION WILL BE ACROSS KDEC/KCMI WHICH WILL BE CLOSER TO THE STORM TRACK. FORECAST SOUNDINGS SUGGEST THE MOISTURE DEPTH WILL BE QUITE SHALLOW TUESDAY AND MAY PRECLUDE PRECIPITATION FORMING AT ALL. THE PRECIPITATION POTENTIAL WILL NEED TO BE REASSESSED OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS AS THE POTENTIAL BECOMES MORE CLEAR. BAK && .PREV DISCUSSION... ISSUED 145 PM CST MON JAN 5 2009 HIGH PRESSURE DOMINATES THE WEATHER ACRS THE MIDWEST EARLY THIS AFTN WITH THE CENTER OF THE COLD AIR MASS ACRS CNTRL IL. EARLY AFTN TEMPS RANGED FROM THE UPPER 20S TO LOWER 30S WITH LIGHT WINDS. A FRONTAL BOUNDARY LOCATED ACRS THE SRN US COUPLED WITH SHORTWAVE ENERGY COMING OUT OF NEW MEXICO WL HELP TO SPREAD A WINTRY MIX OF PRECIP BACK NORTH TO THE SOUTHERN MIDWEST STARTING LATE TNT WITH PRECIP CHANCES HIGHEST ACRS THE SOUTHEAST...REMAINING IN THE FORECAST INTO TUE NIGHT. SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY FORECAST CONCERN THIS PERIOD WILL BE LATE TNT THRU ABOUT NOON TUE ALONG THE I-70 CORRIDOR AND WHETHER ANY HEADLINES WILL BE NEEDED WITH THE THREAT FOR FREEZING PRECIP DEVELOPING BEFORE THE MORNING RUSH HOUR. MODELS VERY SIMILAR IN THE SHORT TERM IN DEVELOPING PRECIP FROM SOUTH TO NORTH AFTR MIDNIGHT AS LOW LEVEL WARM ADVECTION AND ISENT ASCENT INCREASES. BUFKIT SOUNDINGS OFF THE NAM-WRF SUGGEST A BRIEF PERIOD OF LIGHT SNOW ACRS THE FAR SOUTHEAST BETWEEN 06Z-09Z WITH TEMPERATURE PROFILES WARMING JUST ABOVE ZERO BETWEEN 900-850 MB WHICH WOULD SUPPORT A MIX OR EVEN CHG TO FREEZING DRIZZLE. SOUNDINGS SUGGESTING MOISTURE DEPTH NOT SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO SUPPORT MUCH MORE THAN DRIZZLE OR FREEZING DRIZZLE ALONG THE I-70 CORRIDOR DURING THE MRNG...WITH MORE DRIZZLE OCCURRING DURING THE AFTN AS SFC TEMPERATURES WARM ABOVE FREEZING BY THEN. HIGHEST POPS WL BE MAINLY ALONG AND EAST OF I-57 WITH PROGRESSIVELY LOWER CHC POPS TO THE WEST AND NORTH. BASED OFF OF THE SOUNDING PROFILES FURTHER NORTH...MAY ACTUALLY SEE A MIX OF DRIZZLE AND LIGHT SNOW FROM TIME TO TIME. SOUNDINGS INDICATING EVEN ACRS THE NORTH...MOISTURE DEPTH NOT SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO SUPPORT MUCH MORE THAN SUPER COOLED WATER DROPLETS THRU THE COLUMN WHICH WOULD LEAN MORE TWDS THE DRIZZLE OR VERY LIGHT SNOW. MAY ACTUALLY HAVE A LITTLE FREEZING DRIZZLE MIXED IN AS WELL WEST OF I-57 INTO THE EARLY AFTN IF SFC TEMPS ARE SLOWER TO WARM THAN WHAT IS CURRENTLY INDICATED. FOR NOW WL KEEP THE FORECAST AS IS FURTHER WEST AND NORTH...WITH CHANCES OF LIGHT SNOW. WL CUT BACK ON QPF/SNOW AMTS WHERE WE DO GET THE SNOW AS SOUNDING PROFILES DO NOT SUPPORT MUCH IF ANY SNOW ACCUM. IN AREAS THAT DO SEE ANY SNOW...LOOKS TO BE LESS THAN AN INCH. BASED ON THE ABOVE REASONING AND THE FACT THE WINTRY PRECIP WL BE DEVELOPING LATE TNT...JUST BEFORE THE MORNING RUSH TOMORROW...HAVE DECIDED TO GO WITH A WINTER WEATHER ADVSY FOR LIGHT ICING FROM CUMBERLAND AND CLARK COUNTIES SOUTH STARTING JUST AFTR MIDNIGHT AND RUNNING IT THRU MOST OF TUE MRNG. MODELS INDICATE A SECONDARY SHORTWAVE DROPPING INTO THE UPPER LEVEL TROF LATE TUE NIGHT INTO WED WHICH WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OR LOW CHANCE POPS. THE SURFACE LOW WL START TO DEEPEN ACRS THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES AS THIS FEATURE HELPS TO CLOSE OFF A 500 MB LOW OVR SRN WISCONSIN BY NOON ON WEDNESDAY. THIS SHOULD DRAW DOWN SOME COLDER AIR AGAIN INTO THE FORECAST AREA WITH A DECREASING TREND IN POPS WED NIGHT INTO THURSDAY AS THE UPPER TROF AXIS GRDLY SHIFTS EAST OF OUR AREA. LONG TERM...FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY LEANING MORE ON THE ECMWF THIS PERIOD WITH TEMPERATURES AND TIMING OF THE NEXT PRECIP MAKER INTO THE AREA LATER FRIDAY INTO FRIDAY NIGHT THE MAIN FORECAST CONCERN. RATHER ACTIVE FLOW PATTERN ACRS THE LOWER 48 THIS PERIOD AS THE NEXT SIGNIFICANT SHORTWAVE RACES SE INTO THE PLAINS FRIDAY AND TO OUR EAST BY SATURDAY