Winter Storm — Whiteside, Illinois

2022-12-22 to 2022-12-23 · Whiteside, Illinois

Event narrative

Snowfall reports ranged from 1.0 inches from a trained spotter in Fulton to 2.0 inches 3 miles south southwest of Malvern. Winds quickly increased with peak gusts of 40 to 50 MPH. The peak gust at the Sterling Rock Falls Airport was 46 MPH. Additionally, the peak wind chills were -20 to -30. The lowest wind chill in Sterling Rock Falls was -27.

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 1072845. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.