LOYAL. LOCAL. COMPLETE.
Children around Edgar County rejoiced the morning of Jan. 7 when they discovered that winter breaks would be continued for an extra day thanks to the after-effects of Winter Storm Blair. The Arctic outbreak, named by the Weather Channel, brought snow to Edgar County and surrounding areas on Jan. 5 and Jan. 6.
The snowfall began on Sunday, accompanied by high winds and quickly dropping temperatures.
The Prairie Press’ weather wizard Everett Lau said the blowing snow and the date may have caused flashbacks to Jan. 5-6 of 2014, when “another large winter storm buried the county in almost a foot of snow and created large drifts” for Edgar County residents.
“The storm was well anticipated as indications of a large storm system in the region were noted days in advance,” Lau explained, calling the storm tricky to forecast from a meteorology perspective. “The strong area of low pressure deepened in the Great Plains where blizzard warnings were issued. It combined cold air from Canada with ample moisture coming up from the Gulf of Mexico. It then tracked through Illinois and Indiana, bringing snow to central parts of the state and an ice storm further south.”
By 7 p.m. on Sunday, Lau reported a majority of Illinois roadways were covered in snow and ice. Around the same time, the Edgar County Sheriff’s Department issued a public statement on its social media profiles.
“If you must be out in this weather please be prepared with plenty of fuel and the necessary items in your vehicle. And allow plenty of travel time,” the post said. “If you see vehicles off in the ditch or stranded on the side of the road with plastic tape or caution tape tied to them, that is to indicate the vehicle has been checked by law enforcement for occupants.”
The heavy snow also encouraged residents throughout Edgar County to reach out and support one another. Across multiple social media platforms, individuals offered plowing and shoveling services to assist those who couldn’t do it themselves. Once the hard work of the shoveling and plowing was complete, kids and families took time to play in the deep snow.
Sadly, the storm was not all fun and games.
The storm triggered winter weather alerts for more than 60 million people from Illinois to New Jersey. By Monday morning, Blair dropped up to a foot of snow in some cities and killed at least six people, leaving thousands of homes without power in Virginia, Kentucky and other parts of Illinois.
Closer to home, snow and ice left roads a slippery, dangerous mess across the Midwest on Sunday. The conditions temporarily shut down a lengthy stretch of Interstate 70 after triggering several collisions and multi-vehicle accidents.
First responders inside and around the county were busy responding to multiple incidents as road crews scrambled to keep up in the blizzard-like conditions.
“I like to remind people (to) give us (plows) room, stay back,” Chris Redman, Superintendent of Streets, Alleys and Parks told a Prairie Press reporter the morning of Jan. 6. “We’ve been working all day (Sunday), yesterday and last night, and we’ll be out all day again today (Monday) … We’re starting to get ahold of it.”
According to Redman, the snow blanketing the streets and yards across Paris is a “dry snow.” The fine nature of the snow combined with Sunday’s winds led to several large drifts, creating additional dangers on roads, especially in rural areas.
Per the weather wizard, the storm dumped five to nine inches of snow across the area, and 30-40 mph wind gusts led to blowing snow and drifting. Just over seven inches of snow were measured at the Paris Waterworks for Lau’s official almanac records.
“For many, it was the largest snow event since the ‘Groundhog Day winter storm’ in February 2022,” Lau said
While dozens of Edgar County businesses closed their doors on Monday and Tuesday and schools created plans for snow days and online learning, others continued to serve the community.
Doctors, nurses and staff at Horizon Health, as well as first responders and EMS personnel, worked to ensure all members of the community remained healthy. Staff at the United States Post Office delivered mail despite the dangerous conditions and city employees were on the streets at the crack of dawn clearing roads and driveways.