Low pressure tracking from Missouri into northern Ohio brought a mix of rain and snow to parts of central Illinois. The heaviest snow with this system fell along and west of the Illinois River, where widespread amounts of 5 to 8 inches were observed.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 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.
Low pressure tracking from Missouri into northern Ohio brought a mix of rain and snow to parts of central Illinois. The heaviest snow with this system fell along and west of the Illinois River, where widespread amounts of 5 to 8 inches were observed. Further east, temperatures remained warm enough to support mostly rain along and east of I-55.
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 Feb 21, 5:57 AM CST, 3 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 557 AM CST SUN FEB 21 2010 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 241 AM CST SUN FEB 21 2010 MAIN CONCERN WITH THIS FORECAST PACKAGE CONTINUES TO BE THE APPROACHING WINTER STORM...AND EXACTLY WHERE THE RAIN/SNOW LINE WILL LAY OUT. 07Z SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWS LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPING OVER EASTERN NEW MEXICO...WITH STATIONARY FRONTAL BOUNDARY EXTENDING NORTHEASTWARD INTO THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY. LARGE AREA OF MAINLY RAIN SHOWERS HAS DEVELOPED NORTH OF THE FRONT ACROSS MISSOURI AND ILLINOIS...WITH LIGHT SNOW ALONG THE NORTHERN FRINGE OF THE PRECIP SHIELD. ALOFT...VIGOROUS SHORT-WAVE IS EVIDENT ON WATER VAPOR IMAGERY PUSHING INTO WESTERN TEXAS. SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY 00Z 21 FEB MODELS HAVE SHOWN NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES FROM PREVIOUS RUNS. CONSENSUS STILL TAKES LOW PRESSURE FROM NEW MEXICO NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS SOUTH-CENTRAL ILLINOIS TONIGHT...GENERALLY ALONG OR JUST SOUTH OF THE I-70 CORRIDOR. CORRESPONDING 700MB LOW TRACKS FROM NORTH OF ST. LOUIS TO NEAR JOLIET BY 18Z MON...SUGGESTING THE HEAVIEST PRECIP WILL BE FOCUSED ACROSS THE NORTHWEST KILX CWA. RAIN WILL BE THE PREDOMINANT PRECIP TYPE WITH THIS SYSTEM ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS...HOWEVER FORECAST SOUNDINGS SUGGEST A HEAVY WET SNOW FOR LOCATIONS ALONG AND NORTHWEST OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. NAM-WRF TIME-HEIGHT CROSS-SECTIONS INDICATE TWO MAIN PERIODS OF LIFT WITH THIS EVENT...ONE EARLY THIS MORNING ASSOCIATED WITH LOW-LEVEL WARM ADVECTION WELL IN ADVANCE OF THE STORM AND ANOTHER FROM LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PRIMARY SURFACE/UPPER WAVE. INITIAL LIFT QUICKLY WEAKENS BY MID-MORNING...RESULTING IN ONLY LIGHT PRECIP THROUGHOUT THE DAY. LOCATIONS EAST OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER WILL SEE ALL RAIN...WHILE AREAS TO THE WEST WILL SEE MAINLY SNOW. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS DURING THE DAY WILL BE MITIGATED BY A NUMBER OF FACTORS...INCLUDING MEAGER PRECIP TOTALS AND SURFACE TEMPS HOVERING IN THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 30S. AM EXPECTING LESS THAN ONE INCH IN THE PEORIA AREA THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON...WITH PERHAPS AN INCH OR TWO FURTHER WEST ACROSS KNOX AND STARK COUNTIES. MAIN UPPER-WAVE APPROACHES FROM THE SOUTHWEST BY THIS EVENING...GREATLY ENHANCING LIFT ACROSS THE AREA. GIVEN WIDESPREAD CONVECTION CURRENTLY BREAKING OUT ACROSS OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS IN ADVANCE OF THIS FEATURE...AM A BIT CONCERNED THE MODELS DO NOT HAVE AN ADEQUATE HANDLE ON ITS STRENGTH. NAM-WRF CROSS-SECTIONS ARE SHOWING STRONGEST LIFT SETTING UP BETWEEN 00Z AND 09Z...DURING WHICH TIME THE HEAVIEST PRECIP WILL BE FALLING. BUFKIT DATA INDICATES A BULLS-EYE OF OMEGA IN THE DENDRITIC GROWTH ZONE...SUGGESTING THE POTENTIAL FOR VERY LARGE SNOWFLAKES AND HEFTY SNOWFALL RATES OF 1 INCH PER HOUR OR GREATER. WITH THE RAIN/SNOW LINE ESSENTIALLY STRADDLING THE ILLINOIS RIVER THIS EVENING... GREATEST CONCERN FOR HEAVY SNOWFALL REMAINS WEST OF THE RIVER INITIALLY. AS THE SURFACE LOW TRACKS