Illinois State Water Survey - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
INRS State Scientific Surveys
State Climatologist Office for Illinois
Major Snowstorm Strikes the Midwest in early December
Posted: December 11, 2009
Introduction
A major snowstorm struck the central US on December 7-9, 2009. While most of Illinois missed the worst of the heavy snows and blizzard conditions, it did effect the northwest part of the state. Several locations reported more than ten inches from this event. They include Apple River State Park with 10.0 inches, Elizabeth with 11.2 inches, Galena with 10.5 inches, Mt. Carroll with 11.1 inches and Rockford with 11.8 inches (see table below).
While the worst of the snow fell on December 8 and 9, some of that snowfall was included in the reports for the next day. Therefore, the maps and table including data through December 10.
Below are maps of the snowfall from several sources as well as maps of the surface weather pattern on December 8 and 9, the temperature departure for December 10, and tables with the snowfall reports from individual stations.
NWS Hazards Map for December 8, 2009
Snowfall Maps from Three Sources
Surface Weather Maps for December 8, 2009
Surface Weather Maps for December 8, 2009
Temperature Departures for December 10, 2009
Snowfall Reports From Sites in Illinois, December 6-9, 2009
State: Illinois Climate Division: 1
From 12/07/2009 To 12/10/2009
Station Percent
ID Avail
Number Name Snow(in.) Data
-----------------------------------------------------
110072 ALEDO 0.1 25
110146 AMBOY 6.6 75
110211 APPLE_RIVER_CANYON_ST_PK 10.0 75
112348 DIXON_1_NW 0.0 25
112745 ELIZABETH 11.2 100
113262 FREEPORT_WASTE_WTR_PL 9.5 100
113312 GALENA 10.5 100
114710 KEWANEE_1_E 5.5 100
115901 MOUNT_CARROLL 11.1 100
116490 OREGON_3_SW 9.9 100
116661 PAW_PAW_2_NW 7.0 100
117354 ROCHELLE 5.3 100
117382 ROCKFORD_AIRPORT 11.8 100
117470 ROSCOE_2_SE 9.8 100
118254 STEWARD_3S 6.0 100
119469 WOODHULL 4.0 50
State: Illinois Climate Division: 2
From 12/07/2009 To 12/10/2009
Station Percent
ID Avail
Number Name Snow(in.) Data
-----------------------------------------------------
110442 BARRINGTON_3SW 6.4 100
110583 BELVIDERE 9.2 100
111420 CHANNAHON_DRESDEN_ISLAND 2.5 100
111497 CHICAGO_BOTANICAL_GARDEN 3.6 100
111549 CHICAGO_OHARE_AP 6.4 100
111577 CHICAGO_MIDWAY_AP_3SW 4.4 100
112048 CRYSTAL_LAKE_4_NW 6.4 25
112223 DE_KALB 6.3 100
112510 EARLVILLE_3_S 4.2 100
112709 ELBURN 9.0 100
112736 ELGIN 4.7 100
113392 GENOA_2_SW 12.1 100
113490 GLEN_ELLYN_4_S 3.8 75
113902 HARVARD 9.0 50
114530 JOLIET_BRANDON_RD_DAM 0.8 100
114816 LA_GRANGE 6.5 100
114890 LANSING 0.0 75
115313 MANHATTAN_4_SW 2.3 75
115326 MARENGO 5.5 25
115372 MARSEILLES_LOCK 2.0 100
115493 MCHENRY_WG_STRATTON_L&D 6.0 100
115562 MENDOTA__2_SE 6.5 100
115763 MONEE_RESERVOIR 0.0 75
115825 MORRIS_1_NW 2.9 100
115961 MUNDELEIN_4_WSW 6.1 100
116065 NEWARK_2_SSE 1.8 100
116281 OAK_BROOK_2W 7.1 100
116526 OTTAWA_5SW 2.0 75
116616 PARK_FOREST 1.7 100
116753 PERU 2.7 75
116849 PLAINFIELD_3_NE 3.8 100
116855 PLANO 4.1 100
117457 ROMEOVILLE_WFO 3.7 100
117579 ST_CHARLES_2NW_RIVER 8.4 75
117586 ST_CHARLES_7_NW 8.2 100
117833 SHABBONA_3S 6.4 100
118192 SPRING_GROVE 8.0 100
118324 STREAMWOOD 5.9 100
119221 WHEATON_3_SE 3.5 100
119480 WOODSTOCK_5_NW 11.4 100
119827 YORKVILLE_3_SW 5.0 100
State: Illinois Climate Division: 3
From 12/07/2009 To 12/10/2009
Station Percent
ID Avail
Number Name Snow(in.) Data
-----------------------------------------------------
110140 ALTONA 7.9 100
110330 AUGUSTA 1.0 25
110356 AVON_5_NE 1.8 75
110598 BENTLEY 2.3 100
112125 DAHINDA_1_NE 2.6 75
113320 GALESBURG 4.3 75
114780 KNOXVILLE 2.4 100
114823 LA_HARPE 3.5 75
115038 LEWISTOWN 1.8 75
115334 MARIETTA 1.4 100
115772 MONMOUTH_4NW 6.0 100
115935 MOUNT_STERLING 1.2 50
116670 PAYSON 1.0 50
116970 PRAIRIE_CITY_2S 2.2 100
117551 RUSHVILLE 1.0 100
118204 ST_DAVID 1.6 100
State: Illinois Climate Division: 4
From 12/07/2009 To 12/10/2009
Station Percent
ID Avail
Number Name Snow(in.) Data
-----------------------------------------------------
110305 ATHENS_2_N 0.1 75
110306 ATHENS_2SW 0.9 100
110761 BLOOMINGTON_WATERWORKS 0.2 100
110764 BLOOMINGTON_5W 1.5 100
110868 BRADFORD_3SSE 4.2 100
111083 BUFFALO 0.5 75
111236 CAMP_GROVE_2_SW 2.7 75
111475 CHENOA 1.1 100
111627 CHILLICOTHE 2.0 100
111743 CLINTON_1_SSW 0.5 25
111836 CONGERVILLE_2_NW 0.8 75
112854 EUREKA 3.0 75
112993 FARMER_CITY 0.0 75
113940 HAVANA_4_NNE 0.0 75
115079 LINCOLN 0.0 25
115272 MACKINAW_1N 1.6 100
115413 MASON_CITY 0.9 75
115712 MINONK 2.0 75
115876 MORTON 1.9 100
115927 MOUNT_PULASKI 1.0 75
116200 NORMAL_4NE 0.5 100
116703 PEORIA_AIRPORT_3SW 1.4 100
116765 PETERSBURG_2SW 0.4 25
117004 PRINCEVILLE_2W 1.9 100
117329 ROANOKE 2.2 100
117590 SAYBROOK_2N 0.3 100
118222 STANFORD_2S 1.0 100
State: Illinois Climate Division: 5
From 12/07/2009 To 12/10/2009
Station Percent
ID Avail
Number Name Snow(in.) Data
-----------------------------------------------------
110803 BOURBONNAIS_3NW 1.8 100
111447 CHATSWORTH 0.0 100
111655 CISCO 0.0 75
112140 DANVILLE 0.0 25
112145 DANVILLE_SEWAGE_PLANT 0.0 100
112500 DWIGHT 2.0 75
112923 FAIRBURY__WWTP 0.6 75
113774 HAMMOND 0.0 50
114198 HOOPESTON_1_NE 0.0 100
114603 KANKAKEE_METRO_WASTWTR 0.9 25
115646 MILFORD_5_NW 0.5 100
116344 OGDEN 0.3 100
116663 PAXTON_2_WSW 0.0 25
116769 PHILO 0.0 50
116910 PONTIAC 1.7 100
117150 RANTOUL 0.0 50
117952 SIDELL_5NW 0.3 100
118194 ST_ANNE 0.7 75
118353 STREATOR_3_SE 1.7 100
118632 TOULON_2_SSE 4.9 100
118740 URBANA 0.0 100
118745 URBANA_S_AGRONOMY_FARM 0.1 100
119021 WATSEKA_2_NW 0.0 50
State: Illinois Climate Division: 6
From 12/07/2009 To 12/10/2009
Station Percent
ID Avail
Number Name Snow(in.) Data
-----------------------------------------------------
110137 ALTON_MELVIN_PRICE_L&D 0.0 100
110492 BEARDSTOWN 1.2 100
111280 CARLINVILLE 0.0 100
112679 EDWARDSVILLE_2_W 0.1 50
113666 GREENFIELD 0.5 75
113693 GREENVILLE_2_NE 0.0 25
113717 GRIGGSVILLE 0.0 50
114089 HIGHLAND 0.0 50
114442 JACKSONVILLE_2E 1.0 100
114447 JACKSONVILLE_2 1.0 100
114489 JERSEYVILLE_2_SW 0.0 100
114739 KINCAID 0.1 50
115113 LOAMI_3_SSW 1.0 50
115539 MEDORA 0.2 50
115841 MORRISONVILLE 0.0 50
116738 PERRY_6_NW 1.7 100
117318 RIVERTON_4NNE 0.7 25
117896 SHERMAN_1ESE 0.8 100
118186 SPRINGFIELD_#2 1.0 100
118870 VIRGINIA 0.5 100
119241 WHITE_HALL_1_E 0.6 75
119331 WINCHESTER 0.4 50
State: Illinois Climate Division: 7
From 12/07/2009 To 12/10/2009
Station Percent
ID Avail
Number Name Snow(in.) Data
-----------------------------------------------------
110500 BEECHER_CITY 1.5 75
111329 CASEY 0.9 75
111436 CHARLESTON 0.4 100
111691 CLAREMONT_6N 0.8 100
111700 CLAY_CITY_6_SSE 0.5 50
112685 EFFINGHAM_SE 1.0 50
112687 EFFINGHAM 1.0 100
113106 FLORA 0.0 25
114078 HIDALGO_3SW 0.6 75
114317 HUTSONVILLE_POWER_PLANT 0.8 25
114400 IUKA_12_SW 0.9 50
114957 LAWRENCEVILLE 1.7 50
115219 LOVINGTON 0.1 50
115430 MATTOON 1.2 100
115950 MOWEAQUA_2S 0.1 25
116025 NEOGA_4NW 0.2 50
116134 NEWMAN_3W 0.0 100
116446 OLNEY_2S 1.0 100
116558 PALESTINE__2W 1.0 50
116579 PANA_3_E 0.0 50
116610 PARIS_WATERWORKS 0.4 50
116642 PATOKA 0.8 25
117126 RAMSEY 0.3 100
117345 ROBINSON 0.8 75
117636 SALEM 0.5 75
118389 SULLIVAN_3_S 0.0 100
118684 TUSCOLA 0.0 100
118781 VANDALIA 0.3 25
State: Illinois Climate Division: 8
From 12/07/2009 To 12/10/2009
Station Percent
ID Avail
Number Name Snow(in.) Data
-----------------------------------------------------
110050 ALBERS_1_W 0.0 75
110510 BELLEVILLE_SIU_RESEARCH 0.0 25
111166 CAIRO_3_N 0.0 100
111265 CARBONDALE_SEWAGE_PLANT 0.0 25
111290 CARLYLE_RESERVOIR 0.0 25
111386 CENTRALIA 0.9 50
111491 CHESTER 0.0 25
112483 DU_QUOIN_4_SE 0.0 25
113580 GRAND_CHAIN_DAM_53 0.0 100
114629 KASKASKIA_RIV_NAV_LOCK 0.0 25
115983 MURPHYSBORO_2_SW 0.0 75
116011 NASHVILLE_4_NE 0.0 100
116072 NEW_ATHENS 0.0 100
116973 PRAIRIE_DUROCHER 0.0 25
117157 RED_BUD_5_SE 0.0 50
119002 WATERLOO 0.0 50
State: Illinois Climate Division: 9
From 12/07/2009 To 12/10/2009
Station Percent
ID Avail
Number Name Snow(in.) Data
-----------------------------------------------------
110993 BROOKPORT_DAM_52 0.0 100
112931 FAIRFIELD_RADIO_WFIW 0.5 25
113612 GRAYVILLE 1.0 100
115943 MT_VERNON_3_NE 0.0 25
118020 SMITHLAND_LOCK_&_DAM 0.0 25