An Arctic cold front pushed through central Illinois from the evening of January 4th into the afternoon of January 5th. Snow developed behind the front across the Illinois River Valley during the evening of January 4th, then became widespread across the entire area on January 5th as low pressure tracked northeastward along the boundary.
Every event with a place to put it; 35 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 Arctic cold front pushed through central Illinois from the evening of January 4th into the afternoon of January 5th. Snow developed behind the front across the Illinois River Valley during the evening of January 4th, then became widespread across the entire area on January 5th as low pressure tracked northeastward along the boundary. Moderate to heavy snow fell throughout the day of January 5th before gradually tapering off and coming to an end by evening. The snow was accompanied by gusty winds, which created significant blowing and drifting snow. Total accumulations generally ranged from 6 to 10 inches across all of central and southeast Illinois: however, thundersnow brought enhanced totals of 10 to 14 inches to portions of Christian, Effingham, Cumberland, and Clark counties. As a result of the heavy snow, all Illinois state government offices closed for January 6th. Many schools, businesses, and churches were shut down as well. Hundreds of traffic accidents occurred across the area, with around 100 vehicles becoming stranded along I-57 near both Mattoon and Neoga. Around 100 vehicles were stranded on I-70 across Cumberland County and 19 were stranded on I-74 near Champaign. All primary roads including state and U.S. highways were closed east of I-57 and most were shut down west of I-57 as well. More than 50,000 people lost power during the storm and Amtrak was forced to cancel several trips due to snow drifting across train tracks. One person died as a result of a heart attack from shoveling the snow on January 5th.
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 4, 5:46 PM CST, 14 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lincoln IL 546 PM CST Sat Jan 4 2014 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 251 PM CST Sat Jan 4 2014 Here in central and southeast Illinois we continue to wait for the arrival of a potent winter snow storm, which will be followed by some of the most bitterly cold conditions seen in many years. Not surprisingly, the main forecast concerns today revolve around snow amounts with the storm and exactly how cold it will be in its wake. 12Z models in reasonable agreement with the approaching storm and in good agreement with respect to the cold air in its wake. The NAM, which had been the fastest/weakest model locally with the storm has now recently trended to be among the slowest. Do not prefer its solution in general. However, will be leaning a bit on its depiction of the frontogenetic band along the front to our northwest. This is due to it, and some of the other short range higher resolution models, appearing to have a pretty good handle on this feature at the moment. SHORT TERM...Initial snow and cold (Through Tuesday): Temperatures have warmed nicely today under fairly strong pre-frontal southerly flow. The arctic front currently extends from northern Ontario, southwest along the IA/IL border, to a developing area of low pressure over the southern Plains. The front is only creeping slowly southeast, a fact that will not change anytime soon as the southern Plains low will begin to track northeast up the front shortly. In any event, the front is forecast to be south/east of the forecast area by Sunday morning. A band of frontogenetically forced snow will creep southeast in the vicinity of the frontal boundary tonight. This snow will impact mainly the northwest half of the forecast area tonight before it weakens with the approach of the southern plains low/upper wave. The band is forecast to be stronger than previously anticipated, so plan to boost snow totals a little over the Winter Weather Advisory Area (4-6 inches). Over the Winter Storm Warning area, snow amounts look pretty similar to before, with 6-8 inches expected north of Pana to Danville line and 8-12 inch totals likely to the south of this line. Did have to tweak the totals down just a little in extreme southeast Illinois as many forecast sounding suggest the near surface layer will warm sufficiently to have the snow mixing with or changing to rain for a time tonight or early Sunday. The warning area still appears likely to receive the bulk of its snow later tonight into midday Sunday as the deformation zone associated with the southern plains surface low/upper wave passes by. The forcing within the deformation zone will be impressive, courtesy of a vigorous upper wave, coupled upper jet, and associated frontogenesis. Another threat, aside from the snowfall itself, will be blowing and drifting snow. This threat will be greatest across east central and southeast Illinois during Sunday afternoon and evening. This is due to the fact that the heaviest snow will have fallen in this area and the winds will also be the strongest here (gusts to around 35 mph). Near blizzard conditions are likely over east central and southeast Illinois Sunday afternoon/evening, but do not plan to upgrade to a blizzard warning due to the marginal conditions for a blizzard. However, it will be nasty in any event, especially when considering the light fluffy nature of the snow that will easily be blown around. The snow will gradually come to an end from west to east Sunday afternoon and early evening. Then, the main story through Tuesday will be the bitter cold. Expect actual temperatures to be below zero more often than not for the Sunday night-Tuesday morning time frame. This bitter cold will combine with the wind to provide an extended period of wind chills from 25-40 below zero. With this in mind, will post a Wind Chill Warning from 06Z Monday (when snow headlines end) through 18Z Tuesday. LONG TERM...Rest of the forecast (Wednesday through Saturday): Temperatures are expected to moderate through the period, but will only reach "normal" or slightly above by Saturday. Two weather