INTO SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS LATE TONIGHT...WINDS WILL BEGIN BACKING TO THE NORTH/NORTHWEST...HELPING DRAW COLDER AIR SOUTHWARD. AS A RESULT...RAIN/SNOW LINE WILL BEGIN ADVANCING EASTWARD AFTER MIDNIGHT AND SHOULD REACH THE I-55 CORRIDOR BETWEEN 09Z AND 12Z. FURTHER EAST...RAIN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE ENTIRE NIGHT FOR EAST-CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. AS THE LOW EJECTS OUT OF THE AREA...PRECIP WILL QUICKLY DIMINISH MONDAY MORNING. WILL SEE A PERIOD OF SNOW ALONG I-55 MONDAY MORNING...BUT MAY ONLY GET A FEW WET SNOWFLAKES IN THE CHAMPAIGN AND DANVILLE AREAS BEFORE THE PRECIP CUTS OFF. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WITH THIS WINTER STORM WILL BE GREATEST NORTHWEST OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER...WITH 7 TO 9 INCHES ACROSS KNOX AND STARK COUNTIES. FURTHER EAST...5 TO 7 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG AND WEST OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. LESSER AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ARE ANTICIPATED FOR THE COUNTIES IMMEDIATELY EAST OF THE RIVER. FURTHER EAST...SNOW AMOUNTS WILL DROP OFF RAPIDLY...WITH PERHAPS UP TO ONE INCH ALONG I-55 AND NOTHING ACROSS EAST-CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NOT MUCH GOING ON IN THE EXTENDED...AS A DEEP UPPER TROUGH IS STILL EXPECTED TO DOMINATE THE WEATHER ACROSS THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES AND NEW ENGLAND BY THE MIDDLE AND END OF THE WEEK. THIS WILL KEEP CENTRAL ILLINOIS LOCKED INTO A COLD NORTHERLY FLOW...FEATURING BELOW NORMAL TEMPS AND PRECIP. CHILLY HIGHS IN THE 20S AND 30S WILL BE COMMON...WITH VERY COLD OVERNIGHT LOWS DIPPING INTO THE TEENS. COLDEST LOW TEMPS WILL LIKELY OCCUR THURSDAY MORNING...WHEN SKIES CLEAR AND READINGS PLUNGE INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS OVER THE FRESH SNOW COVER IN THE ILLINOIS RIVER VALLEY. BARNES && .AVIATION... ISSUED 557 AM CST SUN FEB 21 2010...FOR THE 12Z TAFS WAA PRECIP WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE CWA THIS MORNING AS LOW PRESSURE IN N TEXAS BEGINS TO LIFT NE ALONG THE STATIONARY FRONT. CMI/DEC WILL SEE CIGS DROP TO IFR OR LIFR BY 14Z...AS RAIN SATURATES THE LOWER LEVELS. FORECAST SOUNDINGS INDICATE PRECIP MAY DIMINISH FOR A TIME EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...BEFORE THE MAIN ROUND OF PRECIP BEGINS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE LOW IS EXPECTED TO REACH SOUTHEAST IL ALONG THE BORDER OF INDIANA BY 12Z MONDAY. THAT EXPECTED TRACK WOULD PUT HEAVY SNOW JUST NORTHWEST OF PEORIA...WITH BMI IN THE RAIN SNOW TRANSITION AREA...AND SPI CLOSE BY AS WELL. ALL RAIN IS EXPECTED FOR DEC AND CMI UNTIL LATE SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING. WILL KEEP LIFR CIGS AND IFR TO LIFR VIS DURING THE BULK OF THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD. PIA WILL HAVE THE BEST CHANCE FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOWS OF AROUND 6 INCHES. WINDS WILL REMAIN NORTHEAST UNTIL COLD AIR IS BE USHERED IN ON NORTH WINDS ON MONDAY. SHIMON && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 PM CST MONDAY FOR ILZ027>030-036-040. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 PM CST MONDAY FOR ILZ031-037-041-047. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 313 PM CST SAT FEB 20 2010 ILZ027>030-036-040-211200- FULTON-KNOX-MARSHALL-PEORIA-SCHUYLER-STARK- 313 PM CST SAT FEB 20 2010 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON SUNDAY TO 6 PM CST MONDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT AREAS OF FOG WILL OVERSPREAD THE ILLINOIS RIVER VALLEY INTO THIS EVENING AND CONTINUE OVERNIGHT. THE FOG COULD BECOME LOCALLY DENSE IN PLACES RESTRICTING VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN A HALF MILE AT TIMES. LIGHT SNOW MAY DEVELOP AFTER 3 AM TONIGHT...WITH A DUSTING OF SNOW POSSIBLE BY SUNRISE SUNDAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY PERIODS OF LIGHT SNOW WILL CONTINUE SUNDAY...WITH 1 TO 2 INCHES BY SUNSET SUNDAY AND HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE