Weekend snow not record, but close

Posted on April 16, 2019
snowy street
Sunday’s snowfall caught some residents by surprise.
(WJBC file photo)

By Cole Lauterbach/Illinois Radio Network

LINCOLN – Illinois’ Sunday snowfall was far outside the norm for mid-April weather, but the total amount of snow didn’t set any new records.

Meteorologist Chris Geelhart with the National Weather Service in Lincoln said the large weather system that dipped down from Canada dropped snow from Galesburg all the way to Chicago and beyond.

“It was a pretty large area that had in excess of four inches of snow, especially from about Galesburg northeast through the Chicago area into southeast Wisconsin,” he said.

Chicago’s O’Hare Airport recorded 5.3 inches Sunday, coming in second to April 16, 1961, when the city saw 5.4 inches of total accumulation.

The highest total came from northeastern Illinois.

“The highest report we saw in Illinois so far is 8.5 inches in Woodstock and 8 inches in Sycamore,” he said.

In central Illinois, the ground wasn’t cold enough to allow for significant accumulation in many areas, leaving roads slick overnight once the temperature dropped.

Geerhart said the snow totals came in second in a number of towns to snowfall records set in 1961 and 1980.

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…