Extreme Cold/Wind Chill — Woodford, Illinois

2025-01-21 · Woodford, Illinois

Event narrative

Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -25 to -30 occurred across Woodford County during the morning of January 21st.

Wider weather episode

Canadian high pressure settled into the Plains behind a departing cold front on January 21st. As skies cleared, radiational cooling over the snow-covered ground allowed early morning low temperatures to drop below zero everywhere along and north of the I-70 corridor. Thanks to westerly winds gusting 15-20mph, bitterly cold wind-chill values of -25 to -30 occurred along and north of a Rushville to Bloomington line for several hours until readings slowly improved by early afternoon. The coldest hourly wind-chill readings recorded were: -25 at Peoria, -27 at Lacon, -29 at Galesburg, and -31 at Bloomington.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1230962. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.