Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Illinois, February 7, 2011

Name: Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Illinois, February 7, 2011
Start: 2011-02-07T04:00
End: 2011-02-07T14:00
Location: Illinois

February 7, 2011 · NWS PAH · 10 events in 10 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 10 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 3
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 10

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS PAH wrote it up.

A surface low pressure system developed in the Lower Mississippi Valley, then strengthened as it moved northeast across Tennessee and Kentucky. In the upper levels of the atmosphere, a rather strong disturbance tracked northeast from eastern Arkansas toward the Lower Ohio Valley. A band of heavy snow was produced by the upper level low. This band of heavy snow clipped the extreme southern tip of Illinois, where up to four inches of snow fell in Massac County. Elsewhere, storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 1 to 3 inches as far north as a line from Anna to Harrisburg and Shawneetown. Specific snowfall reports included: 4 inches in Metropolis, 3 inches near Delwood (Pope County) and Mound City (Pulaski County), 2 inches near Vienna and Dongola (Union County), and one inch in Shawneetown and Anna. Roads became snow-covered and slippery. Three people were injured when their pickup truck rolled into a ditch in rural Williamson County. The snow disappeared rather quickly from paved surfaces a few hours after the snow ended. This was mainly due to relatively warm pavement temperatures.

What forecasters said that day

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 Paducah, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 7, 1:30 AM CST, 2 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 7, 1:30 AM CST, 2 hours 30 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
130 AM CST MON FEB 7 2011

.DISCUSSION...
LATEST SURFACE ANALYSIS DEPICTS FRONT NEARING THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER
AT WEST KENTUCKY TO NEAR THE WABASH RIVER IN SOUTHWEST INDIANA. THE
FRONT WAS WEAK AND DIFFICULT TO ANALYZE HOWEVER THE WINDS GO FROM
CALM OR VARIABLE TO NORTH NORTHWEST AT ITS LEADING EDGE. THE
FREEZING LINE AT THE SURFACE WAS WELL NORTH OF THE AREA...RUNNING
FROM NEAR TERRE HAUTE INDIANA THROUGH ST LOUIS TO NEAR SPRINGFIELD
MISSOURI.

THE FREEZING LINE MAY BE THE KEY ELEMENT IN WHEN AND WHERE
ACCUMULATING SNOW BECOMES AN ISSUE...OR MORE SO THE DELAY OF THE
ARRIVAL OF SAID LINE. THE LATEST RUC ANALYSIS FROM SPC MESO PATE
SHOWS MOST OF THE CRITICAL THICKNI FOR MOST LEVELS ARE ALREADY
THROUGH THE FA EXCEPT FOR THE LOWEST AND MOST CRITICAL 850 TO 700
1300 METER THICKNESS LINE WHICH IS NEARLY PARALLEL TO THE FRONT...
ONLY LAGGING A LITTLE BEHIND IN MISSOURI. THIS IS WELL SUPPORTED
WITH THE 38F DEGREE SURFACE ISOTHERM RUNNING THROUGH POPLAR BLUFF.
WITH THE ENTIRE FA STILL ABOVE AND IN SOME CASES WELL ABOVE FREEZING
AT 7Z WOULD TEND TO PERSIST WITH PREVIOUS AFD DIRECTION ON DELAYING
CHANGEOVER TO SNOW.

