A storm system tracking from the Plains eastward across the Midwest brought a mixed bag of wintry precipitation to central and southeast Illinois on March 2nd. The precipitation was mainly in the form of snow north of the I-70 corridor, where between 1 and 4 inches accumulated.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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 storm system tracking from the Plains eastward across the Midwest brought a mixed bag of wintry precipitation to central and southeast Illinois on March 2nd. The precipitation was mainly in the form of snow north of the I-70 corridor, where between 1 and 4 inches accumulated. Further south, the snow was mixed with sleet and freezing rain. A significant accumulation of sleet was observed in a few locations south of I-70, with parts of Clay County seeing amounts as high as 1.3 inches.
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 Mar 2, 2:46 AM CST, 3 hours 14 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lincoln IL 246 AM CST Sun Mar 2 2014 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 246 AM CST Sun Mar 2 2014 SHORT TERM...Today and tonight Snow band at 08Z/2AM had shifted south into much of central IL along and north of I-72. Visibilities generally 1-2 miles with brief reductions to a half mile. Have had a few very early morning reports of 2-3 inches over the northern CWA where snow has been falling for 6+ hours. Zone of mid level frontogenesis will gradually sink south this morning with snow overspreading most of the area through mid morning. Some enhanced bands noted in northern MO associated with a shortwave and stronger lift, dropping visibilities to a half mile, so accumulations up to a half inch per hour possible at times past daybreak. Convective elements noted on radar mosaic in srn/central MO which will spread into areas south of I-70 likely as a mix of freezing rain and sleet. Deep Arctic air filtering in off strong 1040 mb high over northern Plains looks to shut down precip over the northern CWA later this morning, with a possible lull for much of the area until a second shortwave brings another round of snow to areas mainly south of I-72 this afternoon. Forecast soundings continue to indicate a warm wedge at 750 mb south of a Shelbyville to Paris line, which would allow sleet to mix with snow north of I-70, and with a deeper warm layer south of I-70, sleet and freezing rain look likely. In this area colder air will gradually change precip over to snow during the evening. The final, and strongest shortwave lifting out of the Plains trough brings more significant snow accumulations just south of the CWA overnight, with the northern fringe of better lift keeping light to moderate snow over the far south past 06Z/midnight. Overall accumulations of 3 to 6 inches look reasonable, with locally higher amounts if better banding develops. Thus will keep current advisory going, ending at 00Z/Mon with good model agreement on quicker precip shutdown here. Farther south, snow amounts alone would not justify keeping the warning going. However with potential ice accumulations near a quarter inch south of I-70, and sleet near 0.5 inch north to Shelbyville/Paris line, the current warning will continue through tonight. LONG TERM...Monday through Saturday Arctic high settles toward the region Monday, bringing dry but very cold weather. -10 to -14C 850 mb temps and fresh snow cover suggest record lows quite possible Monday morning, and with highs only reaching the teens, record low highs also possible. See climate section below for specifics. With the center of the high still to our west early, brisk northwest winds will likely require wind chill advisory for the northwest half of the CWA. Will not address this until current winter headlines expire. As the high shifts east on Tuesday a gradual warming trend begins. Several weak shortwaves passing through in northwest flow will bring periods of light snow to parts of the Midwest and Great Lakes. However with poor consistency on timing/location and overall dry airmass will keep pops to slight chance. Mid level winds become more zonal by mid to late week, and with rising heights temps should rebound back closer to normal by Friday. Split flow keeps main waves well to our north and south during this period. However by late Friday and Saturday the next shortwave and frontal system shifting east from the Plains will bring a chance of light rain or snow to the region. 