An area of low pressure tracking from the Plains northeastward into the Great Lakes brought a period of moderate to heavy snow to parts of central Illinois from the evening of January 6th through the morning of January 7th. where 5 to 7 inch totals were common.
Every event with a place to put it; 23 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 area of low pressure tracking from the Plains northeastward into the Great Lakes brought a period of moderate to heavy snow to parts of central Illinois from the evening of January 6th through the morning of January 7th. Snowfall was greatest along and north of I-72...where 5 to 7 inch totals were common. Once the snow subsided, gusty northwesterly winds created considerable blowing and drifting across the area through the night of January 7th.
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 6, 5:15 PM CST, 45 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 515 PM CST WED JAN 6 2010 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 252 PM CST WED JAN 6 2010 WIDESPREAD ACCUMULATING SNOW EXPECTED TONIGHT AND THURSDAY...FOLLOWED BY WINDY AND SHARPLY COLDER CONDITIONS BY THE END OF THE WEEK. SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY LATEST UPPER AIR ANALYSIS SHOWS VIGOROUS WAVE OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS...WITH SNOW DEVELOPING IN ADVANCE OF THIS FEATURE AS FAR SOUTHEAST AS CENTRAL IOWA AND NORTHERN MISSOURI. SATELLITE/RADAR LOOPS ARE SUGGESTING THE PRECIP IS SPREADING EASTWARD FASTER THAN PREVIOUSLY FORECAST...HOWEVER THINK AN EARLY EVENING PRECIP ONSET ACROSS THE ILLINOIS RIVER VALLEY STILL LOOKS GOOD. 12Z KILX/KDVN SOUNDINGS WERE QUITE DRY FROM THE SURFACE UP TO ABOUT 500MB...SO THE COLUMN WILL NEED TO FULLY SATURATE BEFORE THE SNOW CAN REACH THE GROUND. ISENTROPIC LIFT RAPIDLY INCREASES ACROSS THE WESTERN KILX CWA BY 00Z...THEN SPREADS EASTWARD ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA BY MIDNIGHT. WITH FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOWING THE INITIALLY DRY AIRMASS RAPIDLY MOISTENING AS WELL...THINK SNOW WILL DEVELOP AS FAR EAST AS THE I-57 CORRIDOR BEFORE MIDNIGHT. BEST LIFT IS FOCUSED ON THE 295K ISENTROPIC SURFACE BETWEEN 03Z AND 15Z...DURING WHICH TIME MODERATE TO OCCASIONALLY HEAVY BURSTS OF SNOW WILL BE LIKELY. SURFACE WAVE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM IS INITIALLY QUITE WEAK...BUT WILL BEGIN TO DEEPEN AS IT PUSHES INTO INDIANA BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON. DRY AIR WRAPPING AROUND THE WAVE WILL OVERSPREAD THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN KILX CWA BY LATE MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON...ESSENTIALLY BRINGING AN END TO THE SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL BY AROUND 18Z THURSDAY. HAVE FACTORED THIS DRY SLOTTING INTO THE FORECAST BY FEATURING CATEGORICAL POPS ACROSS THE BOARD THURSDAY MORNING...DROPPING TO JUST CHANCE POPS SOUTH OF I-72 BY AFTERNOON. FURTHER NORTH...DEEPENING SURFACE LOW MOVING INTO INDIANA WILL ALLOW DEFORMATION ZONE SNOW TO CONTINUE ALONG AND NORTH OF I-72. BOTH NAM-WRF AND GFS INDICATE LIGHT SNOW CONTINUING ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN ZONES INTO THURSDAY NIGHT...BEFORE GRADUALLY TAPERING OFF AND ENDING. BASED ON THE 500MB VORT TRACK RIGHT ACROSS THE HEART OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND THE EXPECTED LOCATION OF THE DEFORMATION ZONE SNOW ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE SYSTEM...HAVE ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR ALL LOCATIONS ALONG AND NORTH OF I-72. THIS AREA WILL SEE A GENERAL 6 TO 7 INCH SNOWFALL...WITH LOCALIZED 8 TO 9 INCH AMOUNTS WITHIN MESOSCALE SNOW BANDS ALONG AND NORTH OF A RUSHVILLE TO BLOOMINGTON LINE. FURTHER SOUTHEAST...THE DRY SLOTTING THURSDAY AFTERNOON WILL LIMIT ACCUMULATIONS TO THE 4 TO 5 INCH RANGE ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-70. AS THE LOW DEEPENS ACROSS NORTHERN