A significant overrunning snow event unfolded across central and southeast Illinois from the afternoon of January 24th through the afternoon of January 25th. Snowfall was heaviest along and south of the I-70 corridor where 8 to 14 inches accumulated.
Every event with a place to put it; 25 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 significant overrunning snow event unfolded across central and southeast Illinois from the afternoon of January 24th through the afternoon of January 25th. Snowfall was heaviest along and south of the I-70 corridor where 8 to 14 inches accumulated. Once the snow ended and skies cleared, air temperatures dropped below zero over the fresh snow cover by the morning of January 26th. Due to west-northwest winds of 10 to 15mph, wind chill values bottomed out in the -20 to -30 degree range. Despite the dangerously cold conditions, no cold-related injuries or deaths were reported.
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 25, 5:16 PM CST, 9 hours 44 minutes earlier.
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</html>The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
25 extreme cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -20 to -30 occurred across Scott County during the morning of January 26th.
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -20 to -30 occurred across Morgan County during the morning of January 26th. The coldest hourly wind-chill reading observed at the Jacksonville Airport (KIJX) was -29.
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -20 to -30 occurred across Sangamon County during the morning of January 26th. The coldest hourly wind-chill reading observed at the Springfield Airport (KSPI) was -28.
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -20 to -30 occurred across Menard County during the morning of January 26th.
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -20 to -30 occurred across Logan County during the morning of January 26th.
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -20 to -30 occurred across McLean County during the morning of January 26th. The coldest hourly wind-chill reading observed at the Bloomington Airport (KBMI) was -26.
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -20 to -30 occurred across DeWitt County during the morning of January 26th.
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -20 to -30 occurred across Piatt County during the morning of January 26th.
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -20 to -30 occurred across Macon County during the morning of January 26th. The coldest hourly wind-chill reading observed at the Decatur Airport (KDEC) was -23.
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -20 to -30 occurred across Christian County during the morning of January 26th.
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -20 to -30 occurred across Shelby County during the morning of January 26th.
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -20 to -30 occurred across Moultrie County during the morning of January 26th.
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -20 to -30 occurred across Champaign County during the morning of January 26th. The coldest hourly wind-chill reading observed at the Champaign Airport (KCMI) was -31.
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -20 to -30 occurred across Vermilion County during the morning of January 26th.
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -20 to -30 occurred across Douglas County during the morning of January 26th.
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -20 to -30 occurred across Coles County during the morning of January 26th. The coldest hourly wind-chill reading observed at the Coles County Airport (KMTO) was -30.
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -20 to -30 occurred across Edgar County during the morning of January 26th. The coldest hourly wind-chill reading observed at the Paris Airport (KPRG) was -30.
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -20 to -30 occurred across Effingham County during the morning of January 26th. The coldest hourly wind-chill reading observed at the Effingham Airport (K1H2) was -22.
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -20 to -30 occurred across Cumberland County during the morning of January 26th.
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -20 to -30 occurred across Clark County during the morning of January 26th.
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -20 to -30 occurred across Jasper County during the morning of January 26th.
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -20 to -30 occurred across Crawford County during the morning of January 26th. The coldest hourly wind-chill reading observed at the Robinson Airport (KRSV) was -25.
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -20 to -30 occurred across Clay County during the morning of January 26th. The coldest hourly wind-chill reading observed at the Flora Airport (KFOA) was -21.
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -20 to -30 occurred across Richland County during the morning of January 26th. The coldest hourly wind-chill reading observed at the Olney Airport (KOLY) was -20.
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -20 to -30 occurred across Lawrence County during the morning of January 26th. The coldest hourly wind-chill reading observed at the Lawrenceville Airport (KLWV) was -23.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, January 2026
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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1306606, 1306607, 1306608, 1306609, 1306610, 1306611, 1306612, 1306613, 1306614, 1306615, 1306616, 1306617, 1306618, 1306619, 1306620, 1306621, 1306622, 1306623, 1306624, 1306625, 1306626, 1306627, 1306628, 1306629, 1306630.