Heavy Snow, Jackson
- When
- January 19, 1:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
- Where
- Jackson forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 37.785, -89.382 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Illinois, January 19, 2019
A deepening low pressure center tracked from eastern Arkansas across middle Tennessee during the day, then into southeast Kentucky on the evening of the 19th. As colder air quickly pushed southward, rain changed to snow during the afternoon hours.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 19 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 19
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.
What happened
The episode as NWS PAH wrote it up.
A deepening low pressure center tracked from eastern Arkansas across middle Tennessee during the day, then into southeast Kentucky on the evening of the 19th. As colder air quickly pushed southward, rain changed to snow during the afternoon hours. Travel impacts were very high due to the combination of high snowfall rates (1 to 2 inches per hour), strong wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph, and rapidly falling temperatures. Roads quickly became snow and ice covered, and visibility was frequently below one-quarter mile for a few hours. Near blizzard conditions were experienced in many areas for a few hours. There were numerous accidents, and some roads were closed for a while during the heart of the event. I-57 in southern Illinois was among the worst hit, which caused the Illinois State Police to close the interstate from Mount Vernon to Marion on the evening of the 19th. The heaviest snowfall totals were observed along a corridor from the Marion-Carbondale area northeast across Mcleansboro to Mt. Carmel. Widespread snowfall totals of 4 to 6 inches occurred in this corridor, with pockets of 6 to 8 inches from Marion to southwest Hamilton County. Across the extreme southeast counties of Hardin, Pope, and Massac, snowfall amounts were mainly from 1 to 3 inches. Measuring the snowfall accurately was a challenge due to the strong winds throughout the afternoon and evening hours. Drifting of the snow hindered travel. Convective elements, including thundersnow, produced snowfall rates from one to two inches per hour. Peak wind gusts were measured up to 52 mph at the Carbondale airport and 40 mph at the Carmi airport. Temperatures fell into the mid 20's by the end of the snowstorm, producing wind chills from 10 to 15.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
16 heavy snow, 3 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy Snow, Perry
- When
- January 19, 1:00 PM CST to 7:00 PM CST
- Where
- Perry forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 38.084, -89.367 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Franklin
- When
- January 19, 1:00 PM CST to 7:00 PM CST
- Where
- Franklin forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 37.992, -88.924 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Jefferson
- When
- January 19, 1:00 PM CST to 7:00 PM CST
- Where
- Jefferson forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 38.301, -88.924 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Union
- When
- January 19, 2:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
- Where
- Union forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 37.471, -89.255 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Williamson
- When
- January 19, 2:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
- Where
- Williamson forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 37.730, -88.930 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Hamilton
- When
- January 19, 2:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
- Where
- Hamilton forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 38.082, -88.539 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Wayne
- When
- January 19, 2:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
- Where
- Wayne forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 38.430, -88.426 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Alexander
- When
- January 19, 3:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
- Where
- Alexander forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 37.192, -89.338 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Pulaski
- When
- January 19, 3:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
- Where
- Pulaski forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 37.223, -89.127 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Johnson
- When
- January 19, 3:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
- Where
- Johnson forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 37.460, -88.881 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Saline
- When
- January 19, 3:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
- Where
- Saline forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 37.753, -88.541 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Gallatin
- When
- January 19, 3:00 PM CST to 9:00 PM CST
- Where
- Gallatin forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 37.763, -88.230 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, White
- When
- January 19, 3:00 PM CST to 9:00 PM CST
- Where
- White forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 38.088, -88.180 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Edwards
- When
- January 19, 3:00 PM CST to 9:00 PM CST
- Where
- Edwards forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 38.417, -88.053 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Wabash
- When
- January 19, 3:00 PM CST to 9:00 PM CST
- Where
- Wabash forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 38.446, -87.844 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Weather, Massac
- When
- January 19, 4:00 PM CST to 9:00 PM CST
- Where
- Massac forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 37.219, -88.708 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Weather, Pope
- When
- January 19, 4:00 PM CST to 9:00 PM CST
- Where
- Pope forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 37.413, -88.562 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Weather, Hardin
- When
- January 19, 4:00 PM CST to 9:00 PM CST
- Where
- Hardin forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 37.518, -88.267 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- Heavy Snow
- Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
- Winter Weather
- Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Winter Weather in Kansas, January 19, 2019
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Idaho, January 19 to 21, 2019
- Winter Storm in Connecticut, January 19 to 20, 2019
- Winter Storm and Flood in Ohio, January 19 to 20, 2019
- Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in Alabama, January 19, 2019
- Winter Storm in Ohio, January 19 to 21, 2019
- Tornadoes and Hail in Mississippi, January 19, 2019
- Winter Storm in Vermont, January 19 to 20, 2019
- Winter Storm in Pennsylvania, January 19 to 20, 2019
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in Florida, January 19, 2019
- Winter Storm in New York, January 19 to 20, 2019
- Winter Storm and Extreme Cold in New York, January 19 to 22, 2019
More
Every storm in Illinois in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, January 2019
Sources
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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 797155, 797159, 797160, 797163, 797153, 797156, 797161, 797165, 797151, 797152, 797154, 797157, 797158, 797162, 797166, 797167, 797168, 797169, 797170.