THE ONLY MODEL THAT WOULD SUPPORT EXPANDING THE WWY AT THIS TIME
WOULD BE THE 3Z RUC 13 WHICH PUSHES THE QUARTER INCH QPF LINE NEAR
THE RIPLEY COUNTY IN MISSOURI. HOWEVER THE MORE CONSISTENT 12Z SUN
RUN OF THE ECMWF WOULD PLACE THIS BULLSEYE EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI
AND SUPPORT THE CURRENT ADVISORY AREA. THUS WITH THE LATE ARRIVAL OF
THE SURFACE FREEZING LINE WOULD EXPECT ENOUGH MELTING OR LIQUID TO
MITIGATE EXPANDING ADVISORY. HOWEVER WILL KEEP A CLOSE WATCH ON THIS
AREA AND NOT RULE OUT AN EXPANSION. IGNORED THE MOISTURE STARVED
NAM. THE GFS PLACES THE BILLSEYE OF 2 TO 3 INCHES JUST WEST OF THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER HOWEVER STILL SUPPORTS NOT EXPANDING WWY. CURRENT
THINKING IS WIDESPREAD 1 TO 2 INCH READINGS WITH SOME LOCAL 3 INCH
READINGS. OF COURSE THERE WILL ALWAYS BE THOSE FEW OBSERVATIONS
WITHOUT A SNOW BOARD. IF ANY BANDING GETS GOING WILL FLIRT WITH
WARNING CRITERIA SOUTH OF THE OHIO RIVER. THE HEAVIEST SNOW WILL
LIKELY FALL BETWEEN 12 AND 18Z PERIOD. HOWEVER IT WILL LINGER ON IN
THE SOUTHEAST OR HOPKINSVILLE AREA A LITTLE LONGER THUS THE EXTENDED
EXPIRATION TIME FOR THE ADVISORY OVER THERE. SO WILL CHANGE OVER TO
SNOW BY 12Z WEST AND CENTRAL AREAS OF ADVISORY AND LATER OF COURSE
FOR THE EASTERN PORTIONS.

ONCE THE COLD AIR STARTS FILTERING IN DO NOT SEE US RISING MUCH WITH
SURFACE TEMPS. THIS THINKING COMBINED WITH SNOW COVER...PLAN ON SOME
EDITING OF THE HOURLY TEMPS TODAY...PARTICULARLY THIS AFTERNOON.

THE ECMWF IS STARTING TO TAKE ON THE TREND OF THE GFS WHICH HAS BEEN
TAKING THE NEXT SYSTEM WEDNESDAY FARTHER SOUTH WITH LESS QPF AS
WELL. SO THE NEXT SYSTEM MAY BE MORE OF GLANCING BLOW THAN
PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT...AS REFLECTED BY THE WARMER TEMPS IN THE GRIDS
BY THE PREVIOUS SHIFT.

&&

.AVIATION...
MVFR CONDITIONS WITH PERIODS OF LIGHT RAIN WILL PREVAIL AT ALL TAF
SITES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD. A COLD FRONT WAS BEGINNING TO
MOVE EASTWARD THROUGH THE REGION. IT WILL TURN THE WINDS TO THE
NORTH NORTHWEST AND USHER IN COLDER AIR. THE RAIN WILL GRADUALLY
CHANGE OVER TO SNOW FROM WEST TO EAST THROUGH THE NIGHT. IFR
CEILINGS CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH THE MORNING...ESPECIALLY IN THE
HEAVIEST SNOWFALL. MOST AREAS WITH THE POSSIBLY EXCEPTION OF KCGI
WILL SEE IFR VISIBILITIES IN SNOW AS WELL.

THE WORST SNOW CONDITIONS WILL STRADDLE 12Z AT THE WESTERN
SITES...AND WILL STRADDLE 18Z AT KEVV. KOWB MAY BE IN THE SWEET SPOT
AND SEE GOOD SNOW FROM JUST BEFORE 12Z INTO THE AFTERNOON. EXPECT
CEILINGS TO IMPROVE TO MVFR LEVELS ONCE THE SNOW IS DONE...WITH THE
POSSIBLE EXCEPTION OF KOWB. WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE VFR
SNOW/FLURRIES WITH ANY MVFR CEILINGS DUE TO THE MAGNITUDE OF
LOW-LEVEL COLD ADVECTION EXPECTED THROUGH MONDAY EVENING.

&&

.PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
KY...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 3 PM CST
     MONDAY FOR BALLARD-CARLISLE-CRITTENDEN-DAVIESS-FULTON-
     GRAVES-HENDERSON-HICKMAN-LIVINGSTON-LYON-MARSHALL-MCCRACKEN-
     UNION KY-WEBSTER.

     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 6 AM TO 6 PM CST MONDAY FOR
     CALDWELL-CALLOWAY-CHRISTIAN-HOPKINS-MCLEAN-MUHLENBERG-TODD-
     TRIGG.

