Power Outage in Carbondale, IL

The automated weather observation system at the Carbondale airport measured a wind gust to 61 mph. A power pole was leaning on Old Highway 13 a few miles west of Carbondale.

The automated weather observation system at the Carbondale airport measured a wind gust to 61 mph. A power pole was leaning on Old Highway 13 a few miles west of Carbondale.

A National Weather Service damage survey was conducted on the west side of Carbondale along Highway 13. The survey determined that a microburst with peak winds near 85 mph occurred, along with a brief gustnado. The damage path was about 0.6 miles long and 850 yards wide. The gustnado, which is a non-tornadic circulation not connected to the cloud base, was videotaped. The damage consisted of dozens of downed tree limbs and a couple of downed trees. An attached carport was blown from the front of a house. Another house lost several shingles. Two crated four-wheelers were blown over, and a utility trailer was blown over 50 yards. At least one power pole was broken. The gustnado was indicated within the damage along the southeast side of the damage, both by video and within the damage pattern.

A National Weather Service damage survey was conducted on the west side of Carbondale along Highway 13. The survey determined that a microburst with peak winds near 85 mph occurred, along with a brief gustnado. The damage path was about 0.6 miles long and 850 yards wide. The gustnado, which is a non-tornadic circulation not connected to the cloud base, was videotaped. The damage consisted of dozens of downed tree limbs and a couple of downed trees. An attached carport was blown from the front of a house. Another house lost several shingles. Two crated four-wheelers were blown over, and a utility trailer was blown over 50 yards. At least one power pole was broken. The gustnado was indicated within the damage along the southeast side of the damage, both by video and within the damage pattern.

Widespread wind damage occurred across the county. Multiple trees were down, causing widespread power outages. A wind gust to 67 mph was recorded by the automated observing system at the Southern Illinois Airport near Carbondale. Power poles were down. Some roads were blocked by downed trees, including Old Route 13.

Between Ava and Murphysboro, four snapped power lines were down across a street. Some trees were blown down in the same location.

Wind equipment at the automated observing site at the Carbondale airport measured a gust to 60 mph. In Murphysboro, a power pole was snapped, with lines laying across a home.

Tree damage was reported in the cities of Carbondale and Murphysboro. A wind gust to 60 mph was measured at the automated observation site at the Carbondale airport. In Murphysboro, a downed tree took down a power line that landed on a house.

Numerous large tree limbs were blown down onto streets and power lines.

A wind gust to 66 mph was measured by wind equipment at the Carbondale/Southern Illinois airport. In Murphysboro, a few trees were uprooted. One of the trees landed on a storage shed. Another large tree fell across a street, blocking it. Some tree limbs and power lines were down.

About one-third of the roof was blown off a brand new police station, landing on three nearby homes. The police station suffered water damage, and the nearby homes were heavily damaged. There were numerous trees and power lines blown down in the city. On the Southern Illinois University campus, windows were broken at an academic building, and a tree landed on a residence hall. Carbondale city schools were closed the following day since thousands of utility customers remained without power.

Several trees were blown down in Murphysboro. Trees were blown down in Carbondale. A few power poles were damaged in Carbondale.

Trees up to eight inches in diameter were blown down. Power lines were down.

Half of the metal roof of a small farm shed was blown off. A large tree and less than a dozen small trees were blown down. A tree and power lines were down on Highway 3. A few signs were blown down. Less than ten percent of the metal roofing and siding was blown off a house. Some wheat less than a foot tall was blown down. A trained spotter and a local resident took photos, but the tornado was very difficult to identify through the rain. Peak winds in this tornado were estimated near 85 mph.

Dozens of large trees were snapped or uprooted. Structural damage occurred to two barns, mainly in the form of roof damage. Power poles were blown over, and one pole snapped. Houses received minor shingle damage. Peak winds were estimated near 95 mph.

Widespread wind damage occurred across Jackson County. Widespread damage to trees, power lines, and structures occurred as the comma head of a bow echo moved east across the county. In the city of Carbondale alone, officials reported 34 properties were deemed total losses from the storm. All but nine of those properties were mobile homes. Damage in the city alone (excluding Southern Illinois University) was estimated near 3 million dollars. Officials estimated about 3,000 trees were down or damaged in Carbondale alone, including the campus of Southern Illinois University. Officials in Murphysboro reported 17 dwellings in that city were total losses. One mobile home was blown over onto a car. Murphysboro officials also reported a police cruiser, a truck, and a mobile command center were destroyed. The city's public works garage was shifted off its foundation, and the city police station was damaged. The peak gust recorded by the automated system at the Carbondale airport was 81 mph before the system failed. An observer at the airport visually observed a separate anemometer located on the rooftop reach 106 mph. The automated system measured a sustained wind of 68 mph before failing. Numerous permanent structures and vehicles were damaged countywide. Small outbuildings were destroyed. The roof of a school collapsed. Carbondale was virtually impassable due to debris. One fatality occurred on Old Route 13 in Murphysboro when a large tree limb fell on a home, knocking an elderly man down a flight of stairs and causing a severe head injury. Emergency responders were delayed by blocked roads. A state disaster declaration was granted for Jackson County. A curfew and state of emergency was declared. Cleanup was expected to take most or all of the summer. Hundreds of trees were blown down in parks, which were closed indefinitely. The preliminary damage estimate for Southern Illinois University was 5 million dollars. Many buildings on campus sustained roof damage. The storm blew out nearly 100 windows in residence halls. Countywide, efforts to restore power were complicated by swampy fields, mud, and downed trees. Eighty-seven percent of the county was without power at the peak of the outages. Widespread power and telephone outages complicated recovery efforts. Most roads were blocked by debris and downed trees. Gas stations were closed in many areas, adding to problems obtaining fuel for generators. Red Cross shelters were opened in Carbondale and Murphysboro. Major grocery stores were closed for at least 12 to 24 hours, and much of their frozen food was lost. Most communication by cell phone and land line was impossible.

