Patchy freezing drizzle occurred across much of north-central Illinois from January 1st through the afternoon of January 2nd. Thanks to a thin glaze of ice that was deposited, many secondary and untreated roadways became slick and a few traffic accidents subsequently occurred.
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.
Patchy freezing drizzle occurred across much of north-central Illinois from January 1st through the afternoon of January 2nd. Thanks to a thin glaze of ice that was deposited, many secondary and untreated roadways became slick and a few traffic accidents subsequently occurred. One of the accidents resulted in a fatality in rural Woodford County on the morning of January 2nd.
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 1, 2:59 AM CST, 2 hours 1 minute earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lincoln IL 259 AM CST Tue Jan 1 2019 .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) ISSUED AT 259 AM CST Tue Jan 1 2019 Expansive area of low clouds continues across the area early this morning, along with some patchy drizzle for the central and northern CWA. Little change is expected through today as weakly cyclonic low level flow and a subtle trough in the 925-850mb layer produce enough lift for periods of drizzle over at least the northern half of the CWA. Cold advection continues which will result in temperatures holding steady or falling a couple degrees. This will lead to the possibility of some freezing drizzle, mainly for areas west of I-55. Forecast soundings point to little in the way of ice crystals due to shallow low level moisture, though if some deeper cloud decks manage to form some flurries would be possible as well. Tonight, clouds look to hang tough with the subsidence inversion in place and have gone towards the higher end of guidance for lows in the lower 20s NW to near 30 SE. Drizzle or flurries may continue into this evening but should be on the decrease. && .LONG TERM...(Wednesday through Monday) ISSUED AT 259 AM CST Tue Jan 1 2019 Dry and seasonable conditions expected Wednesday as high pressure reaches into the state. Still appears that low clouds will be difficult to break under the subsidence inversion. Sky cover has been trended up and will time in more clearing from the west for late afternoon and evening when drier air aloft moves in and the inversion weakens. For late Thursday into Friday, majority of 00z guidance has trended back south regarding the track of the next southern stream cutoff low. NAM is the notable northern outlier which brings deformation zone precip on the northern side of this feature up into the central CWA. Remaining solutions and blended guidance are farther south with the track of the upper wave, suggesting chance pops for the southern CWA. Thermal profiles support primarily rain for this event, though if a northern adjustment occurs some freezing rain would be possible on the northern fringe of the precip shield late Thursday night into early Friday morning. Behind this system, upper ridging builds over the central CONUS. This will result in dry and seasonably mild weather through the upcoming weekend. Next chance for rain returns to the forecast on Monday when a northern stream wave tries to dampen the upper ridge. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Tuesday night) Issued at 1126 PM CST Mon Dec 31 2018 IFR conditions will continue overnight at all sites with LIFR at BMI. Conditions will gradually improve during the morning hours at all sites with cigs getting above 1kft...last at BMI. MVFR cigs are expected for the afternoon at all sites and do not expect any break in the clouds given lots of moisture in the lower levels under an inversion. Winds will be west to northwest overnight and then become northerly for tomorrow. Gusty winds still around at SPI and DEC, but think this will decrease rapidly in an hour or two, so will not have in TAFs at issuance time. && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flash Flood Watch until 6 AM CST early this morning for ILZ051. && SHORT TERM...25 LONG TERM...25 AVIATION...Auten
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Lincoln IL 358 AM CST Tue Jan 1 2019 ILZ027>031-036>038-040>045-047>050-053-021200- Cass-Champaign-De Witt-Fulton-Knox-Logan-Macon-Marshall-Mason- McLean-Menard-Morgan-Peoria-Piatt-Schuyler-Scott-Stark-Tazewell- Woodford- 358 AM CST Tue Jan 1 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Illinois, east central Illinois and west central Illinois. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... Patchy freezing drizzle and flurries are possible through afternoon today. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY... Minor flooding is expected to develop on portions of the Illinois River and Sangamon River. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated through tonight. ILZ051-021200- Sangamon- 358 AM CST Tue Jan 1 2019 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CST EARLY THIS MORNING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Illinois. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... Releases of water from Spaulding Dam at Lake Springfield will result in substantial flow of water in Sugar Creek downstream from Spaulding Dam. High river stages could result in emergency evacuation procedures. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY... The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated through tonight. ILZ046-052-054>057-061-021200- Christian-Coles-Douglas-Edgar-Moultrie-Shelby-Vermilion- 358 AM CST Tue Jan 1 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Illinois and east central Illinois. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY... The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .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- 358 AM CST Tue Jan 1 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of east central Illinois and southeast Illinois. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... Minor flooding is expected on portions of the Wabash River, Little Wabash River, and Embarras River. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY... There is a slight chance for a brief period of freezing rain late Thursday night into Friday morning. Minor flooding will continue on portions of the Wabash River, Little Wabash River, and Embarras River. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated through tonight. 37
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Lincoln IL 444 AM CST Tue Jan 1 2019 ILZ027>031-036>038-040>045-047>051-053-011700- Knox-Stark-Peoria-Marshall-Woodford-Fulton-Tazewell-McLean- Schuyler-Mason-Logan-De Witt-Piatt-Champaign-Cass-Menard-Scott- Morgan-Sangamon-Macon- Including the cities of Galesburg, Toulon, Peoria, Lacon, Eureka, Canton, Pekin, Bloomington, Normal, Rushville, Havana, Lincoln, Clinton, Monticello, Champaign, Urbana, Beardstown, Petersburg, Winchester, Jacksonville, Springfield, and Decatur 444 AM CST Tue Jan 1 2019 Patchy freezing drizzle may occur at times today, possibly mixed with snow flurries. With temperatures falling to around freezing, any freezing drizzle could cause patchy icy conditions on untreated roadways. Check the latest forecasts and road conditions before driving, and be on the lookout for icy conditions. 37
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
A 45 year-old woman was killed when her vehicle collided head-on with another vehicle on County Highway 2 just west of Minonk in Woodford County during the morning of January 2nd. Slick roads due to freezing drizzle likely contributed to the crash.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather, Woodford | 2019-01-02 | 45 | Female | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Indirect |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, January 2019
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: 797560.