MO...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 3 PM CST
     MONDAY FOR MISSISSIPPI-NEW MADRID.

IL...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 3 PM CST
     MONDAY FOR GALLATIN-HARDIN-MASSAC-POPE.

IN...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 3 PM CST
     MONDAY FOR SPENCER-VANDERBURGH-WARRICK.

&&

SHORT TERM...KH
LONG TERM...KH
AVIATION...JP

Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 7, 3:47 AM CST, 13 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
347 AM CST MON FEB 7 2011

ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087-
100-107>112-114-081000-
JEFFERSON-WAYNE IL-EDWARDS-WABASH-PERRY IL-FRANKLIN-HAMILTON-
WHITE-JACKSON-WILLIAMSON-SALINE-GALLATIN-UNION IL-JOHNSON-POPE-
HARDIN-ALEXANDER-PULASKI-MASSAC-GIBSON-PIKE-POSEY-VANDERBURGH-
WARRICK-SPENCER-FULTON-HICKMAN-CARLISLE-BALLARD-MCCRACKEN-GRAVES-
LIVINGSTON-MARSHALL-CALLOWAY-CRITTENDEN-LYON-TRIGG-CALDWELL-
UNION KY-WEBSTER-HOPKINS-CHRISTIAN-HENDERSON-DAVIESS-MCLEAN-
MUHLENBERG-TODD-PERRY MO-BOLLINGER-CAPE GIRARDEAU-WAYNE MO-CARTER-
RIPLEY-BUTLER-STODDARD-SCOTT-MISSISSIPPI-NEW MADRID-
347 AM CST MON FEB 7 2011

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN
ILLINOIS...SOUTHWEST INDIANA...WESTERN KENTUCKY AND SOUTHEAST
MISSOURI.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM CST THIS
AFTERNOON. THE ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR AREAS SOUTH AND EAST OF A
LINE FROM POPLAR BLUFF...TO MARION ILLINOIS...TO PETERSBURG INDIANA.
AREAS ALONG AND NORTH OF THIS LINE WILL RECEIVE SNOW BUT AMOUNTS
SHOULD BE TOO LIGHT TO CAUSE SIGNIFICANT DIFFICULTIES. REFER TO
THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

ANOTHER PERIOD OF SNOW IS LIKELY DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE
WEEK...ESPECIALLY WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THE MOST LIKELY
AREAS TO RECEIVE MEASURABLE SNOW WILL BE SOUTH OF A LINE FROM
CARBONDALE ILLINOIS TO OWENSBORO KENTUCKY. THIS DOES NOT APPEAR TO
BE A MAJOR STORM SYSTEM FOR OUR AREA...BUT MEASURABLE SNOW IS
LIKELY ACROSS MUCH OF OUR REGION.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED...BUT ANY SNOWFALL
MEASUREMENTS WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 winter weather, 1 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Alexander

When: February 7, 4:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Alexander forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 37.192, -89.338 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Union

When: February 7, 4:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Union forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 37.471, -89.255 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Pulaski

When: February 7, 4:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Pulaski forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 37.223, -89.127 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Johnson

When: February 7, 4:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Johnson forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 37.460, -88.881 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Williamson

When: February 7, 4:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Williamson forecast zone
Injuries: 0 direct, 3 indirect
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 37.730, -88.930 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Pope

When: February 7, 5:00 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where: Pope forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 37.413, -88.562 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Saline

When: February 7, 5:00 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where: Saline forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 37.753, -88.541 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Gallatin

When: February 7, 5:00 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where: Gallatin forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 37.763, -88.230 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Hardin

When: February 7, 5:00 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where: Hardin forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 37.518, -88.267 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Massac

When: February 7, 5:00 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where: Massac forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 37.219, -88.708 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Weather: Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Illinois in 2011 Every state in 2011 This day in weather history Warnings in Illinois, February 2011

Sources

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: 276545, 276546, 276547, 276548, 282323, 276550, 276551, 276552, 276553, 276554.