Widespread wind damage occurred across Jackson County. Widespread damage to trees, power lines, and structures occurred as the comma head of a bow echo moved east across the county. In the city of Carbondale alone, officials reported 34 properties were deemed total losses from the storm. All but nine of those properties were mobile homes. Damage in the city alone (excluding Southern Illinois University) was estimated near 3 million dollars. Officials estimated about 3,000 trees were down or damaged in Carbondale alone, including the campus of Southern Illinois University. Officials in Murphysboro reported 17 dwellings in that city were total losses. One mobile home was blown over onto a car. Murphysboro officials also reported a police cruiser, a truck, and a mobile command center were destroyed. The city's public works garage was shifted off its foundation, and the city police station was damaged. The peak gust recorded by the automated system at the Carbondale airport was 81 mph before the system failed. An observer at the airport visually observed a separate anemometer located on the rooftop reach 106 mph. The automated system measured a sustained wind of 68 mph before failing. Numerous permanent structures and vehicles were damaged countywide. Small outbuildings were destroyed. The roof of a school collapsed. Carbondale was virtually impassable due to debris. One fatality occurred on Old Route 13 in Murphysboro when a large tree limb fell on a home, knocking an elderly man down a flight of stairs and causing a severe head injury. Emergency responders were delayed by blocked roads. A state disaster declaration was granted for Jackson County. A curfew and state of emergency was declared. Cleanup was expected to take most or all of the summer. Hundreds of trees were blown down in parks, which were closed indefinitely. The preliminary damage estimate for Southern Illinois University was 5 million dollars. Many buildings on campus sustained roof damage. The storm blew out nearly 100 windows in residence halls. Countywide, efforts to restore power were complicated by swampy fields, mud, and downed trees. Eighty-seven percent of the county was without power at the peak of the outages. Widespread power and telephone outages complicated recovery efforts. Most roads were blocked by debris and downed trees. Gas stations were closed in many areas, adding to problems obtaining fuel for generators. Red Cross shelters were opened in Carbondale and Murphysboro. Major grocery stores were closed for at least 12 to 24 hours, and much of their frozen food was lost. Most communication by cell phone and land line was impossible.

Several trees and power lines were down around Carbondale, especially on the north side.

In Murphysboro, windows were blown out of two structures. In Carbondale, a tree was down on two cars. One of the cars received major damage, and the other received only minor damage. In addition, a power pole was broken, a window was broken, and a couple of trees fell on power lines. In Desoto, a tree fell through the front of a vacant house. The house was destroyed by the 10-foot diameter tree. Power lines and at least one other large tree were down in Desoto. Tree debris was on roadways at nearly 20 locations, mostly in Carbondale. Numerous roads south of Carbondale were temporarily closed due to fallen trees.

A tent was blown down at a car dealership. Power lines were blown down.

Two trees and one power line were down.

A strong storm system led to significant impacts. Heavy rainfall amounts of 3 to 4.5 inches produced sporadic flash flooding with a few road closures. Creeks and small rivers such as the Skillet Fork rose above flood stage. Strong wind gusts occurred, ranging between 40 and 56 mph. Nearly all of these were associated with a strong pressure gradient around a deep low pressure center. The exception was a few damaging thunderstorm wind gusts in Massac County in the southern tip of the state. There was scattered damage to trees and power lines across southern Illinois. Soggy ground due to the excessive rainfall likely contributed to some trees being more susceptible to being blown over. Scattered power outages occurred. Finally, the lowest barometric pressure of all-time was observed in Paducah, KY (977.7 mb) and Evansville, IN (976.0 mb). The center of the intense low tracked from the bootheel of extreme southeast Missouri northeast right along the Ohio River. Strong northwest winds occurred on the back side of the low pressure system across southern Illinois.

Strong and gusty south winds during the overnight hours of the 8th turned to southwest and then west by early afternoon on the 9th. The strong winds occurred as a low pressure center tracked northeast from central Missouri to the Michigan/Indiana border area. Peak wind gusts were measured up to 55 mph at Mount Vernon, otherwise mostly from 40 to 50 mph. At the peak, several thousand customers were without power across southern Illinois. A couple of trees were blown down in West Frankfort.

Widespread snowfall blanketed southern Illinois during the night of the 24th into the early morning hours of the 25th. Heavy snowfall occurred along and west of Interstate 57, or roughly along and west of a Mount Vernon to Marion to Cairo line. Snowfall in those areas was generally 4 to 5 inches. Elsewhere, snowfall was in the 1 to 3 inch range. Specific snowfall amounts included 6 inches at Murphysboro, 5 inches at Carbondale and Ava (Jackson County), 5 inches at Cobden (Union County), 4 inches at Sesser (Franklin County), 4 inches at Marion and Mount Vernon, 3 inches at Junction (Gallatin County), 2.5 inches at Harrisburg, and 1 inch at Mount Carmel and Fairfield. The heavy, wet snow was enough to bring down some tree limbs and power lines in the forested areas of Union and Jackson Counties, where 5 to 6 inches fell. The power outages were isolated, and mostly from Ava in northwest Jackson County to the Shawnee National Forest area of Union County. Snowfall rates were quite heavy for a couple hours, even around an inch per hour. Roads were snow-covered and slippery during the heavy snow, with numerous vehicles sliding off the road. Temperatures rose above freezing soon after the snow ended, so treated roads improved rather quickly later in the morning. The snow occurred northwest of a surface low that moved from Memphis, TN to Murray and Owensboro, KY. Once temperatures cooled during the evening of the 24th, enough cold air remained in place for widespread snow.

A powerful cold front swept through the region, with wind chills dropping to 20 to 30 below zero. These were the coldest wind chills observed in over 25 years across the region. Paducah, KY dropped down to a -21 wind chill, which was the coldest since February 3, 1996. The most extreme wind chills were from the evening of the 22nd to the morning of the 23rd, but wind chills as late as the morning of December 24th were often below minus 10. Actual air temperatures only reached the single digits above zero on the 23rd, which followed morning lows around 5 below. Peak wind gusts of 35 to 50 mph were observed during this event as well. The peak gust at Carbondale was 44 mph on the evening of the 22nd. The extreme cold was indirectly responsible for a number of structure fires caused by supplemental heating sources, such as space heaters. One hypothermia fatality was reported in Pulaski County. A 67-year-old male residing in a condemned structure with no utilities was found deceased. There were numerous reports of frozen water pipes that burst and flooded homes and other buildings. In Harrisburg, a nursing home roof collapsed due to busted water pipes. An underground water main burst in Carterville, leading officials to issue a boil water advisory for the city. An antique shop burned in Pinckneyville, and firefighters were hampered by low water pressure. On top of the extreme cold, one to three inches of snow fell. The highest amounts were in the Ohio River counties from Cairo to Metropolis and Golconda, where around 3 inches fell. Snowfall amounts elsewhere were from 1 to 2 inches. This snow and the accompanying flash freeze heavily impacted travel across the region. Despite relatively light traffic, there were numerous traffic mishaps.

