Low pressure tracked from eastern Colorado during the evening of January 31st to central Indiana by the evening of February 1st. Snow developed in advance of this feature, with the heaviest snow falling along and north of its track across mainly north-central Illinois.
Every event with a place to put it; 17 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.
Low pressure tracked from eastern Colorado during the evening of January 31st to central Indiana by the evening of February 1st. Snow developed in advance of this feature, with the heaviest snow falling along and north of its track across mainly north-central Illinois. Snowfall totals of 6 to 9 inches were common along and north of a Canton to Bloomington line, with lesser amounts of 2 to 5 inches along the I-72 corridor.
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 31, 11:57 PM CST, 2 hours 3 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 1157 PM CST Sat Jan 31 2015 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 731 PM CST SAT JAN 31 2015 Initial surge of precipitation associated with approaching winter storm system has been mainly rain: however, there have been pockets of snow and sleet mixed in as well. Made a quick update to the forecast to include a rain/snow/sleet mix along the I-74 corridor through mid-evening. Radar trends suggest first band of precip will lift into northern Illinois later this evening, leading to a lull in the precip, especially for areas east of the I-55 corridor. Further west, precip currently over Missouri will gradually work northeastward and overspread the entire area after midnight. A rain/snow mix will initially occur, but will change to all snow along/north of a Jacksonville...to Decatur...to Danville line by dawn. No changes in the expected snow totals for later tonight into Sunday, so current Winter Storm Warnings and Advisories remain in place. && .SHORT TERM...(Tonight) ISSUED AT 304 PM CST SAT JAN 31 2015 Latest surface map shows the low pressure with our storm system organizing across Colorado early this afternoon, with a frontal boundary arcing northeast along the Iowa/Minnesota border to just north of Lake Huron. Upper wave is digging across the Montana/Wyoming Rockies, as an upper low continues to spin just south of Arizona. Leading edge of the precipitation shield with this storm system has edged into the forecast area this afternoon. Some sprinkles reported as far east as Clinton, but precipitation remains light as there is a fair amount of dry air at the surface to overcome. Radar mosaics showing the more organized rain back in central Missouri and Iowa. Forecast remains a challenge for tonight. Most of the current guidance is suggesting precipitation being all rain much of the evening, with a transition toward snow occurring across the northern CWA late evening. Complicating matters is the indication by most of the models that there will likely be a period of dry conditions across the south half of the forecast area this evening, before strong isentropic lift moves in from Missouri after midnight and rapidly moistens the lower atmosphere again. The GFS came in on the warmer end of the guidance with mainly rain into Sunday morning as far north as I-72, while the remaining guidance rapidly cools the column as the precipitation begins, with a switchover to snow. Have kept a mix in the grids along I-72 past midnight before transitioning to snow there between midnight and 3 am, with the southeast CWA remaining mainly rain. Amount-wise, think that 3 to 5 inches of snow is likely north of a Havana to Bloomington line tonight, with 1-2 inches along I-72, although this area remains concerning due to the potential mixture lasting longer. Also complicating things is temperatures above freezing in many areas, which could limit some of the accumulations unless the snow is falling heavy enough. && .LONG TERM...(Sunday through Saturday) ISSUED AT 304 PM CST SAT JAN 31 2015 Main focus for this forecast period continues to be the winter weather system that will be moving across the area Sunday through Sunday night. Over most of the area, precip should have changed over to all snow, mainly along and north of Quincy to Paris line. Just south of this line, precip will still be a mix of rain and snow, and then south of I-70 it should be all rain. As the low pressure area tracks across southern IL during the afternoon, colder air will advect into the area and the southeast counties will change to a mix of rain and snow, while areas north of I-70 will be all snow. Models seem to be in fairly good agreement with the track of the system, but differ on the temp profile during the morning hours, especially for areas surrounding the I-72 to Danville corridor. NAM is cooler, while the GFS is warmer and would mean more rain than snow. This continues to be the tricky part of the forecast since the temp profile plays into the amount of snow/snow accumulation those areas will have. Looking at current snowfall grids, appears that Piatt, Champaign, and Vermilion counties could reach warning criteria snowfall Sunday, so will be adding them into the current winter storm warning. This coincides with the eastward movement of the low pressure area and lines up well with Indy. Counties just to the south of this area will still remain in an advisory as the mix of rain and snow will likely keep snowfall totals below 6 inches. Then the 500mb trough will move across the area Sunday evening and then bring an end to the snow by midnight. The system will also be deepening some as it moves across the area, and with colder air advecting into the system, the gradient will become tighter, which means that the winds will increase and become gusty for Sunday afternoon through Sunday night. Therefore, there could be areas of blowing and drifting snow in the north Sunday afternoon and then along and north of Quincy to Paris line for Sunday evening. As the winds decrease overnight, the