INDIANA...GUSTY NORTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL DEVELOP LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. SINCE THIS WILL BE A LIGHT/FLUFFY SNOW WITH SNOW TO LIQUID RATIOS OF AROUND 20 TO 1...CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING WILL OCCUR. IN ADDITION...FALLING TEMPS WILL CREATE DANGEROUSLY LOW WIND-CHILL VALUES BY LATE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING...POTENTIALLY WARRANTING A WIND-CHILL ADVISORY AT THAT TIME. AFTER A FEW LINGERING FLURRIES ON FRIDAY...CLEARING SKIES AND BITTERLY COLD TEMPS WILL BE IN STORE FOR FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT...WITH OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPS DROPPING BELOW ZERO. LONG TERM...SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NOT TOO MANY CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE EXTENDED...AS A RELATIVELY QUIET PERIOD APPEARS TO BE ON TAP. MODELS ARE STILL INDICATING ANOTHER WEAK WAVE AND ACCOMPANYING COLD FRONT DROPPING THROUGH THE REGION ON MONDAY...SO HAVE INCLUDED SLIGHT CHANCE POPS FOR LIGHT SNOW AT THAT TIME. NO OTHER MAJOR WEATHER SYSTEMS WILL IMPACT CENTRAL ILLINOIS THROUGH WEDNESDAY. BARNES && .AVIATION... ISSUED 515 PM CST WED JAN 6 2010 INITIAL VFR CONDS WL DETERIORATE RAPIDLY THIS EVE FM W TO E. CENTER OF THE UPR LOW IS MOVING SEWD ACRS SD AND WL CONT INTO THE MS RVR VLY THIS TAF PD. SNOW HAS BEGUN AT BRL/UIN/STL...SO EXPCT CIGS/VSBYS TO BCM MVFR AT PIA/SPI SHORTLY...FOLLOWED QUICKLY BY IFR CONDS. THE PCPN WL PROGRESS THRU BMI/DEC TO CMI BEFORE 06Z. WIND AND BLSN SHOULD NOT BCM A FACTOR TIL 15Z-18Z THU...AND BY THEN THE SNOW SHOULD BEGIN TO TAPER OFF. LOW CLDS WL CONT THRU THE PD...WITH VSBY RESTRICTIONS DUE TO BLSN CONTG EVEN AFT THE SNOW TAPERS OFF AFT 18Z THU. WND SPEEDS WL INCRS EVEN MORE AFT THIS TAF PD. 04 && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM CST FRIDAY FOR ILZ054>057-061>063-066>068-071>073. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM CST FRIDAY FOR ILZ027>031-036>038-040>053. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 300 PM CST WED JAN 6 2010 ILZ027>031-036>038-040>053-071200- CASS-CHAMPAIGN-CHRISTIAN-DE WITT-FULTON-KNOX-LOGAN-MACON-MARSHALL- MASON-MCLEAN-MENARD-MORGAN-PEORIA-PIATT-SANGAMON-SCHUYLER-SCOTT- STARK-TAZEWELL-VERMILION-WOODFORD- 300 PM CST WED JAN 6 2010 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM CST FRIDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A DEVELOPING STORM SYSTEM WILL TRACK THROUGH THE REGION TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY. THIS SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE 6 TO 8 INCHES OF SNOWFALL...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS. HEAVIEST SNOW IS EXPECTED FROM JUST BEFORE MIDNIGHT THROUGH THE MORNING. BY SUNRISE...SEVERAL INCHES SHOULD ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THE ACCUMULATING SNOWS MENTIONED ABOVE SHOULD TAPER OFF BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON. STRONG WINDS BEHIND THE SYSTEM WILL RESULT IN BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. COLDER AIR WILL RETURN FOR THE END OF THE WEEK THROUGH THE WEEKEND BEHIND THE MIDWEEK STORM. AT THIS TIME...TEMPERATURES AND WIND CHILLS APPEAR LIKELY TO BE AS COLD AS THIS PAST WEEKEND. FOR INTERESTS ALONG THE ILLINOIS RIVER...THE ILLINOIS RIVER WILL REMAIN IN FLOOD FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS FROM HAVANA DOWNSTREAM TO VALLEY CITY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... NO SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME...THOUGH SNOW REPORTS FROM OUR COOP AND MESONET OBSERVERS WOULD BE APPRECIATED. ILZ054>057-061>063-066>068-071>073-071200- CLARK-CLAY-COLES-CRAWFORD-CUMBERLAND-DOUGLAS-EDGAR-EFFINGHAM- JASPER-LAWRENCE-MOULTRIE-RICHLAND-SHELBY- 300 PM CST WED JAN 6 2010 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM CST FRIDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS...EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A DEVELOPING STORM SYSTEM WILL TRACK THROUGH THE REGION TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY. THIS SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE 4 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOWFALL...