Canadian high pressure building into the Plains brought a very cold airmass into central Illinois from December 18th through December 19th. while wind-chills dipped as low as -15 to -25F.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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.
Canadian high pressure building into the Plains brought a very cold airmass into central Illinois from December 18th through December 19th. Early morning lows on the 18th dropped to between 0 and -10F...while wind-chills dipped as low as -15 to -25F. A Peoria man succumbed to the extreme cold and was found dead on a sidewalk at approximately 10am on December 18th.
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 Dec 17, 11:37 PM CST, 23 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lincoln IL 1137 PM CST Sat Dec 17 2016 .UPDATE... Issued at 900 PM CST Sat Dec 17 2016 Arctic air continues to spill across central and southeast Illinois this evening on the back side of the system that has impacted the area since yesterday. The vertical column has cooled sufficiently, except across far southeast Illinois, that any precipitation at this point will fall in the form of snow. A band of steadier snow is approaching the Illinois River, but it should not be a significant snow producer. Most locations should see well less than an inch of snow by morning. Going headlines look reasonable and will not be changed at this time. Only minor hourly tweaks were necessary to the overnight forecast. && .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Sunday) ISSUED AT 319 PM CST Sat Dec 17 2016 20z/2pm surface analysis shows frontal boundary well to the south near the Ohio River, while cold N/NW winds prevail across central Illinois. Persistent freezing drizzle that has been ongoing since late yesterday afternoon has finally come to an end across much of the KILX CWA as evidenced by improving visibilities over the past couple of hours. Radar is showing rain showers beginning to develop north of the front, particularly across the SE. Think this trend will continue into the evening, with rain becoming likely along/south of I-70. As temperatures fall below freezing, a light accumulation of ice of less than one-tenth of an inch is likely across this area. Further northwest, a band of deformation zone snow currently across eastern Iowa into northern Missouri will work its way eastward this evening. Based on latest HRRR forecast, it appears snow will begin across the Illinois River Valley between 5pm and 7pm...then further east to the I-55 corridor by mid-evening. The snow band will shift into east-central Illinois toward midnight, but it will likely be diminishing in intensity by then. Total snow accumulations tonight will generally be 1 inch or less...but may reach as much as 2 inches along/northwest of a Macomb to Lacon line. In addition to the snow, gusty northwesterly winds will be transporting bitterly cold air into the region. Low temperatures will range from the single digits below zero along/northwest of the Illinois River to the teens south of I-70. These air temperatures combined with winds gusting to between 20 and 30 mph will create dangerously low wind-chills of 15 below to 25 below zero along/west of a Champaign to Shelbyville line where a Wind Chill Advisory will remain in effect through midday Sunday. Skies will clear early Sunday morning: however, despite a good deal of sunshine, temperatures will not rebound much from morning lows. Afternoon highs will range from around zero along/northwest of the Illinois River to the teens south of I-70. .LONG TERM...(Sunday night through Saturday) ISSUED AT 319 PM CST Sat Dec 17 2016 Arctic high pressure will be centered across central Illinois Sunday night bringing another bitterly cold night with lows several degrees below guidance, especially across our northern counties where an inch or two of fresh snow will be present. If areas further south receives a bit more snow than expected tonight, we may have to lower the early morning lows in those areas as well. With the ridge axis situated right across the forecast area, winds will be light so the wind chills shouldn't be an issue, at least compared to what we will have over our area Sunday. Temperatures during the day Monday will struggle into the teens to lower 20s as a southerly flow develops with the Arctic high shifting off to our east. The warming