blowing snow will become patchy. The areas of blowing and drifting snow will be where most of the snow will have fallen. Believe the blowing and drifting will be possible, even though the initial snowfall might be heavier due to the amount of moisture. The snowfall during Sunday afternoon and evening should be lighter given that the water content should be drier than the earlier snowfall. Wind gusts should reach between 30 and 35 mph during the afternoon and into the evening. After this system, dry and cold weather is expected for Monday. However, a clipper system is forecast to drop into the area and bring a little bit of more snow to northern parts of the CWA for Mon night through Tue night. Any snowfall looks to be less than one half inch since moisture for this system will be very limited. Beyond this, conditions will be dry through the rest of the week. Temps will still be on the warm side Sunday, but then become much colder for Sun night as colder air advects into the area behind the system. Temps will remain cold for Monday and Mon night behind the system but then warm slightly for Tue as the clipper system moves through the area. Once the clipper moves through, colder air will return for Wed night through Friday. Overnight low Wed night and Thur night will be in the single digits for the northern half of the CWA with some sites likely getting below zero. Temps will then begin to warm again for the beginning of the weekend. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Sunday night) ISSUED AT 1156 PM CST SAT JAN 31 2015 IFR ceilings have already arrived at KPIA and will gradually spread eastward to KDEC/KCMI between 10z and 11z. After that, IFR conditions are expected everywhere through the remainder of the 06z TAF period. Snow will be heaviest at the I-74 terminals, so have dropped visbys as low as 1/2 mile at those sites between 08z and 16z. The snow will then taper off to snow-showers or flurries by Sunday afternoon. Despite an end to the falling snow, strong/gusty winds developing on the back side of the departing storm system will produce blowing/drifting snow and continued reduced visbys late Sunday afternoon into the evening. Have carried BLSN and visbys around 2 miles at the I-74 sites accordingly. && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING until 9 PM CST Sunday FOR ILZ027>031- 036>038-040>048. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY until 9 PM CST Sunday FOR ILZ049>057-061. && UPDATE...Barnes SHORT TERM...Geelhart LONG TERM...Auten AVIATION...Barnes
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 316 PM CST SAT JAN 31 2015 ILZ027>031-036>038-040>048-011200- CASS-CHAMPAIGN-DE WITT-FULTON-KNOX-LOGAN-MARSHALL-MASON-MCLEAN- MENARD-PEORIA-PIATT-SCHUYLER-STARK-TAZEWELL-VERMILION-WOODFORD- 316 PM CST SAT JAN 31 2015 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 PM CST SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT RAIN WILL BEGIN TO CHANGE TO SNOW BY MID TO LATE EVENING...AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE NIGHT. TOTALS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ARE LIKELY BY SUNRISE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL PERSIST INTO SUNDAY...EVENTUALLY TAPERING OFF DURING THE EVENING HOURS. BY THE TIME THE SNOW ENDS LATE SUNDAY EVENING...TOTAL AMOUNTS OF 7 TO 10 INCHES ARE LIKELY...WITH THE HIGHER TOTALS NORTH OF I-74. NORTHERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE AND GUST TO AROUND 30 MPH SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...CAUSING SOME BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW ESPECIALLY ON EAST WEST ORIENTED ROADS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE REQUIRED. HOWEVER...SNOWFALL MEASUREMENTS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. ILZ049>057-061-011200- CHRISTIAN-COLES-DOUGLAS-EDGAR-MACON-MORGAN-MOULTRIE-SANGAMON- SCOTT-SHELBY- 316 PM CST SAT JAN 31 2015 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 PM CST SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT RAIN WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA THIS EVENING...MIXING WITH SNOW TOWARD MIDNIGHT BEFORE CHANGING TO ALL SNOW OVERNIGHT. AREAS ALONG I-72 MAY SEE 1 TO 3 INCHES OF SNOW BY SUNRISE...WITH LESS THAN 1 INCH FURTHER SOUTH WHERE THE PRECIPITATION WILL REMAIN AS RAIN LONGER. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ANY LINGERING MIXED PRECIPITATION WILL CHANGE OVER TO ALL SNOW SUNDAY MORNING...AND CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING. TOTALS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED BY THE TIME THE STORM ENDS...WITH THE HIGHER TOTALS ALONG THE I-72 CORRIDOR. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE REQUIRED. HOWEVER...SNOWFALL MEASUREMENTS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. ILZ062-063-066>068-071>073-011200- CLARK-CLAY-CRAWFORD-CUMBERLAND-EFFINGHAM-JASPER-LAWRENCE-RICHLAND- 316 PM CST SAT JAN 31 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT RAIN WILL BEGIN TO MIX WITH SNOW LATE IN THE NIGHT. HOWEVER... ANY ACCUMULATIONS BEFORE SUNRISE WOULD BE MINIMAL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY WHILE MUCH OF THE PRECIPITATION DURING THE DAY WILL BE RAIN...IT WILL BEGIN MIXING WITH SNOW AGAIN DURING THE AFTERNOON...BEFORE CHANGING TO ALL SNOW BY SUNSET. LIGHT SNOW WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING. TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF AROUND AN INCH ARE LIKELY...WITH TOTALS NEAR 2 INCHES CLOSER TO I-70. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE REQUIRED. HOWEVER...SNOWFALL MEASUREMENTS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. GEELHART
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
9 winter weather, 8 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Weather observers across Fulton County reported around 6 inches of snow. Numerous traffic accidents occurred due to snow-covered and hazardous roadways.
