What’s behind weeks of snow and extreme cold in Illinois?
A winter storm blew fresh snow across the country with a snow depth of six and a half inches in Urbana, Illinois. Reginald Hardwick/IPM News
In late January 2026, a powerful winter storm swept across the U.S., impacting areas from Texas and New Mexico all the way to Boston and New England, including Central Illinois. It brought heavy snow to some areas, freezing rain and sleet to others, and extreme cold temperatures, before, during and after the storm.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduate student Maddie Stover, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Department of Climate, Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences professor Jeff Frame and Meteorologist with Nutrient Ag Solutions Andrew Pritchard talked about the storm’s development and agricultural impacts.
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