An organized complex of thunderstorms moved southeast across southern Illinois during the early morning hours. The leading edge of the storms was accompanied by strong winds, which resulted in areas of wind damage. The damaging winds were fairly widespread north of the Marion/Carbondale area. Places from Du Quoin and Mount Vernon east to Mount Carmel and Carmi reported pockets of significant wind damage, including roof damage and downed trees and power poles. Further south, damage was mainly confined to isolated tree damage. The combination of mid-level dry air and very moist low levels, characterized by surface dew points in the 70's, produced strong downdrafts. Although deep-layer wind shear was generally less than 25 knots, the established cold pool with the storm complex sustained the surface gust front. An upper-level ridge across the Plains and a trough over the Northeast produced a northwest wind flow that steered early-day thunderstorm clusters into the lower Ohio Valley.

Strong and gusty south to southwest winds developed ahead of a strong cold front that trailed southward from a low pressure center passing north of the region. A very strong low-level jet strengthened to around 80 knots, which set the stage for both strong gradient winds and thunderstorm winds. The peak measured non-thunderstorm wind gust in southern Illinois was 53 mph at the Carbondale airport. There was a power outage from a blown transformer in Valier, just west of Benton. A tree fell onto a house in Murphysboro. Minimal damage was reported to the house.

Parts of southern Illinois received a winter storm, consisting of two periods of sleet and freezing rain. The winter storm area was generally along and west of a line from Mount Vernon to Marion to Anna-Jonesboro, including Carbondale. Within this area, a period of sleet and freezing rain occurred during the evening of the 23rd, followed by a more significant round of wintry precipitation on the 24th. Ice accumulations ranged from one-quarter to one-third inch, along with about one-half inch of sleet. The precipitation on the 24th was accompanied by frequent thunder and lightning at times. Driving conditions were hazardous at times. Isolated power outages occurred due to tree damage from freezing rain accretion. Hundreds of customers were without power at the peak of the outages. A tree was uprooted by ice and fell onto a power line several miles southeast of Carbondale. Over the rest of southern Illinois, mainly east of Interstate 57, there was only one round of impactful winter precipitation. This round occurred on the evening of the 23rd, causing travel hazards during the evening commute. The accumulations of sleet and freezing rain in these areas, including Carmi and Harrisburg, were generally below one-quarter inch. Temperatures on the 24th were just warm enough for little or no impact from the precipitation in this area. ||The wintry precipitation was caused by a moist southwest flow aloft, associated with a 500 mb trough over the western Plains. At the same time, surface high pressure advancing from the northern Plains produced a cold northerly surface wind. The cold low levels enabled the precipitation to stay freezing rain and sleet from the Marion-Carbondale area north and west, but temperatures inched above freezing elsewhere. The second round of precipitation on the 24th was enhanced by a low pressure center that tracked northeast across Tennessee.

A wintry mix of precipitation impacted the region resulting in icy roads, numerous accidents, and even a few power outages. The event started in the early morning hours of February 10th and continued into the night of February 10th. Ice accumulations ranging from 0.1 to 0.25 were commonplace along and south of Route 13 in southern Illinois. A narrow zone of higher ice amounts, ranging from 0.25 to 0.5, occurred from Shawneetown, IL eastward into southwest Indiana. Isolated power outages were primarily focused in this zone of higher accumulations as well. Most areas received at least minor accumulations of sleet, but the heaviest swath of sleet and snow amounts ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 occurred north of Route 13. The winter storm was the result of a moist southwest 500 mb flow and an embedded low-amplitude impulse. An inverted surface trough developing in the general vicinity of Arkansas brought another swath of precipitation. As the inverted trough pulled away to the east, colder air was drawn southward and changed the freezing rain to sleet.

Light accumulations of ice glazed elevated surfaces, such as trees and power lines. Icing of up to one-tenth inch was measured on flat surfaces. There was little impact on travel. The ice was mainly from the Marion and Carbondale area north and west. The precipitation occurred in association with a deep 500 mb low that moved north-northeast across Texas into the Plains.

Throughout the evening of the 13th and all day on the 14th, strong south gradient winds associated with the strong low pressure system gusted up to 55 mph at times. The low pressure center tracked northeast across the Plains to the Great Lakes region. Peak measured wind gusts at airport sites included 59 mph at Carbondale, 55 mph at Mount Carmel, 52 mph at Mount Vernon, 49 mph at Carmi, 48 mph at Harrisburg and Marion, and 46 mph at Metropolis. Part of a metal roof was blown off a building used as a food pantry in Murphysboro, where wind gusts were near 60 mph. In Fairfield in Wayne County, several homes had shingle damage, and a tree was uprooted onto power lines. In Pinckneyville in Perry County, strong winds snapped off a flag pole. Scattered thunderstorms developed ahead of a cold front on the morning of the 14th, producing isolated hail.

Wind chill readings dropped to between minus 10 and minus 20 across most of southern Illinois, except for the southern tip of the state from Metropolis to Cairo. The lowest wind chill reading at Carbondale was minus 15 degrees. Actual air temperatures were in the single digits above zero. Some places along and north of Interstate 64 briefly dropped below zero. Warming centers were opened for those persons who were unable to heat their residences. Approximately two dozen people took advantage of the warming shelters, possibly due to a power outage in the Herrin and Carterville areas. Arctic high pressure moved southeast into the Missouri Valley, producing a bitterly cold north wind.

A moist 500 mb shortwave trough tracked east from the Plains, causing a surface low pressure center to develop northeast from Texas to the central Appalachians. Widespread wintry precipitation occurred as colder air filtered south on the back side of the low. Around one-tenth of an inch of ice glazed surfaces across southern Illinois. Near the onset of precipitation, a period of sleet was reported. Most of the precipitation fell in the form of freezing rain. The automated observing station at the Carbondale airport measured 0.11 inch of ice accretion. Most of the icing was on trees, power lines, and elevated surfaces during the precipitation. After the precipitation ended, temperatures fell through the 20's, causing icy spots to develop even on paved surfaces. Slick roads and motor vehicle accidents were common during the early morning hours. Several wrecks occurred on Interstate 57. In Union County, a tractor-trailer rig crashed and caught fire on Interstate 57. In Franklin County, a Greyhound bus crashed into a trailer being pulled by a sport utility vehicle.

Up to one-quarter inch of ice accumulated on elevated surfaces, including trees and power lines. Ground surfaces were relatively warm following three days of high temperatures in the 50's and 60's. Therefore, impacts on travel were quite minor due to the melting on pavement. The area with the worst icing was along the Route 13 corridor from Carbondale and Murphysboro eastward across Harrisburg. Along this corridor, around one-quarter inch of ice on trees and power lines resulted in isolated power outages and downed tree limbs. About 500 utility customers were without power across portions of the Marion-Carbondale area. The freezing rain occurred north of a stationary front that extended from southern Arkansas to southern Tennessee. High pressure over the Upper Mississippi Valley produced a cold northeast wind flow at the surface.