trend gets going in earnest Tuesday as the mercury tops out from 30 to 35 degrees as a weak shortwave tracks well to our north during the day and our area under the influence of a southwesterly flow. Another more vigorous shortwave is seen on the models for later Wednesday into Wednesday night but again, moisture quite limited ahead of this disturbance, so POPs will be quite low Wednesday evening, with the better forcing and moisture to our north. Not a lot of cold air behind the wave for Thursday with temperatures cooling a few degrees before we see warmer air return for Friday as upper level ridging builds over the central U.S. in response to a significant trof forecast by the 12z ECMWF and GFS to dig sharply into the southwest U.S. Friday night into Saturday with the potential for rain or snow over our area next weekend. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Sunday night) Issued at 1135 PM CST Sat Dec 17 2016 Light snow will taper off overnight across the central Illinois terminals, with conditions quickly improving to VFR once the snow ends. Gusty northwest winds will diminish Sunday as Arctic high pressure builds into the area.| && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory until 6 AM CST Sunday for ILZ027>031- 036>038-040>057-061>063-066>068-071>073. Wind Chill Advisory until noon CST Sunday for ILZ027>031-036>038- 040>045-047>054-061. && UPDATE...Bak SHORT TERM...Barnes LONG TERM...Smith AVIATION...Bak
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 329 PM CST SAT DEC 17 2016 ILZ027>031-036>038-040>045-047>054-061-181200- CASS-CHAMPAIGN-CHRISTIAN-DE WITT-FULTON-KNOX-LOGAN-MACON-MARSHALL- MASON-MCLEAN-MENARD-MORGAN-MOULTRIE-PEORIA-PIATT-SANGAMON- SCHUYLER-SCOTT-SHELBY-STARK-TAZEWELL-WOODFORD- 329 PM CST SAT DEC 17 2016 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CST SUNDAY... ...WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO NOON CST SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS...EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS...NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A PERIOD OF SNOW IS EXPECTED TO ACCOMPANY AN ARCTIC COLD FRONT ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING. THE SNOW MAY INITIALLY BE MIXED WITH SOME FREEZING DRIZZLE...BUT THEN QUICKLY CHANGE TO SNOW. ADDITIONAL ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE MINIMAL...HOWEVER HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST THROUGH TONIGHT. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS TONIGHT WILL GENERALLY BE 1 INCH OR LESS...BUT MAY BE AS HIGH AS 2 INCHES NORTHWEST OF A CANTON...TO PEORIA...TO MINONK LINE. BITTERLY COLD WIND-CHILL VALUES WILL BOTTOM OUT BETWEEN 15 BELOW AND 25 BELOW ZERO LATE TONIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY BITTERLY COLD WIND-CHILL VALUES BETWEEN 10 BELOW AND 15 BELOW ZERO WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MONDAY MORNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT...ALTHOUGH ANY REPORTS OF ICE OR SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WOULD BE APPRECIATED. ILZ062-063-066>068-071>073-181200- CLARK-CLAY-CRAWFORD-CUMBERLAND-EFFINGHAM-JASPER-LAWRENCE-RICHLAND- 329 PM CST SAT DEC 17 2016 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CST SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS...SOUTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT AS COLDER AIR FILTERS INTO THE REGION...FREEZING DRIZZLE AND SLEET WILL DEVELOP EARLY THIS EVENING...FOLLOWED BY A PERIOD OF LIGHT SNOW. ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE MINIMAL...HOWEVER HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST THROUGH TONIGHT. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS TONIGHT WILL BE LESS THAN 1 INCH. BITTERLY COLD WIND-CHILL VALUES WILL BOTTOM OUT BETWEEN ZERO AND 10 BELOW ZERO LATE TONIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY BITTERLY COLD WIND-CHILL VALUES BETWEEN 5 BELOW AND 10 BELOW ZERO WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MONDAY MORNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT...ALTHOUGH ANY REPORTS OF ICE OR SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WOULD BE APPRECIATED. ILZ046-055>057-181200- COLES-DOUGLAS-EDGAR-VERMILION- 329 PM CST SAT DEC 17 2016 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CST SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT PATCHY FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL CONTINUE THROUGH LATE THIS AFTERNOON BEFORE GRADUALLY TRANSITIONING TO LIGHT SNOW BY THIS EVENING. ADDITIONAL ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE MINIMAL...HOWEVER HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST THROUGH TONIGHT. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS TONIGHT WILL BE 1 INCH OR LESS. BITTERLY COLD WIND-CHILL VALUES WILL BOTTOM OUT BETWEEN 10 BELOW AND 15 BELOW ZERO LATE TONIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY BITTERLY COLD WIND-CHILL VALUES BETWEEN 5 BELOW AND 15 BELOW ZERO WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MONDAY MORNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT...ALTHOUGH ANY REPORTS OF ICE OR SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WOULD BE APPRECIATED. SMITH
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
811 PM CST SAT DEC 17 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0650 PM FREEZING RAIN HOOPESTON 40.47N 87.67W
12/17/2016 E0.10 INCH VERMILION IL CO-OP OBSERVER
&&
EJLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
919 PM CST SAT DEC 17 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0913 PM SNOW ABINGDON 40.80N 90.40W
12/17/2016 E1.0 INCH KNOX IL PUBLIC
SO FAR...STILL SNOWING
&&
EJLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
1003 PM CST SAT DEC 17 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0600 AM FREEZING RAIN 2 E LINCOLN 40.15N 89.33W
12/17/2016 M0.10 INCH LOGAN IL OFFICIAL NWS OBS
SINCE 6 PM
0600 AM FREEZING RAIN SPRINGFIELD 39.78N 89.64W
12/17/2016 E0.10 INCH SANGAMON IL CO-OP OBSERVER
0700 AM FREEZING RAIN FORSYTH 39.92N 88.96W
12/17/2016 E0.10 INCH MACON IL MESONET
0700 AM FREEZING RAIN BUFFALO 39.85N 89.41W
12/17/2016 M0.10 INCH SANGAMON IL CO-OP OBSERVER
0700 AM FREEZING RAIN 3 W KINCAID 39.59N 89.47W
12/17/2016 E0.10 INCH CHRISTIAN IL CO-OP OBSERVER
0700 AM FREEZING RAIN JACKSONVILLE 39.73N 90.23W
12/17/2016 E0.10 INCH MORGAN IL CO-OP OBSERVER
0730 AM FREEZING RAIN 3 W BISMARCK 40.27N 87.66W
12/17/2016 E0.10 INCH VERMILION IL MESONET
0730 AM FREEZING RAIN 2 SE AUBURN 39.56N 89.72W
12/17/2016 E0.10 INCH SANGAMON IL MESONET
0745 AM FREEZING RAIN 2 NE CISCO 40.03N 88.70W
12/17/2016 E0.10 INCH PIATT IL MESONET
0800 AM FREEZING RAIN BLOOMINGTON 40.48N 88.97W
12/17/2016 E0.10 INCH MCLEAN IL CO-OP OBSERVER
0900 AM FREEZING RAIN 1 ESE CHATHAM 39.67N 89.68W
12/17/2016 M0.10 INCH SANGAMON IL NWS EMPLOYEE
1150 AM FREEZING RAIN PEORIA 40.74N 89.61W
12/17/2016 E0.10 INCH PEORIA IL TRAINED SPOTTER
0200 PM FREEZING RAIN 2 N HOMER 40.06N 87.96W
12/17/2016 M0.10 INCH CHAMPAIGN IL COCORAHS
0650 PM FREEZING RAIN HOOPESTON 40.47N 87.67W
12/17/2016 E0.10 INCH VERMILION IL CO-OP OBSERVER
0913 PM SNOW ABINGDON 40.80N 90.40W
12/17/2016 E1.0 INCH KNOX IL PUBLIC
SO FAR...STILL SNOWING
&&
THE TOTALS BELOW ARE SEPARATED INTO SNOW...AND ICE AND SLEET
CATEGORIES...THEN BY AMOUNT...AND ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE
FINAL AMOUNT FOR EACH LOCATION.
SNOW REPORTS LISTED BY AMOUNT...
INCHES LOCATION COUNTY TIME
------ ------------------- ----------- -------
1.00 ABINGDON KNOX 0913 PM
SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN REPORTS LISTED BY AMOUNT...
INCHES LOCATION COUNTY TIME TYPE
------ ------------------- ----------- ------- -------------
0.10 HOOPESTON VERMILION 0650 PM FREEZING RAIN
0.10 2 N HOMER CHAMPAIGN 0200 PM FREEZING RAIN
0.10 PEORIA PEORIA 1150 AM FREEZING RAIN
0.10 1 ESE CHATHAM SANGAMON 0900 AM FREEZING RAIN
0.10 BLOOMINGTON MCLEAN 0800 AM FREEZING RAIN
0.10 2 NE CISCO PIATT 0745 AM FREEZING RAIN
0.10 2 SE AUBURN SANGAMON 0730 AM FREEZING RAIN
0.10 3 W BISMARCK VERMILION 0730 AM FREEZING RAIN
0.10 JACKSONVILLE MORGAN 0700 AM FREEZING RAIN
0.10 3 W KINCAID CHRISTIAN 0700 AM FREEZING RAIN
0.10 BUFFALO SANGAMON 0700 AM FREEZING RAIN
0.10 FORSYTH MACON 0700 AM FREEZING RAIN
0.10 SPRINGFIELD SANGAMON 0600 AM FREEZING RAIN
0.10 2 E LINCOLN LOGAN 0600 AM FREEZING RAIN
EJLThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.
A Peoria man died of hypothermia at approximately 10am on December 18th. He was found lying on a sidewalk while wind chill values were hovering around -20F.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold/Wind Chill, Peoria | 2016-12-18 | 46 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, December 2016
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: 666934.