FROM GALESBURG NORTHWEST. MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED SUNDAY NIGHT...WHEN THE MAJORITY OF SNOW ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED. TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES IS LIKELY BY MONDAY AFTERNOON NORTHWEST OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER...WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS ALONG AND NORTHWEST OF A GALESBURG TO TOULON LINE IN KNOX AND STARK COUNTIES. RAIN WILL MIX WITH THE SNOW CLOSER TO THE ILLINOIS RIVER VALLEY SUNDAY AND CHANGE TO ALL SNOW AFTER MIDNIGHT SUNDAY NIGHT. THE SNOW SHOULD DIMINISH LATER MONDAY...AS COLDER AIR ARRIVES ON BRISK NORTHWEST WINDS WHICH WILL CAUSE SOME BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...ESPECIALLY IN OPEN AREAS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ031-037-038-041-047-049-050-211200- CASS-MASON-MCLEAN-MORGAN-SCOTT-TAZEWELL-WOODFORD- 313 PM CST SAT FEB 20 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT AREAS OF FOG WILL DEVELOP THIS EVENING AND CONTINUE OVERNIGHT. THE FOG COULD BECOME DENSE IN PLACES RESTRICTING VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN A HALF MILE. A MIXTURE OF RAIN AND SNOW WILL DEVELOP AFTER 3 AM TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY A STRONG STORM SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO SPREAD SNOW AND RAIN ACROSS CENTRAL ILLINOIS SUNDAY. THE BETTER CHANCES OF SNOW WILL BE FARTHER NORTHWEST...CLOSER TO THE ILLINOIS RIVER. RAIN WILL BE MORE LIKE THE FARTHER SOUTHEAST OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER YOU GO. THE BEST CHANCES FOR MEASURABLE SNOW WILL BE SUNDAY NIGHT...WITH 1 TO 3 INCHES OF SNOW POSSIBLE JUST SOUTHEAST OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. THE PRECIPITATION WILL TURN TO ALL SNOW LATER SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY...AS COLD AIR ARRIVES ON BRISK NORTHWEST WINDS. ONLY LIGHT ADDITIONAL SNOW ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED MONDAY BUT BRISK NORTHWEST WINDS COULD CAUSE SOME BLOWING SNOW NORTHWEST OF I-55. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ042>046-048-051>057-061>063-066>068-071>073-211200- CHAMPAIGN-CHRISTIAN-CLARK-CLAY-COLES-CRAWFORD-CUMBERLAND-DE WITT- DOUGLAS-EDGAR-EFFINGHAM-JASPER-LAWRENCE-LOGAN-MACON-MENARD- MOULTRIE-PIATT-RICHLAND-SANGAMON-SHELBY-VERMILION- 313 PM CST SAT FEB 20 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS...EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT AREAS OF FOG WILL DEVELOP THIS EVENING AND CONTINUE OVERNIGHT. THE FOG COULD GET DENSE IN PLACES RESTRICTING VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN A HALF MILE AT TIMES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY A STRONG STORM SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO SPREAD RAIN ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS LATER TONIGHT AND SUNDAY. SLEET AND LIGHT SNOW IS POSSIBLE INTO MID SUNDAY MORNING NORTH OF I-72 AT THE ONSET OF PRECIPITATION. THE RAIN WILL MIX WITH AND EVENTUALLY CHANGE TO LIGHT SNOW FROM WEST TO EAST DURING THE DAY MONDAY. BUT LITTLE OR NO SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED EAST OF I-55. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. KH
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 winter weather, 2 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Numerous weather observers across Knox County picked up between 6 and 8 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Fulton County picked up between 6 and 8 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Marshall County picked up between 4 and 5 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Peoria County picked up between 4 and 5 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Schuyler County picked up between 4 and 5 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Stark County picked up between 4 and 5 inches of snow.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, February 2010
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: 216026, 216025, 216027, 216028, 216029, 216030.