An upper-level disturbance tracked across the region on January 20th, bringing a period of freezing rain to central Illinois. Ice accumulations of one tenth to one quarter of an inch were common along and north of I-72.
Every event with a place to put it; 11 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.
An upper-level disturbance tracked across the region on January 20th, bringing a period of freezing rain to central Illinois. Ice accumulations of one tenth to one quarter of an inch were common along and north of I-72. As a result of the ice, numerous traffic accidents and injuries were reported. One person was killed when they lost control of their vehicle and slid into an oncoming semi in Tazewell County. In addition, over 26,000 people lost power due to downed tree branches and powerlines.
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 20, 5:54 AM CST, 1 hour 6 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 554 AM CST WED JAN 20 2010 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 225 AM CST WED JAN 20 2010 LATEST RADAR IMAGERY SHOWING RAIN SHIELD APPROACHING THE FAR SOUTHWEST CWA. TEMPERATURES IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA ARE RIGHT AROUND FREEZING. LATEST LAPS SOUNDINGS CONTINUE TO SHOW NOSE OF WARMER AIR AROUND 900 MB WITH TEMPERATURES AT THIS LEVEL IN THE MID 40S...ALTHOUGH THE AIR ABOVE THE INVERSION IS STILL A BIT ON THE DRY SIDE. FURTHER NORTHEAST...DRIER NORTHEAST FLOW FROM HIGH PRESSURE NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR...COMBINED WITH A PERIOD OF CLEAR SKIES...ALLOWED TEMPERATURES EARLIER TO DIP INTO THE 20 DEGREE RANGE ALONG THE NORTHEAST EDGE OF THE CWA. 07Z SURFACE MAP SHOWING A STATIONARY FRONTAL BOUNDARY FROM EASTERN KANSAS INTO EXTREME SOUTHERN ILLINOIS. ASSOCIATED LIFT AND LOW PRESSURE TRACK...WITH FREEZING RAIN POTENTIAL...WILL BE THE MAIN ISSUE IN THE SHORT TERM. FURTHER ON...EVOLUTION OF WEEKEND STORM SYSTEM WILL BE THE NEXT CONCERN. SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY... MAIN PRECIPITATION BAND TO CROSS THE CWA TODAY...LARGELY EXITING THE AREA BY SUNSET. FORECAST SOUNDINGS CONTINUE TO SHOW MUCH OF THE CWA WITH A SHALLOW COLD LAYER AROUND 1500 FEET THICK...SUPPORTING FREEZING RAIN AT THE START. QUESTION THEN BECOMES HOW LONG THIS ICING WILL CONTINUE. GIVEN THE DRY NORTHEAST FLOW AND THE COLD START TO THE DAY...HAVE SOME CONCERNS THAT THE NORTHERN CWA WILL EVEN REACH 32 DEGREES TODAY. SOME LIGHT FREEZING RAIN OR FREEZING DRIZZLE IS LIKELY TO LINGER THROUGH THE NIGHT IN THAT AREA AS WELL. FOR THIS REASON...WILL TAKE THE CURRENT ADVISORY FROM I-74 NORTHWARD AND EXTEND THE EXPIRATION TIME UNTIL 12Z THURSDAY. ADVISORY IN THE CENTRAL THIRD OF THE CWA RUNS UNTIL 18Z TODAY...AND CURRENTLY FEEL THIS WILL BE SUFFICIENT AS TEMPERATURES HERE ARE MORE LIKELY TO RISE ABOVE FREEZING BY LATE MORNING. TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE WARM ENOUGH OVERNIGHT TO PRECLUDE ANY ICING THREAT FROM I-72 SOUTHWARD. UPPER TROUGH OVER THE CENTRAL ROCKIES PROGGED TO FORM A CLOSED LOW OVER OKLAHOMA/KANSAS TONIGHT...PUSHING EAST TOWARD THE TENNESSEE VALLEY BY THURSDAY EVENING. ASSOCIATED SURFACE LOW TO DEVELOP AND FOLLOW A SIMILAR TRACK. A BIT OF DISCREPANCIES IN THE LOW TRACK NOTED AMONG THE VARIOUS MODELS...WITH THE ECMWF MORE OF THE OUTLIER WITH THE LOW TRACKING ALONG I-70. WILL FOLLOW THE MODEL CONSENSUS WITH TRACKING THE LOW JUST SOUTH OF THE OHIO RIVER. NEXT WAVE OF PRECIPITATION...ASSOCIATED WITH THIS LOW...WILL BEGIN MOVING INTO THE AREA THURSDAY MORNING. WILL GO WITH LIKELY POPS ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST CWA...WITH HEALTHY CHANCES AS FAR NORTH AS I-72. TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE WARM ENOUGH THAT MOST EVERYONE THAT RECEIVES PRECIPITATION SHOULD GET LIQUID RAIN. PRECIPITATION TO DIMINISH THURSDAY NIGHT AS THE UPPER LOW PULLS AWAY...WITH DRY CONDITIONS EXPECTED ON FRIDAY. LONG TERM...SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... LONGER RANGE MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW A MAJOR CYCLONE DEVELOPING OVER THE CENTRAL STATES BY SATURDAY...WITH ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT PUSHING ACROSS ILLINOIS SATURDAY NIGHT. MODELS A BIT QUICKER IN BRINGING ASSOCIATED RAINFALL -- AND IT WILL BE RAIN WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE MID 40S TO LOWER 50S. HAVE INCREASED POPS INTO THE 50 PERCENT RANGE ACROSS THE WESTERN CWA BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON...WITH LIKELIES EVERYWHERE SATURDAY NIGHT. NO CHANGES MADE BEYOND THIS POINT...BUT DRY SLOT STILL EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE AREA ON SUNDAY AS THE CENTRAL LOW PRESSURE OCCLUDES...WITH SOME WRAPAROUND LIGHT SNOW POSSIBLE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. GEELHART && .AVIATION... ISSUED 554 AM CST WED JAN 20 2010...FOR THE 12Z TAFS FREEZING RAIN HAS ARRIVED AT SPI...AND WILL SOON OVERSPREAD DEC. PIA/BMI AND CMI SHOULD SEE FZRA BETWEEN 14Z-15Z. CIGS WILL QUICKLY DROP DOWN FROM VFR/MVFR TO IFR/LIFR AS THE PRECIP BEGINS. RADAR AND SATELLITE IMAGES SHOW THE DRY SLOT QUICKLY ARRIVING BEHIND THE INITIAL LINE OF FREEZING RAIN. PRECIP SHOULD TRANSITION TO MOSTLY DRIZZLE OR FREEZING DRIZZLE BEHIND THE INITIAL LINE...WHICH APPEARS IT WILL PUSH THROUGH MOST TAF SITES BY LATE MORNING OR EARLY AFTERNOON. WILL NOT DISCOUNT ADDITIONAL RAIN OR FREEZING RAIN SHOWERS FROM DEVELOPING LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT AS THE LOW PRESSURE PASSES BY TO THE SOUTH OF IL. WILL MAINLY INDICATE DRIZZLE OR FZDZ IN THE TAFS OVERNIGHT...WITH LIFR CIGS AND IFR VIS. EASTERLY WINDS WILL PREVAIL OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS...AS LOW PRESSURE REMAINS TO OUR SOUTH. SHIMON && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY UNTIL NOON CST TODAY FOR ILZ040>042- 047>057-061>063. FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM CST THURSDAY FOR ILZ027>031- 036>038-043>046. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 616 AM CST WED JAN 20 2010 ILZ027>031-036>038-043>046-211200- CHAMPAIGN-DE WITT-FULTON-KNOX-MARSHALL-MCLEAN-PEORIA-PIATT-STARK- TAZEWELL-VERMILION-WOODFORD- 616 AM CST WED JAN 20 2010 ...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CST THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT LIGHT FREEZING RAIN WILL OVERSPREAD CENTRAL ILLINOIS THIS MORNING FROM THE SOUTHWEST. ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF ONE TO TWO TENTHS OF AN INCH ARE EXPECTED THROUGH TONIGHT. THE PRECIPITATION MAY TRANSITION TO FREEZING DRIZZLE THIS AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT...AS DRY AIR ALOFT MOVES INTO ILLINOIS. HAZARDOUS TRAVEL IS EXPECTED THROUGHOUT THE NEXT 24 HOURS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY A BRIEF PERIOD OF FREEZING RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE EARLY THURSDAY MORNING...BEFORE TEMPERATURES WARM ABOVE FREEZING. ADDITIONAL SLIPPERY CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE. ANOTHER WEATHER SYSTEM WILL AFFECT THE REGION SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND SATURDAY NIGHT. EARLY INDICATIONS SHOW THUNDERSTORMS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS SYSTEM. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE REQUIRED. ILZ040>042-047>057-061>063-211200- CASS-CHRISTIAN-CLARK-COLES-CUMBERLAND-DOUGLAS-EDGAR-LOGAN-MACON- MASON-MENARD-MORGAN-MOULTRIE-SANGAMON-SCHUYLER-SCOTT-SHELBY- 616 AM CST WED JAN 20 2010 ...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TODAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT LIGHT FREEZING RAIN WILL CONTINUE ACROSS CENTRAL AND EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS THIS MORNING...BEFORE TRANSITIONING TO FREEZING DRIZZLE BY LATE MORNING. ICE ACCUMULATIONS AROUND ONE TENTH OF AN INCH ARE EXPECTED THIS MORNING...BEFORE TEMPERATURES WARM ABOVE FREEZING TOWARD NOON. HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS ARE LIKELY THIS MORNING. THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE AGAIN LATE TONIGHT...BUT LITTLE ADDITIONAL ICE ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED...DUE TO WARMER RAIN ALREADY ON THE GROUND AND ON MOST OBJECTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY ANOTHER WEATHER SYSTEM WILL AFFECT THE REGION SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND SATURDAY NIGHT. EARLY INDICATIONS SHOW THUNDERSTORMS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS SYSTEM. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE REQUIRED. ILZ066>068-071>073-211200- CLAY-CRAWFORD-EFFINGHAM-JASPER-LAWRENCE-RICHLAND- 616 AM CST WED JAN 20 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY A WEATHER SYSTEM WILL AFFECT THE REGION SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND SATURDAY NIGHT. EARLY INDICATIONS SHOW THUNDERSTORMS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS SYSTEM. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE REQUIRED. SHIMON
