Here's a few images from last nights ice storm. The ice storm that we were monitoring and fearing the last few days impacted west-central Illinois during the overnight hours. Macomb, IL was one of the worst hit areas last night with ice accumulation between .75-1.00". Most locations south of I-80 received accumulating sleet along with .25" of freezing rain or more. Here in Kewanee, IL we received between .25-.50" of ice accumulation with .75" of sleet on top of that. Around 40,000 people are without power in west-central Illinois due to this ice storm. We got lucky here since we never lost power at least currently...I was able to get out this morning in the winter wonderland to survey the storm. I also took a drive around town to judge the road conditions and grab a few photos here and there as well earlier this afternoon. The storm rapidly developed last evening spreading precipitation in my area around 7:00pm. Not many surprises with this storm which is rarely the case when forecasting winter storms. This event went how I expected it would with areas in southern Wisconsin receiving a foot of snow, DeKalb between 4-6" of snow due to sleet accumulations limiting the snow accumulation, and freezing rain > .25" here in Kewanee and points south with the ice storm.
Thick ice-coating on this tree this morning
Christmas lights coated in a layer of ice
Images like this all over west-central Illinois
Our outdoor swing...(Click to enlarge)
These trees barring their added "weight"
Our outdoor deck showcasing the ice and sleet
Icicles galore...
Even the evergreen trees didn't escape this storm as this one is "weighted" to the ground
Barbed wire completely coated in ice along this farm field
Ironic...the lighthouse appears sea-sprayed
A holiday decoration in one of many ice-coated trees
What a mess...
An amazing storm to forecast! Stay tuned for a Part: II to this post if we get some "sunlight" tomorrow morning. The next wave moves in late tomorrow afternoon with maybe 1" of snow here, but attention will turn to early next week with the next system in the parade off the west-coast of the U.S. If this one phases with the northern branch of the jet stream...well we'll have another big winter storm on our hands in the Midwest. This pattern shows no end in site for the rest of December. The good news, we should get a white Christmas though...