Strong south winds gusted from 40 to 56 mph across southern Illinois. A utility company reported power outages in the Marion-Carbondale area due to the wind. Some of the highest wind gusts at airport sites included 56 mph at the Carbondale airport, 52 mph at the Mount Vernon and Marion airports, 48 mph at the Harrisburg airport, and 46 mph at the Carmi airport. Gusts at other automated airport sites such as Cairo and Metropolis were 40 to 45 mph. A low pressure system over the central Plains moved northeast toward the Great Lakes region. A tight pressure gradient between this low and high pressure over the Carolinas resulted in strong south to southwest winds.

A bowing line of severe thunderstorms moved rapidly east across most of southern Illinois late in the afternoon. The line of storms produced numerous reports of wind damage, mainly along and north of a line from Carbondale to Carmi. The damage consisted mostly of downed trees and power lines, as well as minor roof damage. The line of storms occurred in a hot and humid air mass to the south of a cold front over the Upper Mississippi Valley. A weak 500 mb shortwave trough over Illinois provided support for thunderstorm development. Winds through the lower levels of the atmosphere were westerly at 30 to 40 knots, which was sufficient for organized wind damage.

A strong pressure gradient between an approaching cold front to the west and high pressure over the southeast U.S. produced strong southwest winds. The highest measured peak wind gust was 53 mph at the Harrisburg airport. Other strong measured wind gusts at airport locations included: 50 mph at Carmi, 48 mph at Carbondale, 46 mph at Metropolis, and 45 mph at Marion. There was some isolated damage to utility poles and roofs. In West Frankfort, several power poles were broken. In the community of Crossville in White County, shingles were blown off a roof and there was a power outage. In Gallatin County, a trained spotter near Junction estimated wind gusts to 50 mph were breaking tree limbs.

A combination of heavy wet snow and strong winds during the morning hours produced major impacts in parts of southern Illinois. About 4 inches of heavy wet snow fell north and west of a line from Mount Vernon to Murphysboro, including most of Perry County. The highest impacts were in Perry and Jefferson Counties, where scattered power outages occurred. More than 3,000 people lost power in Jefferson County alone. A church in Mount Vernon opened as a shelter for those without power or heat. Sustained north winds ranged from 20 to 30 mph, with gusts up to 40 mph. The peak wind gust at the Carbondale airport was 40 mph. A few trees were uprooted in Perry County, causing spotty power outages in Du Quoin and Pinckneyville. To the southeast, from 1 to 3 inches of snow fell as far southeast as a line from Fairfield to Marion to Anna. The snow fell heavily for a few hours, reducing visibility as low as one-quarter mile at the Carbondale airport. Roads were very slick and hazardous. Dozens of cars slid off roads in Jefferson County alone. Temperatures were from 32 to 34 degrees, which resulted in a heavy, wet snowfall. Specific snowfall reports included: 4 inches at Pinckneyville, 4 inches on the Jackson/Randolph County line near Campbell Hill, 3.5 inches at Dix (just north of Mount Vernon), 2 inches at Mount Vernon, 2 to 3 inches at Marion, and 1.5 inches at Anna (in Union County). This heavy precipitation event was caused by a couple of weak surface lows that consolidated into a strong low pressure center over western Kentucky. At 500 mb, the phasing of a northern stream shortwave over the northern Plains with a moist southern stream shortwave over Texas resulted in a deep low over the Lower Ohio Valley. North and west of the low track, rain transitioned to snow very late at night and continued through the morning.

Strong south to southwest winds gusting up to 60 mph buffeted southern Illinois. The strongest measured wind gust was 60 mph at the Carbondale airport. Other measured peak gusts included 56 mph at the Carmi airport, 52 mph at the Marion airport, 49 mph at the Harrisburg airport, and 47 mph at the fire weather station in the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge near Marion. In Saline County, a transformer and power lines were blown down at Raleigh. The cause of the strong winds was a strong pressure gradient between low pressure over the upper Mississippi Valley and high pressure over the Eastern seaboard.

A winter storm brought hazardous conditions to southern Illinois. The precipitation type was primarily freezing rain in most areas. Around one-quarter inch of ice glazed trees and power lines, on top of one-quarter to one-half inch of sleet. Roads became ice-covered and very slippery, especially untreated back roads. Multiple vehicles slid off roadways in Perry County. Isolated power outages were reported, including about 20 homes in Benton. Approximately two or three dozen utility customers were without power in each of these three counties: Jackson, Union, and Pulaski. Small branches were broken or bent by the ice. Along and north of Interstate 64, sleet was the main type of precipitation. One to two inches of sleet accumulated in the Mount Vernon area. Several east-to-west bands of light to locally moderate precipitation advanced slowly northward in response to the arrival of warm, moist air in the low levels. Strengthening of a southerly low level jet occurred ahead of a 500 mb shortwave impulse emerging out of the central Plains. Convective enhancement of precipitation rates was observed, including some thundersleet west of the Mississippi River.

Along and south of a line from Anna through Harrisburg to Gallatin County, about one-quarter inch of ice coated trees and power lines. The precipitation started as a brief period of sleet and snow. North of that line, one to four inches of snow and sleet fell, followed by up to one-tenth inch of ice. The four-inch snowfall amounts were confined to Jefferson and Perry Counties, including the city of Mount Vernon. The precipitation type was mainly snow along and north of Interstate 64. The snow fell heavily for a few hours from Mount Carmel to Mount Vernon. In the Mount Vernon area, a trained spotter measured 2.5 inches in two hours. Roads were slick and hazardous across southern Illinois. In Johnson County, Interstate 24 was closed in both directions due to an overturned semi near mile marker 3. A vigorous fast-moving Pacific storm system that originated off the Baja of California raced northeast. A strong warm front moved as far north as the Tennessee Valley. Widespread heavy precipitation north of the warm front resulted in significant icing across extreme southern Illinois, and mainly snow along the Interstate 64 corridor.