25 && .AVIATION... ISSUED 1105 PM CST Sat Mar 1 2014 Snow increasing in coverage over parts of northeast Missouri and that is tracking east towards our southern TAF sites late tonight. Further north, the band of snow that moved in during the evening and that is affecting the I74 corridor will continue to slowly settle south as the night wears on. Expect MVFR cigs with tempo IFR to LIFR cigs/vsbys in some of the heavier snow bands overnight. Still could see some snow and freezing drizzle mix in at times at SPI and DEC before snow becomes the dominant precip type. Still seeing some hints of the snow shifting south of of PIA and BMI sites after 18z and will continue to trend in that direction but keep MVFR cigs/vsbys going further south into the afternoon hours as models were suggesting another band of snow setting up in that area after 18z. Accumulations across the TAF sites look to be in the 3 to 6 inch range with the heavier totals in an axis extending from Jacksonville and SPI east-northeast towards CMI. Surface winds will remain from the northeast to north at 12 to 17kts tonight with winds backing more into a 340-010 direction by late Sunday morning into the afternoon hours with similar speeds. Smith && .CLIMATE... ISSUED 246 AM CST Sun Mar 2 2014 March 3 record lows: Peoria........0 in 2002 Springfield...3 in 2002 Lincoln.......0 in 1943 March 3 record low highs: Peoria........18 in 2002 Springfield...18 in 2002 Lincoln.......24 in 1943 25 && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING until 6 AM CST Monday FOR ILZ054>057- 061>063-066>068-071>073. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY until 6 PM CST this evening FOR ILZ027>031-036>038-040>053. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 317 PM CST SAT MAR 1 2014 ILZ027>031-036>038-041-021200- FULTON-KNOX-MARSHALL-MASON-MCLEAN-PEORIA-STARK-TAZEWELL-WOODFORD- 317 PM CST SAT MAR 1 2014 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SNOW WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA THIS EVENING...AND MAY BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES AFTER MIDNIGHT. VISIBILITIES MAY FALL BELOW A HALF MILE. ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 4 INCHES ARE LIKELY BY SUNRISE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE SNOW SHOULD CONTINUE SUNDAY...BEFORE DIMINISHING FROM NORTH TO SOUTH IN THE AFTERNOON. AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2 INCHES IS EXPECTED DURING THE DAY...RESULTING A STORM TOTAL OF 4 TO 6 INCHES. SOME BLOWING AND DRIFTING WILL BE POSSIBLE IN OPEN AREAS. WIND CHILLS OF 15 BELOW TO 25 BELOW ZERO ARE LIKELY SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING. FLOODING ON THE ILLINOIS RIVER AT BEARDSTOWN AND HAVANA WILL CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL MORE DAYS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ040-042-043-047>053-021200- CASS-CHRISTIAN-DE WITT-LOGAN-MACON-MENARD-MORGAN-SANGAMON- SCHUYLER-SCOTT- 317 PM CST SAT MAR 1 2014 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SNOW WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA DURING THE MID TO LATE EVENING HOURS...AND MAY BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES AFTER MIDNIGHT. VISIBILITIES MAY FALL BELOW A HALF MILE. ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ARE LIKELY BY SUNRISE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE SNOW SHOULD CONTINUE SUNDAY...BEFORE DIMINISHING FROM NORTH TO SOUTH LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. AN ADDITIONAL 3 TO 5 INCHES IS EXPECTED...HIGHEST SOUTH OF I-72...RESULTING A STORM TOTAL OF 5 TO 8 INCHES IN MOST AREAS. SOME BLOWING AND DRIFTING WILL BE POSSIBLE IN OPEN AREAS. WIND CHILLS AROUND 15 BELOW ZERO ARE LIKELY SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ044>046-021200- CHAMPAIGN-PIATT-VERMILION- 317 PM CST SAT MAR 1 2014 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 AM CST MONDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SNOW WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA THIS LATE EVENING...AND MAY BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES AFTER MIDNIGHT. VISIBILITIES MAY FALL BELOW A HALF MILE. ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES ARE LIKELY BY SUNRISE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE SNOW SHOULD CONTINUE SUNDAY...BEFORE DIMINISHING FROM NORTH TO SOUTH LATE AFTERNOON. AN ADDITIONAL 3 TO 4 INCHES IS EXPECTED DURING THE DAY...RESULTING A STORM TOTAL OF 5 TO 7 INCHES. SOME BLOWING AND DRIFTING WILL BE POSSIBLE IN OPEN AREAS. WIND CHILLS OF 10 BELOW TO 15 BELOW ZERO ARE LIKELY SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ054>057-061-021200- COLES-DOUGLAS-EDGAR-MOULTRIE-SHELBY- 317 PM CST SAT MAR 1 2014 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 AM CST MONDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SNOW WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA TOWARD MIDNIGHT...AND CONTINUE THE REST OF THE NIGHT. ACCUMULATIONS AROUND 2 INCHES ARE LIKELY BY SUNRISE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE SNOW WILL CONTINUE MUCH OF SUNDAY...BEFORE DIMINISHING FROM NORTH TO SOUTH EARLY IN THE EVENING. SOME OF THE SNOW MAY BE HEAVY AT TIMES...ESPECIALLY IN THE MORNING. ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 6 INCHES ARE LIKELY...RESULTING A STORM TOTAL OF 6 TO 8INCHES. SOME BLOWING AND DRIFTING WILL BE POSSIBLE IN OPEN AREAS. WIND CHILLS OF 5 BELOW TO 15 BELOW ZERO ARE LIKELY SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ062-063-066>068-071>073-021200- CLARK-CLAY-CRAWFORD-CUMBERLAND-EFFINGHAM-JASPER-LAWRENCE-RICHLAND- 317 PM CST SAT MAR 1 2014 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 AM CST MONDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A MIXTURE OF FREEZING RAIN...SLEET AND SNOW WILL SPREAD OVER SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS AFTER MIDNIGHT. WHILE SLEET AND SNOW AMOUNTS SHOULD BE LESS THAN AN INCH THROUGH SUNRISE...ICE MAY ACCUMULATE UP TO A TENTH INCH...ESPECIALLY IN AREAS ALONG HIGHWAY 50. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY A PROLONGED PERIOD OF WINTRY PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO PERSIST THROUGH SUNDAY AND MUCH OF SUNDAY NIGHT. WHILE MOST OF THIS WILL BE IN THE FORM OF SNOW...SOME SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN MAY BE MIXED IN DURING THE MORNING. ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS AROUND 6 INCHES ARE LIKELY SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT...AND TOTAL ICE ACCUMULATIONS MAY APPROACH A QUARTER INCH FROM FLORA TO LAWRENCEVILLE. VERY COLD TEMPERATURES CAN BE EXPECTED BEHIND THE STORM...WITH WIND CHILL READINGS DROPPING TO NEAR ZERO MONDAY MORNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. GEELHART
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
1212 AM CST SUN MAR 02 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1200 AM SNOW ALTONA 41.12N 90.16W
03/02/2014 M2.3 INCH KNOX IL CO-OP OBSERVER
STILL SNOWING
1150 PM SNOW PEORIA 40.74N 89.61W
03/01/2014 M1.0 INCH PEORIA IL OFFICIAL NWS OBS
STILL SNOWING
&&
25PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
120 AM CST SUN MAR 02 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0100 AM SNOW HENRY 41.11N 89.36W
03/02/2014 M2.0 INCH MARSHALL IL EMERGENCY MNGR
6 HOUR SNOW TOTAL FROM 7 PM TO 1 AM. STILL SNOWING.
&&
SHIMONPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
144 AM CST SUN MAR 02 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0140 AM SNOW MORTON 40.61N 89.47W
03/02/2014 M2.4 INCH TAZEWELL IL NWS EMPLOYEE
STILL SNOWING.
&&
SHIMONPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
326 AM CST SUN MAR 02 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0140 AM FREEZING RAIN EFFINGHAM 39.12N 88.55W
03/02/2014 U0.00 INCH EFFINGHAM IL LAW ENFORCEMENT
GLAZE OF ICE EVERYWHERE CAUSING NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS ON
AREA ROADS INCLUDING I-70 AND I-72.
&&
SHIMONPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
328 AM CST SUN MAR 02 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0326 AM FREEZING RAIN EFFINGHAM 39.12N 88.55W
03/02/2014 U0.00 INCH EFFINGHAM IL LAW ENFORCEMENT
GLAZE OF ICE EVERYWHERE CAUSING NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS ON
AREA ROADS INCLUDING I-70 AND I-57.
&&
SHIMONPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
504 AM CST SUN MAR 02 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0500 AM SNOW BLOOMINGTON 40.48N 88.97W
03/02/2014 M3.0 INCH MCLEAN IL NWS EMPLOYEE
STILL SNOWING.
&&
SHIMONThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 sleet. Local standard time, as filed.
Weather observers across Clay County measured in excess of 1 inch of sleet, including 1.3 inches 6 miles SSE of Clay City.
Weather observers across Effingham County measured between 0.5 and 0.8 of sleet, including 0.8 in Effingham.
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, March 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: 505279, 505281.