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
607 AM CST WED JAN 20 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0556 AM FREEZING RAIN SPRINGFIELD 39.78N 89.64W
01/20/2010 M0.10 INCH SANGAMON IL CO-OP OBSERVER
COOP OBSERVATION
&&
DPKPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
609 AM CST WED JAN 20 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0600 AM FREEZING RAIN 2 SW ATHENS 39.94N 89.75W
01/20/2010 E0.00 INCH MENARD IL CO-OP OBSERVER
ICE JUST STARTING TO COAT SURFACES. SIDEWALKS VERY
SLIPPERY
&&
DPKPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
622 AM CST WED JAN 20 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0619 AM FREEZING RAIN CHATHAM 39.67N 89.70W
01/20/2010 E0.10 INCH SANGAMON IL TRAINED SPOTTER
ESTIMATED 1/8 OF AN INCH OF ICE
&&
DPKPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
628 AM CST WED JAN 20 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0619 AM FREEZING RAIN CHATHAM 39.67N 89.70W
01/20/2010 E0.13 INCH SANGAMON IL TRAINED SPOTTER
ESTIMATED 1/8 OF AN INCH OF ICE
&&
DPKThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
8 winter weather, 3 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Several weather observers reported around one quarter of an inch of ice across Woodford County. The thick ice, combined with gusty winds, caused damage to tree limbs and power lines. Power was out for about 12 hours for nearly 10,000 customers.
Numerous traffic accidents were reported across Tazewell County due to icy road conditions. The most serious accident occurred at 7:25 AM CST on Illinois Route 29 just north of South Pekin when a pickup truck slid into an oncoming semi, killing the driver of the pickup.
Numerous minor injuries were reported in McLean County due to icy conditions on January 20th. Two people were treated at local hospitals as a result of traffic accidents, while ten others were admitted due to falls.
Numerous traffic accidents were reported across Logan County due to icy road conditions. One person was treated at a local hospital due to a fall.
Numerous traffic accidents were reported across Sangamon County due to icy road conditions. The most serious accident occurred on I-55 near the Williamsville exit when a car struck a police squad car parked on the shoulder. Two people were injured.
Several weather observers reported around one quarter of an inch of ice across Marshall County. The thick ice and windy conditions resulted in downed tree limbs and power lines in parts of the county. About 4,000 people were without power for 12 to 24 hours.
Several weather observers reported around one quarter of an inch of ice across Stark County. The combination of thick ice and windy conditions resulted in downed tree limbs and power lines across the county. Nearly 6,000 people were without power for 12 to 24 hours.
Numerous traffic accidents were reported across Peoria County due to icy road conditions. The Peoria Regional Airport was closed for about an hour and a half after a jet slid off an icy ramp.
Numerous traffic accidents were reported across Knox County as a result of icy road conditions. In addition, ten people were treated at local hospitals due to falls.
Numerous traffic accidents were reported across Morgan County as a result of icy road conditions. The most serious incident took place near the West Point subdivision in Morgan County when a municipal service truck hit an AmerenIP truck. Two people were injured.
Numerous traffic accidents were reported across Cass County as a result of 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, Tazewell | 2010-01-20 | 38 | Female | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Indirect |
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, January 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: 211541, 211542, 211543, 211544, 211545, 211539, 211540, 211546, 211547, 211548, 211549.