A major winter storm brought primarily heavy snow and sleet to southern Illinois. The precipitation changed from freezing rain to sleet and then to snow. The wintry precipitation slowly progressed southeast across southern Illinois, starting by mid-morning in Mount Vernon and reaching the southern tip of the state by mid-afternoon. Storm total accumulations ranged from 5 to 12 inches. About a foot of snow fell along and north of a line from Du Quoin in Perry County to Mount Carmel in Wabash County. Between 8 and 12 inches fell across most of the remainder of southern Illinois, including Marion, Carbondale, Harrisburg, and Carmi. Accumulations were from 5 to 7 inches along the Ohio River from Cairo to Metropolis to Hardin County due to large amounts of sleet and freezing rain. Before the changeover to snow, there was about one-quarter inch of glazing from freezing rain, along with about one-half to one inch of sleet. Isolated power outages were reported. Once the precipitation changed to snow, it fell heavily at times. Visibility was occasionally one-quarter mile in heavy snow, with snowfall rates at least an inch per hour. A trained spotter in White County reported 1.5 inches of snow in an hour. In the area that received the heaviest snow, unplowed farm roads were impassable without four-wheel drive. In all areas, roads became very slick and hazardous as temperatures dropped through the 20's. Numerous accidents were reported. Non-emergency travel was not advised by some county officials. An arctic cold front swept east across the region, bringing much colder air. As the depth of the cold air increased behind the front, precipitation changed from freezing rain to sleet and then snow. A pair of disturbances in the upper levels of the atmosphere moved northeast across the region, causing wintry precipitation to become heavy at times.

A winter storm dumped 4 to 7 inches of snow across much of southern Illinois. The exception was in the Ohio River Valley from Cairo to Metropolis and Golconda, where only 1 to 3 inches fell. In the area of heaviest snow, snowfall rates were from 1 to 2 inches per hour. Roads were snow-covered and hazardous. The wet, heavy snow coated trees and power lines. Specific snowfall totals included: 5 inches at Mount Vernon and Marion, 6.5 inches at Mount Carmel, and 4 inches at Anna. This new snow, which fell on top of snow from the Christmas night storm, brought total snow depths to as high as 15 inches from Marion to Mount Carmel. A compact and strong upper-level disturbance moved rapidly east-northeast from Oklahoma. Precipitation rates increased ahead of this disturbance. Very weak instability in the mid-levels of the atmosphere enhanced snowfall rates, with embedded bands of heavy snow. Due to the quick progression of the system, the duration of heavy snow was no more than two to three hours at any given location.

Near-blizzard conditions affected a large part of southern Illinois. The swath of the heaviest snow and near-blizzard conditions excluded only the far southeast counties of Massac and Hardin, as well as the far northwest counties of Jefferson and Perry. Elsewhere, visibility dropped to one-quarter to one-half mile for several hours in heavy snow. Winds frequently gusted from 25 to 35 mph. Total snowfall amounts were around a foot from northern Pope and Johnson Counties, northward across Marion and Harrisburg, to the Wabash Valley region, including Mount Carmel and Albion. Isolated amounts to 20 inches were observed near Albion. Snowfall amounts across the rest of southern Illinois were from 6 to 10 inches, except for just 4 or 5 inches in the southernmost county of Massac. The wet, heavy consistency of the snow minimized drifting and blowing of the snow. Some drifts from two to three feet were reported. The snow fell at a very heavy rate in localized bands, in some cases accompanied by thunder and lightning. Snowfall rates in the heaviest bands were from two to three inches per hour. Road conditions were snow-covered and hazardous. Snow plows were able to keep one lane passable on most major highways. Smaller rural roads were passable only in 4-wheel drive vehicles in the area of heaviest snow. Isolated power outages occurred due to the combination of strong winds and heavy wet snow on power lines. A surface low pressure center moved northeast across Middle Tennessee. Strong winds and colder air on the northwest side of the low created a dangerous winter storm.

The pressure gradient between lower pressures in the central Plains and high pressure in the southeast U.S. resulted in strong southwest winds. The peak wind gust was 56 mph, measured at the Carbondale airport. Most peak wind gusts at other observing sites in southern Illinois were from 45 to 51 mph. The strong winds contributed to the spread of a brush fire in Giant City State Park in Makanda, which is near Carbondale. About three acres burned in the fire, which was started by a downed power line. The wind also brought down a few tree limbs and power lines in various counties, including Hamilton, Franklin, and Williamson. In Williamson County, one lane of Illinois Route 13 was blocked for a short time, and there were a few scattered power outages.

Strong southwest winds developed between low pressure approaching from the northwest and high pressure to the southeast. The winds gusted as high as 62 mph at the Carbondale airport, and around 50 mph at most other locations. Peak wind gusts included 53 mph at Mount Vernon and Marion, 50 mph at Carmi, 48 mph at Cairo, and 47 mph at Harrisburg. Some minor damage was reported. The roofing of a grade school gym in Akin (in Franklin County) was damaged. A large tree was uprooted in Crainville (in Williamson County). There were some scattered power outages due to tree limbs falling on power lines. Brush fires were fanned by the strong winds. Because farmers had recently plowed up the soil, blowing dust reduced visibility in some areas. Visibility was so poor in parts of White County that the sheriff department closed one to two miles of a county road. Farmers were requested to turn on their irrigation systems to keep the dust down.

A low pressure system tracked eastward across western Tennessee. A warm front lifted northward ahead of this system, causing freezing rain. Around one-tenth inch of glazing occurred on most surfaces, including trees and power lines. The main impact was on travel. Secondary roads became hazardous due to ice and slush. Numerous vehicles slid off roads. Schools were closed in some areas. A number of people slipped and fell, including several who required treatment at Franklin County Hospital. Main roads were generally wet, but with some icy spots. Temperatures were just warm enough in the Cairo area that the precipitation fell as plain rain.

Strong south winds occurred between a low pressure center over Kansas and high pressure off the southeast United States coast. Peak wind gusts ranged from 40 to 45 mph generally along and west of Interstate 57, which runs from Mount Vernon south to Cairo. In northern Williamson County, the metal roof of a lumber company in Johnston City collapsed. The metal roof was over a building that was of a pole-barn type of construction. The east side wall nearly came down. The roof was new, installed to replace the one blown off in the May 8 windstorm of 2009. Some power lines were blown down in the area.

A deepening low pressure system lifted northeast across northern Illinois into Lower Michigan. On the back side of the low, strong west winds gusted to around 45 mph. The peak wind gust in southern Illinois was 50 mph, measured atop a 50-foot tower near Round Knob in Massac County. Some tree limbs were blown down, but no damage or major problems were reported. Scattered power outages occurred. The city of DuQuoin in Perry County was affected by power outages caused by high winds tossing power lines into each other. Limbs were down in the DuQuoin area of Perry County and parts of Union County.