systems are currently progged to impact the area during this transition period. The first, arriving Wednesday into Thursday, should be a snow producer. The second, arriving Friday into Saturday, should be warm enough to produce snow or rain. Model agreement and run to run consistency with these two systems has not been great. However, there is still plenty of time to iron out the details. Bak && .AVIATION... ISSUED 546 PM CST Sat Jan 4 2014 Lots to talk about this aviation package. VFR conditions will quickly get worse at PIA and BMI as a frontogenetic band of snow continues to intensify and should affect PIA and BMI within next 3-4 hours. As it does, vis will drop to a mile to 1.5miles with cigs falling to just below 1kft...just like GBG has already done. PIA could see a little improvedment overnight as this band moves northeast and the main system moves in from the southwest. BMI will not see much of a break since the arriving system will get to BMI about the time the current band moves northeast. The main system will bring vis down to below a mile and cigs well below 1kft. PIA could see things imrove some as the snow should be moving east by afternoon, so will improve a little. The other three sites, SPI/DEC/CMI will not see any snow beginning until the main system comes out of the southern plains. Very light snow should start after 3z at all sites, but vis will only fall to 3sm. Cigs will fall too, but only to around 2.5kft. Then conditions get worse after midnight, followed by vis below 1sm and cigs below 1kft during the early morning hours. By late morning, vis will get below 1/2sm and cigs around 200ft. SPI and DEC may see a small improvement in the late afternoon as the snow pushes east. PIA and BMI winds will be variable through the night but then become northerly around midnight, after the front moves through for good. SPI/DEC/CMI will see winds out of the south, but then variable as the front moves through overnight. Then expecting gusty north to northwest winds remainer of the period. All sites will see gusty winds from the north after the front moves through, which should bring lots of blowing of the snow, so have included BLSN at all sites tomorrow. Auten && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING until Midnight CST Sunday Night FOR ILZ031- 037-038-041>057-061>063-066>068-071>073. WIND CHILL WARNING from Midnight Sunday Night to Noon CST Tuesday FOR ILZ027>031-036>038-040>057-061>063-066>068-071>073. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY until Midnight CST Sunday Night FOR ILZ027>030-036-040. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 325 PM CST SAT JAN 4 2014 ILZ027>030-036-040-051200- FULTON-KNOX-MARSHALL-PEORIA-SCHUYLER-STARK- 325 PM CST SAT JAN 4 2014 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST SUNDAY NIGHT... ...WIND CHILL WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT SUNDAY NIGHT TO NOON CST TUESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS...MAINLY NORTHWEST OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SNOW WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA THIS EVENING...CONTINUING OVERNIGHT. TWO TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW ARE LIKELY TO ACCUMULATE BY SUNRISE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY SNOW WILL CONTINUE INTO SUNDAY AFTERNOON BEFORE DIMINISHING. ANOTHER 1 TO 3 INCHES IS LIKELY...WITH STORM TOTALS OF 4 TO 6 INCHES COMMON...HIGHER EAST OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. AS NORTHWEST WINDS INCREASE BEHIND THE SYSTEM...BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WILL BE LIKELY...ESPECIALLY SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. BEHIND THIS STORM...THE COLDEST AIR IN SEVERAL YEARS WILL PUSH INTO CENTRAL ILLINOIS. A PROLONGED PERIOD OF SUB ZERO TEMPERATURES WILL OCCUR...FROM SUNDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY TUESDAY. WIND CHILLS WILL RANGE FROM 30 BELOW TO 45 BELOW ZERO DURING THIS PERIOD. ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM MAY MOVE INTO THE OHIO VALLEY TOWARDS THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK...RESULTING IN THE POTENTIAL FOR ACCUMULATING SNOW WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE REQUIRED. HOWEVER...SNOWFALL OBSERVATIONS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. ILZ031-037-038-041>043-047>053-051200- CASS-CHRISTIAN-DE WITT-LOGAN-MACON-MASON-MCLEAN-MENARD-MORGAN- SANGAMON-SCOTT-TAZEWELL-WOODFORD- 325 PM CST SAT JAN 4 2014 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST SUNDAY NIGHT... ...WIND CHILL WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT SUNDAY NIGHT TO NOON CST TUESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SNOW WILL BEGIN OVERSPREADING CENTRAL ILLINOIS THIS EVENING...AND INTENSIFY OVERNIGHT. ACCUMULATIONS AROUND 2 INCHES ARE LIKELY BY SUNRISE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY ON SUNDAY...DIMINISHING FROM WEST TO EAST DURING THE AFTERNOON. SOME OF THE SNOW WILL BE HEAVY AT TIMES. ANOTHER 3 TO 6 INCHES ARE LIKELY...HIGHEST EAST OF I-55...GIVING STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL OF 5 TO 8 INCHES. AS NORTHWEST WINDS INCREASE BEHIND THE SYSTEM...BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WILL BE LIKELY SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...PRODUCING NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AT TIMES. BEHIND THIS SYSTEM...THE COLDEST AIR IN SEVERAL YEARS WILL PUSH INTO CENTRAL ILLINOIS. A PROLONGED PERIOD OF SUB ZERO TEMPERATURES WILL OCCUR...FROM SUNDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY TUESDAY. WIND CHILLS WILL FREQUENTLY RANGE FROM 30 BELOW TO 45 BELOW ZERO DURING THIS PERIOD. ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM MAY MOVE INTO THE OHIO VALLEY TOWARDS THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK...RESULTING IN THE POTENTIAL FOR ACCUMULATING SNOW NEXT WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE REQUIRED. HOWEVER...SNOWFALL OBSERVATIONS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. ILZ044>046-054>057-061>063-066>068-071>073-051200- CHAMPAIGN-CLARK-CLAY-COLES-CRAWFORD-CUMBERLAND-DOUGLAS-EDGAR- EFFINGHAM-JASPER-LAWRENCE-MOULTRIE-PIATT-RICHLAND-SHELBY- VERMILION- 325 PM CST SAT JAN 4 2014 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST SUNDAY NIGHT... ...WIND CHILL WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT SUNDAY NIGHT TO NOON CST TUESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SNOW WILL BEGIN OVERSPREADING THE AREA LATER THIS EVENING...AND MAY BE MIXED WITH RAIN INITIALLY SOUTH OF I-70. ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE LIKELY BY SUNRISE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY ON SUNDAY...AND WILL BE HEAVY AT TIMES. DAYTIME ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 10 INCHES ARE LIKELY...WITH THE HIGHER TOTALS SOUTH OF I-70. AS NORTHWEST WINDS INCREASE BEHIND THE SYSTEM...BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WILL BE LIKELY SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...PRODUCING NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AT TIMES. BEHIND THIS SYSTEM...THE COLDEST AIR IN SEVERAL YEARS WILL PUSH INTO THE AREA. A PROLONGED PERIOD OF SUB ZERO TEMPERATURES WILL OCCUR...FROM SUNDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY TUESDAY. WIND CHILLS WILL FREQUENTLY RANGE FROM 30 BELOW TO 40 BELOW ZERO DURING THIS PERIOD. ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM MAY MOVE INTO THE OHIO VALLEY TOWARDS THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK...RESULTING IN THE POTENTIAL FOR ACCUMULATING SNOW NEXT WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE REQUIRED. HOWEVER...SNOWFALL OBSERVATIONS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. GEELHART
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
35 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Knox County, including 7.4 inches in Knoxville and 9.5 inches in Abingdon. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Fulton County. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Peoria County, including 6.5 inches in Peoria and 6.7 inches near Mossville. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Stark County. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Marshall County, including 7.4 inches in both Hopewell and Henry. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Schuyler County. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Woodford County. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Mason County. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across McLean County, including 7.2 inches 3 miles northeast of Bloomington and 9.0 inches in Normal. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county. A 71 year-old man from Bloomington died of a heart attack after shoveling the snow.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Tazewell County, including 9.4 inches in Pekin. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 10 and 14 inches of snow across Effingham County, including 10.0 inches in Watson and 12.2 inches in Effingham. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Cass County. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 10 and 14 inches of snow across Cumberland County, including 12.0 inches in Neoga. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Menard County. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Morgan County, including 10.0 inches 1 mile southwest of Woodson. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Scott County. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Clay County, including 7.0 inches in Flora. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Crawford County, including 8.5 inches 1 mile east of Trimble. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across DeWitt County. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Jasper County, including 7.0 inches in Ste. Marie and 9.2 inches in Newton. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Logan County, including 7.4 inches in Lincoln. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Macon County, including 6.7 inches in Warrensburg and 7.9 inches in Mt. Zion. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Champaign County, including 9.6 inches in Homer. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 10 and 14 inches of snow across Christian County, including 13.0 inches in Pana. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 10 and 14 inches of snow across Clark County, including 14.0 inches in Casey. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Coles County. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Douglas County, including 7.5 inches in Tuscola. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Edgar County, including 10.0 inches in Paris. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Moultrie County, including 7.5 inches in Sullivan. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Piatt County, including 7.0 inches 2 miles northeast of Cisco. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Shelby County, including 9.0 inches in Shelbyville. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Sangamon County, including 7.8 inches in Riverton and 9.6 inches in Springfield. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Vermilion County, including 8.0 inches 3 miles west of Bismarck and 9.7 inches in Danville. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Richland County, including 7.0 inches 4 miles southwest of Olney. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
Weather observers measured between 6 and 10 inches of snow across Lawrence County. The heavy snowfall along with significant blowing and drifting caused numerous road closures and traffic accidents across the county.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Snow, McLean | 2014-01-05 | 71 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Indirect |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, January 2014
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: 490480, 490478, 490498, 490512, 490489, 490506, 490521, 490491, 490492, 490515, 490477, 490423, 490467, 490493, 490494, 490508, 490458, 490464, 490470, 490479, 490484, 490490, 490430, 490438, 490448, 490460, 490474, 490476, 490496, 490499, 490510, 490503, 490517, 490501, 490481.