A very intense storm system tracked from the Oklahoma Panhandle to western Illinois and then to Lake Huron. This had the lowest barometric pressure (975 mb or 28.79 inches) in the Midwest since the November 10, 1998 storm that also moved through the upper Midwest. This powerful winter storm produced very heavy snowfall, blizzard conditions and bitterly cold temperatures on December 8-9, 2009.  Snow amounts of at least 10 to 15 inches were common north of a Fairfield, Iowa to Sterling, Illinois line. The largest amount was an incredible 17.7 inches at Orangeville, Illinois in Stephenson county.  Other amounts included 15 inches at Brighton, Iowa (Washington county), Mt. Vernon, Iowa (Linn county) and at Freeport, Illinois (Stephenson county).  Snowfall was much lighter in southeast Iowa, extreme northeast Missouri and west central Illinois. Here snow accumulations were 1 to 4 inches as rain and sleet mixed with the snow. A band of freezing rain from Burlington, Iowa to Sterling, Illinois coated trees and power lines with up to 3 tenths of an inch of ice.  A few locations also reported thundersnows with snowfall rates of nearly 2 inches per hour. There were scattered power outages and some tree branches down. Numerous accidents and vehicles sliding into ditches were reported across the region. Many schools and businesses were also closed. In addition, winds gusting over 50 mph produced widespread blizzard conditions across much of eastern Iowa and extreme northeast Missouri, reducing visibilities to near zero on December 9.

Winter Storm in JEFFERSON, IOWA
From 07-DEC-09 23:00:00 to 09-DEC-09 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in LOUISA, IOWA
From 07-DEC-09 23:30:00 to 09-DEC-09 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in MUSCATINE, IOWA
From 08-DEC-09 00:00:00 to 09-DEC-09 19:30:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in LEE, IOWA
From 07-DEC-09 22:00:00 to 09-DEC-09 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in LINN, IOWA
From 08-DEC-09 00:05:00 to 09-DEC-09 19:25:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A trained spotter measured a total of 15.0 inches of snow at Mt. Vernon.

Winter Storm in JONES, IOWA
From 08-DEC-09 01:30:00 to 09-DEC-09 19:15:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in KEOKUK, IOWA
From 07-DEC-09 23:00:00 to 09-DEC-09 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in WASHINGTON, IOWA
From 07-DEC-09 23:50:00 to 09-DEC-09 18:30:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A trained spotter reported a total of 15.3 inches of snow at Brighton.

Winter Storm in VAN BUREN, IOWA
From 07-DEC-09 22:00:00 to 09-DEC-09 17:35:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in SCOTT, IOWA
From 08-DEC-09 00:50:00 to 09-DEC-09 21:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

The National Weather Service Forecast Office in Davenport at the Mt. Joy Airport measured 11.9 inches of snow.

Winter Storm in DUBUQUE, IOWA
From 08-DEC-09 01:50:00 to 09-DEC-09 19:40:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A trained spotter at Cascade reported 11.0 inches of snow.

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

Winter Storm in CEDAR, IOWA
From 08-DEC-09 01:00:00 to 09-DEC-09 19:30:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in CLINTON, IOWA
From 08-DEC-09 01:00:00 to 09-DEC-09 21:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in HENRY, IOWA
From 07-DEC-09 23:00:00 to 09-DEC-09 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in BENTON, IOWA
From 08-DEC-09 00:50:00 to 09-DEC-09 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Thundersnow was reported by a trained spotter at Vinton at 643 pm cst on December
8, which produced 3 inches of snow in 2 hours. The total snowfall for this event was measured at 13.3 inches.

Winter Storm in DELAWARE, IOWA
From 08-DEC-09 01:45:00 to 09-DEC-09 20:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in DES MOINES, IOWA
From 07-DEC-09 22:35:00 to 09-DEC-09 18:35:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

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

A trained spotter measured 12.0 inches of snow at Victor.

Winter Storm in JACKSON, IOWA
From 08-DEC-09 01:30:00 to 09-DEC-09 20:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in BUCHANAN, IOWA
From 08-DEC-09 01:30:00 to 09-DEC-09 20:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A COOP observer 4 miles southwest of Stanley measured a total of 13.0 inches of snow for this event.