A prolonged, major winter storm dumped 6 to 10 inches of sleet and snow north of a line from East Cape Girardeau through Vienna to the confluence of the Wabash and Ohio Rivers. This resulted in at least two dozen roof collapses and very difficult driving conditions. South of that line, at least one inch of ice accumulated, with locally around 1.5 inches of ice. This resulted in a federal disaster declaration due to widespread tree damage and power outages. Virtually 100 percent of Massac County in the southern tip of the state was without power. The vast majority of nearby Alexander, Pulaski, Pope, Hardin, and southern Johnson Counties lost power. A major 161,000 volt transmission line running across the Ohio River into Kentucky went down. Hundreds of power poles were broken or knocked down in the ice storm area. Power outages generally lasted three to five days in cities and large towns, while many rural areas endured power outages over a week long. Some towns without power lost their water supply because pumps could not fill water towers. A utility company stated the damage was much worse than the ice storm of February 2008, which was their worst on record up until that time. Warming shelters were opened throughout the ice storm area, from Gallatin County southwest across Johnson and Massac Counties to Cairo. Numerous roads were closed by fallen trees and limbs, including State Highway 1 in Hardin County. Blocked roads complicated efforts to restore power and aid storm victims. The U.S. Highway 45 bridge over the Ohio River to Paducah, KY was closed for several days. Some tree limbs fell on cars and houses, puncturing roofs. ||In the heavy sleet and snow area to the north and west, at least two dozen roofs caved in. Most of the collapsed roofs were over large industrial and commercial structures. The roofs of at least three buildings in West City (Franklin County) caved in. The roof of a large metal building caved in and the walls bowed out. Another building that lost its roof was an equipment storage building at a trucking company. The third building was a business. In Harrisburg, the roof of a manufacturing building partially collapsed and damaged a gas line. Another manufacturing building in Marion lost part of its roof, which started a small fire. The building was totalled. The weight of ice and snow caused the roof of the Williamson County Pavilion to bow significantly. The pavilion is used for large public events such as boat shows. The roofs of at least six other buildings in Franklin, Jackson, and Williamson Counties caved in. Falling ice caused damage to guttering and facades of several other buildings. Awnings were damaged. In Carbondale, the windshields and roofs of fourteen cars were crushed by an avalanche of ice and snow from a strip mall. Roof collapses also occurred in Pulaski, Union, Wayne, and Hamilton Counties. In Wayne County, at least eight roof collapses occurred in the Fairfield area alone. Numerous motorists were stranded in snow and sleet, but few accidents were reported. Ambulances had trouble reaching some people who called for help after slipping and falling.||An area of low pressure formed along the Gulf Coast, then tracked slowly east-northeast. High pressure remained anchored west of the Great Lakes, keeping a cold northeast wind flow in place in the lowest levels of the atmosphere. Copious amounts of moisture moved up from the southwest and overrode the cold air in the low levels. This moisture interacted with a couple of disturbances in the upper levels of the atmosphere moving from west to east across the region.

Frequent wind gusts from 60 to nearly 70 mph caused considerable damage in southern Illinois. The low pressure center that was the remnant of Hurricane Ike raced northeast at 40 to 50 mph across Missouri and Illinois. The center passed between Carbondale and St. Louis on its way toward the northeastern states. The rapid speed of the low pressure system contributed to this high wind event.||Considerable tree damage occurred. Trees were uprooted, and very large limbs were broken. Some trees fell on homes, outbuildings, and vehicles. Fewer than a dozen homes in each county were damaged by falling trees. Others fell on commercial and public buildings. Numerous trees or limbs fell on roads and blocked them. Road closures were mostly south and east of Franklin County. All roads were cleared of debris within 12 hours in most counties. Minor roof damage was reported on some structures, mostly shingles blown off. A few structures lost entire sections of roof, including the old fire station in Rosiclare (Hardin County). The worst roof damage was mainly in the counties bordering the Ohio River. Numerous power outages occurred as utility lines and even some power poles were brought down. About 36 percent of Jackson County (including Carbondale) and 20 percent of Saline County lost power. The most extensive utility damage was along and south of a Carbondale to Harrisburg line. Schools were cancelled due to power outages in isolated areas. Nearly all power was restored within 48 hours. Electrical problems resulted in a major house fire in West Frankfort. A barn under construction was destroyed 8 miles east of Benton. The walls of a 50-year-old storage building in Metropolis collapsed after the roof was blown off. Near Round Knob in Massac County, a barn was destroyed. A lumber shed near Glendale in Pope County collapsed. Chimney tops were blown off buildings in Pinckneyville. Large signs were blown down. The Wabash River bridge between Mt. Vernon, IN and New Haven, IL was closed due to huge tarps blown onto the roadway. The tarps were for protection of workers doing maintenance on the bridge. A peak wind gust of 67 mph was measured at Cairo, and a 61 mph gust was recorded at the Carbondale airport. Carmi measured a gust to 55 mph.

A strong low pressure system tracked east-northeast across central Illinois during the morning. Strong west winds developed in the wake of a strong cold front that raced eastward across the Lower Ohio and Mid Mississippi Valleys. Peak wind gusts were generally around 50 mph. Many counties reported that trees fell, mainly the weakest trees. Numerous trees were down in Mount Vernon. In Benton, a 16-inch diameter maple tree broke about 25 feet above the ground and demolished an adjacent wooden fence. Numerous trees were down in the Franklin County town of West City, causing power outages and starting some wires burning. Other downed trees were reported in Wayne, Edwards, and Wabash Counties. Sporadic power outages occurred due to downed power lines and trees. In Saline County, a tree fell on a moving car on Illinois 34 between Galatia and Thompsonville. The car was destroyed, but nobody was injured. In Williamson County, a road crew spent 12 hours removing trees from roadways. City workers in Marion spent 9 hours clearing trees from streets. Numerous tree limbs were blown down in Union County, knocking out power to the Cobden area. Several trees were down in Carbondale, knocking out power to 147 households in the city. The ferry across the Ohio River from Cave-In-Rock, IL to Crittenden County, KY was shut down because of the winds.

A strong low pressure system moved from Texas northeast across western Kentucky. Northwest of the storm track, colder air resulted in freezing rain and some sleet over parts of southeast Missouri and southern Illinois. The heaviest ice accumulations were from Mount Vernon southwest into Pinckneyville. Numerous downed tree limbs and power outages were reported in those areas. About 4,000 customers were without power in the Mount Vernon area. Another 2,600 customers were without power in the Marion, Carbondale, and Murphysboro areas. Extensive damage occurred to utility poles and lines in parts of Union County, especially between Cobden and Alto Pass. Ten poles were down in that area. In the Mount Vernon area, the Red Cross opened a shelter for those without heat. Gusty winds brought down ice-covered tree limbs, including at least one that fell on a vehicle. About half a dozen trees fell in Mount Vernon, in addition to numerous limbs. Power was restored within three days. Ice accumulations on trees and power lines averaged from one-quarter to one-half inch along and northwest of a line from Fairfield to Marion to Carbondale.