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THE ACCUMULATING SNOWS MENTIONED ABOVE SHOULD TAPER OFF BY MIDDAY THURSDAY. STRONG WINDS BEHIND THE SYSTEM WILL RESULT IN BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW LATER THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. COLDER AIR WILL RETURN FOR THE END OF THE WEEK THROUGH THE WEEKEND BEHIND THE MIDWEEK STORM. AT THIS TIME...TEMPERATURES AND WIND CHILLS APPEAR LIKELY TO BE AS COLD AS THIS PAST WEEKEND. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... NO SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME...THOUGH SNOW REPORTS FROM OUR COOP AND MESONET OBSERVERS WOULD BE APPRECIATED. HJS/SMITH
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
14 winter storm, 9 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Numerous weather observers across Knox County measured 6 to 7 inches of snow. As a result of snow-covered roadways, several traffic accidents and vehicle slide-offs were reported.
Numerous weather observers across Fulton County measured 6 to 7 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Peoria County measured around 6 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Stark County measured around 6 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Schuyler County reported 4 to 5 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Scott County reported 4 to 5 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Marshall County measured around 6 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Mason County measured 6 to 7 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Tazewell County measured around 6 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Woodford County measured around 6 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Cass County reported 4 to 6 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Menard County reported 4 to 5 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Morgan County reported 4 to 5 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across DeWitt County measured around 6 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Logan County measured around 6 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across McLean County measured 6 to 7 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Christian County reported 3 to 4 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Macon County reported 4 to 5 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Sangamon County reported 4 to 5 inches of snow. As a result of snow-covered roadways, several traffic accidents and vehicle slide-offs were reported.
Numerous weather observers across Piatt County measured around 6 inches of snow.
Numerous weather observers across Champaign County measured around 6 inches of snow. As a result of snow-covered roadways, several traffic accidents and vehicle slide-offs were reported.
Numerous weather observers across Coles County measured 3 to 4 inches of snow. As a result of snow-covered roadways, several traffic accidents and vehicle slide-offs were reported.
Numerous weather observers across Vermilion County measured around 6 inches of snow. As a result of snow-covered roadways, several traffic accidents and vehicle slide-offs were reported. The most significant accident occurred on January 7th at 2:49 PM CST on I-74 near mile marker 209 just east of the Oakwood exit when a semi-trailer truck struck a car. Two people were injured.
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: 211056, 211055, 211061, 211063, 211073, 211074, 211058, 211059, 211064, 211066, 211067, 211070, 211071, 211054, 211057, 211060, 211068, 211069, 211072, 211062, 211052, 211075, 211065.