A major winter storm tracked from eastern Colorado to northern Missouri and then to central Illinois December 18-19, 2008, and was the most significant winter event of the month. Heavy snow accumulations of 6 to 10 inches were widespread across northeast Iowa and northwest Illinois, mainly north of Highway 30. Roughly along the Interstate 80 corridor, 2 to 4 inches of sleet and up to 1/2 inch ice accumulations were reported. Locations south of I-80 in southeast Iowa, western Illinois and northeast Missouri experienced a major ice storm. Ice accumulations of 1/4 to nearly 1 inch were common, with many trees and branches down due to the weight of the ice. Scattered thunderstorms also developed helping to produce the heavy precipitation amounts. Power outages of up to a week occurred, especially in western Illinois, due to the ice storm.

Ice Storm in MCDONOUGH, ILLINOIS
From 18-DEC-08 18:30:00 to 19-DEC-08 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

Trained spotters reported over 3/4 inch ice accumulations with many 6 to 8 inch tree branches and limbs down, along with power lines down across McDonough county. In some cases, whole trees were destroyed by the ice storm in Macomb. Power outages were widespread across McDonough county for up to a week after the storm. According to the Macomb Journal newspaper about 1/4 of the trees in Macomb were damaged by the ice storm including 100 destroyed. Huge branches from a giant American elm tree, that had survived for 150 to 175 years, crashed into the roof of a home in Macomb. The Western Illinois Electrical Cooperative indicated 20 power poles were snapped due to the weight of the ice in McDonough county. Among Ameren Illinois customers, McDonough county was the hardest hit by the ice storm, with up to 44 percent of them without power at the peak of the outage.

Ice Storm in BUREAU, ILLINOIS
From 18-DEC-08 20:00:00 to 19-DEC-08 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in CARROLL, ILLINOIS
From 18-DEC-08 21:15:00 to 19-DEC-08 09:30:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Ice Storm in HANCOCK, ILLINOIS
From 18-DEC-08 18:30:00 to 19-DEC-08 09:30:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Ice Storm in PUTNAM, ILLINOIS
From 18-DEC-08 20:00:00 to 19-DEC-08 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Heavy Snow in STEPHENSON, ILLINOIS
From 18-DEC-08 22:15:00 to 19-DEC-08 09:45:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A trained spotter measured 9.8 inches of snow 4 miles southeast of Winslow.

Ice Storm in ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS
From 18-DEC-08 19:30:00 to 19-DEC-08 08:40:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Ice Storm in WARREN, ILLINOIS
From 18-DEC-08 19:00:00 to 19-DEC-08 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Ice Storm in HENDERSON, ILLINOIS
From 18-DEC-08 18:30:00 to 19-DEC-08 09:30:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Heavy Snow in JO DAVIESS, ILLINOIS
From 18-DEC-08 22:00:00 to 19-DEC-08 09:30:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A trained spotter measured 9.5 inches of snow 4 miles northeast of Stockton.

Ice Storm in HENRY, ILLINOIS
From 18-DEC-08 19:45:00 to 19-DEC-08 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Ice Storm in MERCER, ILLINOIS
From 18-DEC-08 19:00:00 to 19-DEC-08 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in WHITESIDE, ILLINOIS
From 18-DEC-08 20:30:00 to 19-DEC-08 09:15:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter