Blizzard — Whiteside, Illinois

2022-12-23 to 2022-12-24 · Whiteside, Illinois

Event narrative

Trained spotter reports ranged from 1 inch in Fulton to 2 inches 3 miles south southwest of Malvern. After the snow fell, winds increased with gusts of 40 to 50 MPH for several hours on the 22nd. This lead to whiteout conditions especially in rural and open areas. The strong winds also caused dangerously cold wind chills with -27 reported at the Sterling-Rock Falls Airport.

Wider weather episode

A strong winter storm brought widespread snow to the region Thursday, with widespread amounts between 1 to 4 inches. Strong winds also accompanied the snow, which caused significant blowing and drifting, especially in rural areas. Many accidents were reported on Interstate 80, causing frequent backups. Even stronger winds were observed on Friday across the area, and. Wind gusts between 40-50 mph were common, creating ground blizzard conditions primarily along and north of Interstate 80.

Additionally, temperatures dropped sharply behind the arctic cold front on Thursday and continued to fall throughout the day. Single digit temperatures with wind chills between -20 and -40 degrees were common.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1069222. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.