Weather observers across Knox County reported 6 to 9 inches of snow, including 8.8 inches in Altona, 8.0 inches 1 mile north of Abingdon, and 7.0 inches in Galesburg. Numerous traffic accidents occurred due to snow-covered and hazardous roadways.
Weather observers across Peoria County reported 6 to 7 inches of snow, including 7.0 inches 5 miles northwest of Peoria and 6.4 inches in Peoria. Numerous traffic accidents occurred due to snow-covered and hazardous roadways.
Weather observers across Cass County reported 3 to 5 inches of snow, including 4.0 inches in Virgina. Numerous traffic accidents occurred due to snow-covered and hazardous roadways.
Weather observers across Mason County reported 3 to 5 inches of snow, including 3.5 inches in Havana. Numerous traffic accidents occurred due to snow-covered and hazardous roadways.
Weather observers across Menard County reported 3 to 5 inches of snow. Numerous traffic accidents occurred due to snow-covered and hazardous roadways.
Weather observers across Schuyler County reported 3 to 5 inches of snow. Numerous traffic accidents occurred due to snow-covered and hazardous roadways.
Weather observers across Marshall County reported 6 to 9 inches of snow, including 6.3 inches in Lacon and 6.2 inches in Henry. Numerous traffic accidents occurred due to snow-covered and hazardous roadways.
Weather observers across Stark County reported 6 to 9 inches of snow. Numerous traffic accidents occurred due to snow-covered and hazardous roadways.
Weather observers across Woodford County reported 6 to 9 inches of snow, including 9.0 inches in Minonk and 7.7 inches in Roanoke. Numerous traffic accidents occurred due to snow-covered and hazardous roadways.
Weather observers across McLean County reported 5 to 7 inches of snow, including 7.0 inches 1.7 miles northeast of Arrowsmith, 6.5 inches 4 miles northeast of Normal, and 6.0 inches in Bloomington. Numerous traffic accidents occurred due to snow-covered and hazardous roadways.
Weather observers across Tazewell County reported 5 to 7 inches of snow, including 6.3 inches in Morton and 5.0 inches 1 mile north of Mackinaw. Numerous traffic accidents occurred due to snow-covered and hazardous roadways.
Weather observers across DeWitt County reported 3 to 5 inches of snow, including 4.0 inches 3 miles west of Farmer City and 3.2 inches in Clinton. Numerous traffic accidents occurred due to snow-covered and hazardous roadways.
Weather observers across Logan County reported 3 to 5 inches of snow, including 3.2 inches in Lincoln. Numerous traffic accidents occurred due to snow-covered and hazardous roadways.
Weather observers across Piatt County reported 3 to 5 inches of snow. Numerous traffic accidents occurred due to snow-covered and hazardous roadways.
Weather observers across Champaign County reported 3 to 5 inches of snow, including 5.1 inches in Fisher and 3.8 inches in Urbana. Numerous traffic accidents occurred due to snow-covered and hazardous roadways.
Weather observers across Vermilion County reported 3 to 5 inches of snow, including 5.5 inches in Hoopeston. Numerous traffic accidents occurred due to snow-covered and hazardous roadways.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, February 2015
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: 560111, 560112, 560117, 560121, 560125, 560126, 560128, 560114, 560118, 560120, 560116, 560119, 560123, 560124, 560127, 560122, 560129.