Strong south winds gusted to 50 mph. The peak wind gust was 52 mph at Carbondale, 51 mph at Marion, 53 mph at Mt. Carmel, 47 mph at Cairo and Metropolis, 46 mph at Carmi and Mt. Vernon, and 45 mph at Harrisburg. The strong winds occurred in advance of a strong cold front that moved across southern Illinois during the late afternoon. The strong winds brought down some tree limbs that were laden with ice from the February 11 ice storm. This caused a setback in efforts to restore power following the ice storm.

Low pressure developed over the southern Plains, spreading widespread heavy precipitation across southern Illinois. At the same time, high pressure over the upper Ohio Valley produced a cold easterly wind flow. The result was a crippling ice storm. Around one inch of ice caused extensive damage across far southern Illinois, along and south of a line from Carbondale and Marion to Harrisburg and Carmi. Many of those same areas received three to six inches of sleet and snow. The most destructive icing occurred in an east to west band across Union, Johnson, Massac, and Pope Counties. The state designated most counties in southern Illinois as a disaster area. Numerous trees and power lines were brought down, knocking out power to many thousands of homes. Power outages lasted up to a week. An indirect fatality occurred in Carbondale, where an elderly man died of carbon monoxide poisoning while operating a gasoline generator in his garage. Three carbon monoxide poisonings were reported in Christopher. All three victims, who were from the same family, were not seriously injured. Emergency shelters were established for those without power for extended periods. Schools were closed for a week in some counties. Trees and tree limbs fell across roads, complicating recovery efforts. A number of houses and other structures were damaged by falling trees. The roof of a bakery and bread store in Herrin collapsed under the weight of the ice and snow. The walls of the store bowed out due to the collapse, and the structure was deemed a total loss. Ferne Clyffe State Park, Tunnel Hill State Bike Trail, and the Trail of Tears State Forest were closed for the remainder of the month due to widespread tree damage. Minor damage occurred to facilities and buildings in Ferne Clyffe State Park. To the north of the Marion, Carbondale, and Harrisburg areas, one to three inches of sleet and snow, and up to one-half inch of freezing rain occurred.

A powerful cold front moved rapidly southeast across southern Illinois during the late afternoon hours. An organized line of severe thunderstorms developed along the front as it approached southern Illinois. Widespread damaging winds accompanied the line of storms. Temperatures fell about 30 degrees in less than one hour when the very strong cold front passed through.

Drought conditions eased considerably during early and mid August as thunderstorm activity increased to typical levels for mid-summer. Timely rainfall offset the potentially devastating agricultural impacts of this drought. River levels on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers continued to drop through the middle of the month. At Cairo, the Ohio River stage fell as low as 7.2 feet. The effects on Ohio River traffic were comparable to those observed in the 1997 and 1988 droughts. Barges ran aground, forcing the Coast Guard to close a seven-mile stretch of the Ohio River from Mound City to Olmsted for almost a week. Several hundred barges were reportedly waiting to pass through the bottleneck. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conducted emergency dredging operations to reopen the river. A casino riverboat in Metropolis was closed due to complications from the low water, only eight months after having been closed by high water. Along the Mississippi River, a power generation plant in Grand Tower (Jackson County) closed for a couple weeks because water levels were too low to generate electricity.

Widespread damaging winds raked all of southern Illinois. The storms were in the form of short lines or bows as they moved through Jefferson, Perry, and Jackson Counties, including Mount Vernon and Carbondale. A couple of tornadoes were spawned in those areas. As the storms moved east, they evolved into an intense squall line, producing widespread damaging gusts around 60 MPH with isolated higher gusts to 90 MPH. Numerous trees were blown down in nearly every county. Some of the trees fell on roads and power lines. In Wayne County, trees and utility poles were down in Sims, but the northwest part of the county from Orchardville to Johnsonville was hardest hit with utility damage. In Hamilton County, the whole city of Mcleansboro was without power after numerous trees fell. Several of the trees landed on houses, causing severe damage to at least one house. Trees fell on vehicles in Mount Carmel, where gusts were reported to 68 MPH. At least two occupied vehicles were struck by falling trees, one on Route 34 north of Harrisburg, and another north of Old Shawneetown. In both cases, the occupants were freed by rescue workers without being injured. In Harrisburg, trees fell on several houses and vehicles, and a radio tower used for fire dispatch operations was blown down. Two roofs were blown off of houses in Raleigh, just north of Harrisburg. A tree fell on a house in Thebes, near the Mississippi River in Alexander County. The most intense winds (estimated near 90 MPH) occurred in Massac County about 5 miles west of Round Knob, where a house lost portions of its roof and attic. At least 10 to 15 trees were reported down in Massac County. The storms produced very heavy rain that caused street flooding. The U.S. Highway 51 overpass on the north side of Cairo was blocked by high water.

A line of severe thunderstorms produced widespread wind damage as it crossed southern Illinois from west to east. A few intense microbursts with winds over 70 MPH were embedded within the line. The brunt of the damage was in a swath extending from southwest of Mount Vernon (including Perry County) across Franklin and Saline Counties to Gallatin and White Counties. The first intense microburst was about 5 miles east of Sesser in Franklin County, where three camper trailers were damaged at Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park and a dozen trees were blown down. One of the campers was overturned onto its top. Two persons in campers received broken bones, but the injuries were not life-threatening. The dimensions of this microburst, with peak winds of 75 MPH, were about 200 by 300 yards. A larger and more intense downburst occurred in Gallatin County at New Haven. Estimated winds to 105 MPH downed numerous trees, including at least 10 that fell on houses. A couple of trailers were reportedly overturned. The dimensions of the damage area were about 4 to 5 miles long and 200 yards wide. Across Franklin, northern Williamson, Saline, Gallatin, and White Counties, trees were down across primary roads. In Williamson County, trees were blocking Interstate 57 around mile marker 60, and Route 37 was blocked at the Franklin County line. Other fallen trees resulted in vehicle accidents with injuries. About 2 miles north of Harrisburg in Saline County, two vehicles collided with a fallen tree that was blocking Route 34. In White County, one fatality occurred when a vehicle ran into a fallen tree (indirect storm fatality). A total of six persons were involved in this fatal accident on Route 1 near Norris City. A tree fell on one car, and then a second car collided with the tree. Some of the six people were injured and trapped in their vehicles. Near the Gallatin/White County line, trees blocked Route 141 leading to the Wabash River bridge. Across southern Illinois, most damage to structures was caused by falling trees, however three barns were damaged directly by wind north and east of Tamaroa in Perry County. Pieces were blown 200 yards from the barn. Multiple trees were blown down across Jefferson, Franklin, Jackson, northern Williamson, northern Saline, White, and Gallatin Counties, as well as north of Pinckneyville in Perry County. A number of trees landed on vehicles and houses. In Benton (in Franklin County), an 85-foot oak tree landed across a house and four vehicles, extensively damaging or destroying the vehicles. Separate from the widespread wind damage, a supercell thunderstorm developed in Edwards County, then moved east across Wabash County and the Wabash River. This storm produced hail the size of quarters in Mount Carmel and golf balls at Allendale. In Edwards County, numerous trees and power lines were blown down, from west of Albion into the city of Albion. Across most of Wabash County, numerous trees were blown down, causing many power outages.