MRNG. MOISTURE RETURN AHEAD OF THIS FEATURE WILL BE LIMITED BUT STILL WORTH THE LOW CHANCE POPS WE CURRENTLY HAVE GOING. STRONG WARM ADVECTION PATTERN AHEAD OF THE SHORTWAVE ON FRIDAY MAY BRING IN A BRIEF PERIOD OF RAIN OR SNOW FOLLOWED BY SOME SNOW SHOWERS OR FLURRIES LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING AS MUCH COLDER AIR TRACKS SE INTO CNTRL ILLINOIS. WARMEST TEMPERATURES ACRS THE SOUTHWEST FRIDAY AFTN MAY NOT BE WARM ENOUGH AS MODELS SUGGEST 850 TEMPS OF +5 TO +8 DEGREES C PUSHING INTO OUR WEST AND SOUTH BY AFTN. WL UP TEMPERATURES...ESP ACRS THE WEST AND SOUTH FOR FRIDAY AFTN IN ADVANCE OF THIS SYSTEM. THE MEDIUM RANGE MODELS ALREADY SHOWING THE NEXT FAST MOVING WAVE APPRCHG THE AREA ON MONDAY WHICH MAY BRING SOME PRECIP INTO THE AREA LATER IN THE DAY OR NIGHT. WL LET A FEW MORE MODEL RUNS PIN DOWN THE TIMING A LITTLE BETTER WITH THIS FEATURE BEFORE MAKING ANY CHANGES TO DAY 7. SMITH && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 11 AM CST TUESDAY FOR ILZ062-063- 066>068-071>073. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 320 PM CST MON JAN 5 2009 ILZ027-028-061200- KNOX-STARK- 320 PM CST MON JAN 5 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR KNOX AND STARK COUNTIES. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY AS A STORM SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY REGION...IT WILL SPREAD AREAS OF LIGHT SNOW INTO CENTRAL ILLINOIS ON TUESDAY. ANY ACCUMULATION SHOULD BE LESS THAN AN INCH. ANOTHER ROUND OF WINTRY WEATHER WILL BE POSSIBLE FRIDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ029>031-036-037-040-041-047-049-050-061200- CASS-FULTON-MARSHALL-MASON-MORGAN-PEORIA-SCHUYLER-SCOTT-TAZEWELL- WOODFORD- 320 PM CST MON JAN 5 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR AREAS ALONG THE ILLINOIS RIVER. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THE ILLINOIS RIVER WILL CONTINUE TO RISE AT BEARDSTOWN AND POINTS DOWNSTREAM FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. FOR LOCATIONS FURTHER NORTH... LEVELS WILL SLOWLY FALL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THE ILLINOIS RIVER SHOULD FALL BELOW FLOOD STAGE AT HENRY BY FRIDAY EVENING...BUT REMAIN IN FLOOD FURTHER SOUTH FOR SEVERAL DAYS. AS A STORM SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY REGION...IT WILL SPREAD AREAS OF LIGHT SNOW INTO CENTRAL ILLINOIS TUESDAY. THIS WILL CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY BEFORE ENDING. ANY ACCUMULATION SHOULD BE LESS THAN AN INCH. ANOTHER ROUND OF WINTRY WEATHER WILL BE POSSIBLE FRIDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ038-042-043-048-051>053-061200- CHRISTIAN-DE WITT-LOGAN-MACON-MCLEAN-MENARD-SANGAMON- 320 PM CST MON JAN 5 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY AS A STORM SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY REGION...IT WILL SPREAD PRECIPITATION NORTHWARD ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS TUESDAY. THIS WILL BEGIN AS LIGHT SNOW. TEMPERATURES WILL RISE ABOVE FREEZING FOR A TIME...SWITCHING THE PRECIPITATION TO FREEZING DRIZZLE AND RAIN. HOWEVER...THE SNOW SHOULD RETURN TUESDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY BEFORE ENDING. ANY SNOW ACCUMULATION SHOULD BE LESS THAN AN INCH. ANOTHER ROUND OF WINTRY WEATHER WILL BE POSSIBLE FRIDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ044>046-054>057-061-061200- CHAMPAIGN-COLES-DOUGLAS-EDGAR-MOULTRIE-PIATT-SHELBY-VERMILION- 320 PM CST MON JAN 5 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY AS A STORM SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY REGION...IT WILL SPREAD PRECIPITATION NORTHWARD ACROSS EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS TUESDAY. THIS WILL BEGIN AS A MIXTURE OF FREEZING DRIZZLE AND LIGHT SNOW. TEMPERATURES WILL RISE ABOVE FREEZING FOR A TIME...SWITCHING THE PRECIPITATION TO RAIN. HOWEVER...THE MIXTURE SHOULD RETURN TUESDAY NIGHT AND CHANGE TO SNOW...CONTINUING INTO WEDNESDAY BEFORE ENDING. ANY SNOW ACCUMULATION SHOULD BE LESS THAN AN INCH. ANOTHER ROUND OF WINTRY WEATHER WILL BE POSSIBLE FRIDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ063-068-073-061200- CLARK-CRAWFORD-LAWRENCE- 320 PM CST MON JAN 5 2009 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM TO 11 AM CST TUESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR LOCATIONS ALONG THE WABASH RIVER. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THE WABASH RIVER IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN IN FLOOD THROUGH TONIGHT. AS A STORM SYSTEM BEGINS TO LIFT TOWARD THE OHIO VALLEY...IT WILL SPREAD LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE OR SNOW INTO SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS AFTER MIDNIGHT...RESULTING IN HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS BY MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY FLOODING ALONG THE WABASH RIVER WILL SUBSIDE BY LATE THURSDAY. THE MIXTURE OF FREEZING DRIZZLE AND SNOW WILL CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY MORNING...BEFORE THE PRECIPITATION CHANGES TO RAIN. HOWEVER...THIS MIXTURE IS EXPECTED TO RETURN TUESDAY NIGHT...PRIMARILY AFTER MIDNIGHT. SOME LIGHT SNOW MAY LINGER INTO WEDNESDAY BEFORE FINALLY ENDING. ANY SNOW ACCUMULATION SHOULD BE LESS THAN AN INCH. ANOTHER ROUND OF WINTRY WEATHER WILL BE POSSIBLE FRIDAY NIGHT AS WELL. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ062-066-067-071-072-061200- CLAY-CUMBERLAND-EFFINGHAM-JASPER-RICHLAND- 320 PM CST MON JAN 5 2009 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM TO 11 AM CST TUESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR AREAS OF SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS AWAY FROM THE WABASH RIVER. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT AS A STORM SYSTEM BEGINS TO LIFT TOWARD THE OHIO VALLEY...IT WILL SPREAD LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE OR SNOW INTO SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS AFTER MIDNIGHT...RESULTING IN HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS BY MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THE MIXTURE OF FREEZING DRIZZLE AND SNOW WILL CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY MORNING...BEFORE THE PRECIPITATION CHANGES TO RAIN. HOWEVER...THIS MIXTURE IS EXPECTED TO RETURN TUESDAY NIGHT...PRIMARILY AFTER MIDNIGHT. SOME LIGHT SNOW MAY LINGER INTO WEDNESDAY BEFORE FINALLY ENDING. ANY SNOW ACCUMULATION SHOULD BE LESS THAN AN INCH. ANOTHER ROUND OF WINTRY WEATHER WILL BE POSSIBLE FRIDAY NIGHT AS WELL. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. GEELHART
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
A pick-up truck lost control and overturned on I-72 near mile marker 55 in Scott County at around 5:50 AM. The driver of the truck suffered moderate injuries and was transported to an area hospital. Icy road conditions were to blame for the accident.
Numerous traffic accidents were reported by Illinois State Police across Vermilion County as a result of icy road conditions. One woman slid off the road just north of Sidell at around 10:54 AM and was transported to a local hospital. Another woman lost her life as her vehicle slid off I-74 near mile marker 213 just west of Tilton at 9:30 AM.
Numerous traffic accidents occurred across Champaign County due to icy road conditions.
Numerous traffic accidents occurred across Piatt County due to icy road conditions.
Numerous traffic accidents occurred across McLean County due to icy road conditions.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather, Vermilion | 2009-01-06 | 42 | Female | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Indirect |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, January 2009
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: 149672, 149673, 149674, 149675, 149676.