Winter Weather — Rock Island, Illinois

2008-12-08 · Rock Island, Illinois

Event narrative

According to the Rock Island Argus newspaper, 15 to 20 people were treated for mainly minor injuries due to dozens of vehicle accidents that occurred in the Illinois Quad Cities area. The freezing rain fell for only about an hour or two during the morning on December 8, but temperatures were in the middle 20s, resulting in a quick glazing on roads.

Wider weather episode

A warm front lifting northward out of Missouri triggered a band of freezing rain just north of the front on December 8, 2008. The freezing rain only lasted about an hour or two during the morning and early afternoon hours at any given location. However, surface temperatures were in the mid to upper 20s resulting in a quick glazing of ice on roads and highways. There were dozens of vehicle accidents with mainly minor injuries. However, an indirect fatality occurred in Bureau county as a result of a vehicle accident on icy roads. Local hospitals also reported some injuries from people falling on the ice.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 144906. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.