Winter Storm — Sangamon, Illinois

1997-01-15 to 1997-01-17 · Sangamon, Illinois

Wider weather episode

A winter storm developed over the central Rockies and moved east into the Midwest. The storm brought between 4 and 6 inches of snow to a large part of central Illinois north of I-70. South of I-70 a mixture of freezing rain, sleet, and snow occurred with snow totals of 1 to 3 inches. After the snow stopped, the winds picked up to between 20 and 30 mph with higher gusts, causing near whiteout conditions. Also, temperatures fell below zero across the entire area, so with the strong winds and cold temperatures, wind chill readings dipped well below minus 40 degrees in many locations. Numerous accidents were reported though only 6 minor injuries and one person with serious injuries was reported. A 78 year old man died of exposure after apparently trying to walk a short distance to his brother's house and his body was not discovered for over 24 hours.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5590875. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.