A low pressure system tracked from Texas into the Ohio River Valley, bringing widespread snow to central Illinois on February 8th and 9th. Most locations north of the I-70 corridor picked up between 3 and 6 inches of snow, with the heaviest amounts in excess of 6 inches occurring west of the Illinois River.
Every event with a place to put it; 13 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 low pressure system tracked from Texas into the Ohio River Valley, bringing widespread snow to central Illinois on February 8th and 9th. Most locations north of the I-70 corridor picked up between 3 and 6 inches of snow, with the heaviest amounts in excess of 6 inches occurring west of the Illinois River. Once the system moved east of the area, gusty northwesterly winds caused considerable blowing and drifitng snow through the night of February 9th.
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 8, 10:57 AM CST, 3 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 1057 AM CST MON FEB 8 2010 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 1053 AM CST MON FEB 8 2010 SIGNIFICANT POCKET OF RATHER DRY AIR EAST OF INTERSTATE 55 HOLDING BACK THE SNOW A BIT THIS MORNING. GOING FORECAST REFLECTS THIS RATHER WELL...SPREADING THE SNOW THROUGH THE REST OF THE CWA BY NOON. SO FAR...FORECAST IS ACTUALLY DOING QUITE WELL AS THE STORM SYSTEMS OVER IOWA AND THE SOUTHERN PLAINS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP. WILL LIKELY SEND OUT A ZONE UPDATE AT NOON FOR MORNING WORDING AND A FEW TWEAKS...BUT OVERALL...NO MAJOR CHANGES EXPECTED FOR THE FORECAST IN THE SHORTER TERM. HJS && .AVIATION... ISSUED 557 AM CST MON FEB 8 2010 SNOW WILL GRADUALLY DEVELOP ACROSS THE CENTRAL ILLINOIS TERMINALS TODAY FROM WEST TO EAST WITH THE APPROACH OF A STORM SYSTEM. ONCE THE SNOW BEGINS...EXPECT CIGS/VSBYS TO FALL INTO THE MVFR CATEGORY. CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE 12Z TAF PERIOD...WITH IFR/LIFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED BY LATE IN THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT AS THE HEAVIEST SNOW ARRIVES. WINDS WILL GENERALLY BE EASTERLY AT 10 KTS OR LESS THROUGH THE PERIOD. BAK && .PREV DISCUSSION... ISSUED 230 AM CST MON FEB 8 2010 MAIN FORECAST ISSUE FOR TODAY REMAINS THE UPCOMING WINTER STORM. LATEST WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWING TWO RELATED ITEMS FOR THIS ISSUE. THE FIRST IS A STRONG UPPER LOW CURRENTLY CENTERED ALONG THE NORTH/SOUTH DAKOTA BORDER...WHILE ANOTHER UPPER LOW WAS LOCATED NEAR THE FOUR CORNERS REGION OF THE SOUTHWEST U.S. A SURFACE LOW WAS CENTERED IN NORTHWEST IOWA...WITH A RATHER PRONOUNCED INVERTED TROUGH EXTENDING NORTHWARD. SOME SCATTERED LIGHT SNOW HAS BEEN LOCATED WEST OF I-55 THE LAST SEVERAL HOURS...LEAVING A THIN COATING IN A FEW AREAS. REGIONAL RADAR MOSAICS SHOWING MORE WIDESPREAD SNOW WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... SHORT-RANGE MODELS IN REASONABLE AGREEMENT...PUSHING THE SURFACE TROUGH ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY TONIGHT WHILE THE UPPER LOW DROPS SOUTHEAST INTO IOWA...THEN EAST ACROSS CENTRAL ILLINOIS ON TUESDAY. SOUTHWESTERN UPPER LOW SHOULD HELP FORM A SURFACE REFLECTION...WHICH IS EXPECTED TO LIFT NORTHEAST INTO THE TENNESSEE VALLEY ON TUESDAY. ISENTROPIC LIFT IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE THIS MORNING...AND SHOULD BE MAXIMIZED IN OUR AREA FROM THE AFTERNOON THROUGH ABOUT MIDNIGHT. NOT MUCH CHANGE IN TIMING OF SNOW FROM EARLIER FORECAST...BEGINNING IN THE WESTERN CWA THIS MORNING AND WORKING ITS WAY EASTWARD. FORECAST SOUNDINGS IN THE LOWER LEVELS STILL SOMEWHAT DRY ACROSS THE EASTERN CWA...WHICH SHOULD REMAIN LARGELY SNOW FREE UNTIL LATE AFTERNOON OR EARLY EVENING. GREATEST SNOW TOTALS EXPECTED IN THE 00-12Z TIME FRAME TONIGHT...BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF A DRY SLOT ON TUESDAY. AREAS SOUTH OF I-72 MOST LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED BY THIS...AND AS A RESULT WILL CONTINUE WITH CATEGORICAL POPS ACROSS THE FAR NORTHERN CWA THROUGH TUESDAY. SURFACE CYCLONE EXPECTED TO RAPIDLY INTENSIFY AS IT LIFTS NORTHEAST TO SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN OR LAKE ERIE BY MIDNIGHT TUESDAY NIGHT...WITH TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT LEADING TO STRENGTHENING WINDS AND BLOWING SNOW DEVELOPING TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUING THROUGH THE NIGHT. WILL TAKE THE WINTER STORM WATCH AND CONVERT IT TO A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY CWA-WIDE...BEGINNING THIS AFTERNOON WEST OF HIGHWAY 51 AND AT 6 PM TO THE EAST...RUNNING THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT EVERYWHERE. WHILE THE OVERALL SNOW TOTALS WILL BE AROUND 6 INCHES...THIS WILL BE SPREAD OUT OVER THE COURSE OF ABOUT 48 HOURS. ALSO...THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS THAT CONVECTION ACROSS THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY MAY IMPEDE SOME OF THE MOISTURE RETURN THIS FAR NORTH. WILL NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE FAR NORTHERN CWA FOR POTENTIAL HEAVIER SNOW BANDS...ALTHOUGH HEAVIEST SNOW IS EXPECTED FURTHER NORTH TOWARD THE CHICAGO AREA. LONG TERM...THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... LITTLE CHANGE MADE TO THE EXTENDED PORTION OF THE FORECAST. WEAK CLIPPER-TYPE SYSTEM MAY ZIP SOUTHEAST INTO THE AREA ON FRIDAY...AS A STRONG SHORTWAVE MOVES ALONG THE GULF COAST. WILL NEED TO SEE WHAT KIND OF MOISTURE IS AVAILABLE WITH THIS FEATURE...ALTHOUGH LONG-RANGE MODELS TRY TO SQUEEZE OUT A BIT OF SNOW. AMPLIFYING RIDGE ACROSS THE WESTERN CONUS EXPECTED TO KEEP A NORTHWEST FLOW ACROSS THE MIDWEST...WITH TEMPERATURES REMAINING WELL BELOW NORMAL THROUGH THE WEEKEND. GEELHART && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM CST WEDNESDAY FOR ILZ044>046-054>057-061>063-066>068-071>073. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM CST WEDNESDAY FOR ILZ027>031- 036>038-040>043-047>053. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 548 AM CST MON FEB 8 2010 ILZ027>031-036>038-040>043-047>051-091100- CASS-DE WITT-FULTON-KNOX-LOGAN-MARSHALL-MASON-MCLEAN-MENARD- MORGAN-PEORIA-SANGAMON-SCHUYLER-SCOTT-STARK-TAZEWELL-WOODFORD- 548 AM CST MON FEB 8 2010 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 AM CST WEDNESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A WINTER STORM WILL IMPACT THE REGION TODAY INTO TUESDAY... BRINGING ACCUMULATING SNOW TO CENTRAL ILLINOIS. THE SNOW WILL DEVELOP DURING THE DAYTIME HOURS TODAY...BUT THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL IS ANTICIPATED TONIGHT AND EARLY TUESDAY. FOR INTERESTS ALONG THE ILLINOIS RIVER...FLOODING WILL CONTINUE FROM HAVANA TO BEARDSTOWN THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS...ALTHOUGH RIVER LEVELS WILL CONTINUE TO SLOWLY FALL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THE SNOW WILL GRADUALLY TAPER OFF TUESDAY AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT...CAUSING BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. CURRENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT A STORM TOTAL OF 4 TO 7 INCHES OF SNOW ARE LIKELY ACROSS THE REGION...WITH THE HIGHEST TOTALS EXPECTED ALONG AND NORTH OF THE I-74 CORRIDOR. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. A CONFERENCE CALL WILL BE CONDUCTED FOR EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND THE MEDIA AT 1030 AM TODAY. ILZ044>046-054>057-061>063-066>068-071>073-091100- CHAMPAIGN-CLARK-CLAY-COLES-CRAWFORD-CUMBERLAND-DOUGLAS-EDGAR- EFFINGHAM-JASPER-LAWRENCE-MOULTRIE-PIATT-RICHLAND-SHELBY- VERMILION- 548 AM CST MON FEB 8 2010 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM CST WEDNESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS...EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A WINTER STORM WILL IMPACT THE REGION TODAY INTO TUESDAY... BRINGING ACCUMULATING SNOW TO CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. THE SNOW WILL DEVELOP DURING THE DAYTIME HOURS TODAY...BUT THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL IS ANTICIPATED TONIGHT AND EARLY TUESDAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THE SNOW WILL GRADUALLY TAPER OFF TUESDAY AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT...CAUSING BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. CURRENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT A STORM TOTAL OF 4 TO 7 INCHES OF SNOW ARE LIKELY ACROSS THE REGION...WITH THE HIGHEST TOTALS EXPECTED ALONG AND NORTH OF THE I-74 CORRIDOR. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. A CONFERENCE CALL WILL BE CONDUCTED FOR EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND THE MEDIA AT 11 AM TODAY. ILZ052-053-091100- CHRISTIAN-MACON- 548 AM CST MON FEB 8 2010 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 AM CST WEDNESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A WINTER STORM WILL IMPACT THE REGION TODAY INTO TUESDAY... BRINGING ACCUMULATING SNOW TO CENTRAL ILLINOIS. THE SNOW WILL DEVELOP DURING THE DAYTIME HOURS TODAY...BUT THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL IS ANTICIPATED TONIGHT AND EARLY TUESDAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THE SNOW WILL GRADUALLY TAPER OFF TUESDAY AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT...CAUSING BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. CURRENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT A STORM TOTAL OF 4 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW ARE LIKELY ACROSS THE REGION. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. A CONFERENCE CALL WILL BE CONDUCTED FOR EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND THE MEDIA AT 11 AM TODAY. BAK
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
8 winter weather, 5 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Numerous weather observers across Knox County reported 6 to 8 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Fulton County reported 6 to 7 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Peoria County reported around 6 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Stark County reported around 6 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Sangamon County reported between 3 and 5 inches of snow. As a result of slick and snow-covered roads, several traffic accidents occurred. One woman's car slid onto a railway crossing in Springfield and became stuck. She was able to evacuate her vehicle moments before it was hit by an oncoming train.
Numerous weather observers across Marshall County reported around 6 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Tazewell County reported 3 to 5 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Woodford County reported 4 to 5 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers in McLean County reported 3 to 5 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across DeWitt County reported 3 to 5 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Piatt County reported 3 to 5 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Vermilion County reported 3 to 5 inches of snow. As a result of slick and snow-covered roads, several minor traffic accidents were reported. The most significant accident happened on I-74 just west of Danville when a driver lost control of their vehicle and spun into the path of another vehicle. One person was injured.
Numerous weather observers across Champaign County reported 4 to 6 inches of snow. As a result of slick and snow-covered roads, several minor traffic accidents were reported.
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: 215888, 215887, 215891, 215892, 215899, 215889, 215896, 215898, 216049, 215894, 215895, 215897, 215893.