The first round of severe thunderstorms to affect southern Illinois occurred during the late morning hours. Most of the severe weather was in the form of large hail during this episode. The first storm became severe just south of Mount Vernon and tracked east along the Hamilton/Wayne County border. Other severe storms developed across the Marion and Herrin areas, producing copious amounts of large hail in Herrin. There was wind damage in Carterville and the Cambria area of Williamson County, where trees and power lines were down. Roads were blocked by fallen trees in Carterville and just south of Cambria. Five to six houses were struck by falling trees, mainly on the west side of Carterville. Major damage occurred to some of the houses. At John A. Logan College near Carterville, numerous trees and limbs were down, destroying fencing and a light pole. These severe storms then moved east and consolidated into a supercell in southern Saline County, just south of Harrisburg. As the supercell crossed Hardin County, a 12-mile long swath of wind damage occurred. The wind damage was primarily in the Shawnee National Forest, resulting in little structural damage until the storm reached Cave-In-Rock, a small town on the Ohio River. At Cave-In-Rock, there were trees down, including at least ten on structures. At the Cave-In-Rock State Park campground near the Ohio River, tents were blown away, and about 20 trees and many more limbs were blown down. Torrential downpours caused street flooding in Cave-In-Rock, and water seeped into the post office and a cafe.

Another round of severe thunderstorms affected southern Illinois during the afternoon and evening hours, following the late morning round of storms. This round began with a swath of large hail near the western Perry/Jackson County line. Numerous trees were blown down near Galatia. The final severe storm of this episode was a long-lived storm cluster that tracked east from the Mount Vernon area to the Wabash River. This storm produced golf-ball hail west of Mount Vernon, then downed trees and power lines in Crossville in White County. A mobile home was unroofed one mile southeast of Crossville, and its contents were damaged by rain. Otherwise, most of the events during this episode were isolated dime to nickel size hail.

One to two inches of snow fell across parts of southern Illinois, mainly along and north of a line from Carbondale to Harrisburg and Shawneetown. The snow began as a period of freezing drizzle that left a thin coating of ice on most surfaces. Secondary roads were reportedly very slick. Main roads, which received attention from road crews sooner, were mainly wet with some slick spots. Some icing of trees and power lines was reported in Saline County.

The areas hardest hit by this ice storm were along and north of a line from Harrisburg to Carbondale, where about one half inch of ice glazed all surfaces. Numerous accidents were reported. At least one overturned vehicle and a jackknifed semi were reported on Interstate 57 between West Frankfort and Mount Vernon. Scattered power outages occurred as brisk winds downed ice-laden trees and power lines. One of the largest utility companies in southern Illinois reported about 1,500 customers without power. In Saline County, a downed power line blocked Illinois Route 34 near West End and U.S. Route 45 near Ledford. Most schools were closed for at least a day following the ice storm, which occurred on a Sunday. To the south of a line from Carbondale to Harrisburg, around one quarter inch of ice coated trees and power lines, but roads were mainly wet with scattered icy spots. There were some ice-laden tree limbs and power lines brought down by gusty winds. Illinois Route 145 in Massac County was one of a number of roads partially blocked by downed limbs.

Minor property damage was caused by strong west winds around the back side of an intense low pressure system. Winds gusted to around 45 MPH for several hours. Some exact wind measurements from automated observing sites included: 45 MPH at Harrisburg and Mount Vernon, and 42 MPH at Carbondale. Just west of Pinckneyville, gusts to 48 MPH occurred. A couple of power lines were blown down in Carmi.

Several hours of moderate to heavy sleet and freezing rain occurred, sometimes accompanied by thunder and lightning. The precipitation was mainly in the form of sleet in most areas, with up to an inch of sleet accumulation. In the southernmost tip of Illinois, from Cairo to Metropolis, freezing rain was more prevalent. Freezing rain glazed some surfaces, mainly trees and power lines, with up to one quarter inch of ice. On the day following the storm, numerous schools were closed. The liquid equivalent of the precipitation ranged from one quarter inch at Carbondale to just under an inch over the southern tip of Illinois near Cairo.

A major winter storm produced 4 to 7 inches of snow across southern Illinois, followed by 1/4 to 1/2 inch of ice. The snow began during the early morning hours, falling at rates near one inch per hour. By midday, the snow changed to freezing rain after a brief period of sleet. Light to occasionally moderate freezing rain fell during the afternoon and early evening hours. The heavy precipitation was caused by a strong upper level disturbance that tracked east-northeast from the southern Rockies, across the southern Plains, and then over the lower Mississippi Valley. A strong southerly flow of milder air just above ground level was unable to scour out very cold air right at the surface, which produced an extended period of snow and ice. The liquid equivalent of all the frozen and freezing precipitation was between three quarters of an inch and one inch. Numerous accidents occurred, most of which were minor. The most significant accident was at the junction of Interstates 57 and 64 near Mount Vernon, where a jack-knifed semi-trailer held up traffic for more than an hour. Schools were closed for up to a week following the storm, especially in rural counties with limited snow removal resources. Ice on trees and power lines contributed to scattered power outages. Stores quickly sold out of winter goods, such as ice melter and snow shovels.

Strong gusty west winds in the wake of a cold front caused scattered reports of minor wind damage. Peak gusts were measured around 50 MPH. There were several reports of downed trees and power lines. In Albion in Edwards County, a large oak tree was uprooted and smashed onto a trailer. Although the trailer was badly dented, the roof did not collapse.