Bloomington, IL Winters (Lincoln, Buffalo: buying, closing, safe)

[Jazz1on1]

Hi All,

My wife and I will be traveling to Bloomington, IL during Dec this year with an infant to visit my inlaws. How is the weather there around that time of the year. Does Bloomington get harsh snow storms and can we expect to be "snowed in" during our trip.

Thanks,

Jazz

[doll lady]

Central Illinois can be brutal in the winter and even in December. The first part of December is usually better than the last part. Last year December weather was horrible...with a storm in early December. As far as getting snowed in, usually the day of the worst weather is difficult travel....but usually by the second day, travel speeds along at about normal speed. Just watch NOAA weather extended forecasts and adjust your travel plans accordingly. Have fun this winter in Bloomington...and be safe travelling.

Here's a weather summary for last winter.
National Weather Service, Lincoln IL -- Preliminary Year in Review for 2008

[linicx]

Central Illinois winter is unpredictable. You can depend upon cold - sometimes polar sub-zero and some white. It might be deep and it might not. The good news is this. In a heavy snow storm, IL Interstates will be open even if it is only one lane in each direction. Do invest in a NOAA all-channel AC/DC radio and buy fresh batteries. The next best investment is a trucker's map for your cell phone. Every emergency number and truck stop is listed for every state. In an emergency the map is your best friend and a truck stop is a port in a storm if you do not know an area. .

[Stankonia]

As for snow storms, it depends on your definition of harsh. If you are from the northern states where snowfalls over a foot are common, then it is nothing special. If you are from a warmer area, it might be a problem.

We tend to get a foot or more of snow a few times per winter, but it is not a regular occurance or anything. There are also the occasional ice storms (we had a pretty bad one this past winter).

Really the most common problem is the cold, but that is to be expected in the midwest during the winter. It usually doesn't get that far below zero, but we had a few days around 20 below this year, so it can happen.

[Steve-o]

In IL, you only get snowed in if youre flying and flights are cancelled at O' Hare or Midway... cars and highway traffic dont ever shut down, just get slower moving, thats all.

[sigprn]

Look out now. Its a crap shoot. You can get hit hard in Bloomington. I remeber one year going to bloomington/normal. And 55 was one lane they get hit so hard. From like odell to b/n. Its just depends keep your eye on the weather. Be advise IDOT is allover 55 plowing the hell out of it.

[Scio42]

The weather in B-N in Dec is usually somewhere in the 20's - 40's and overcast with the occasional extreme from -10 to 60. Usually there's a couple of snow or ice storms in the winter. When it snows, it usually is just a couple inches although on occasion the skies will dump alot more snow. Icey conditions are more of a concern than snow when traveling. In any case, I'd be unlikely you'd get snowed in and if you did, it would probably only delay your travels by a day. The road crews are usually pretty good about having the interstate roads cleared in winter.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Jazz1on1

Hi All,

My wife and I will be traveling to Bloomington, IL during Dec this year with an infant to visit my inlaws. How is the weather there around that time of the year. Does Bloomington get harsh snow storms and can we expect to be "snowed in" during our trip.

Thanks,

Jazz

A point of reference would be useful. Compared to Miami Beach, the winters are quite harsh. Compared to Saskatoon, they're balmy.

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by Drover

A point of reference would be useful. Compared to Miami Beach, the winters are quite harsh. Compared to Saskatoon, they're balmy.

Seriously I have been doing yardwork in early December with only a sweatshirt and jeans on some years, and other years I have had the snow blower out.

The odds of roads being closed are very very small. We simply do not get the massive amount of snow as other places tend to. Central IL does not have a large body of water (like Buffalo NY) nor does it have the elevation/ mountain ranges to trigger other snow drops like the Rockies and Utah.


Heck, even the Great Plains, with the storms that rage down through Canada have greater probability of road closings.

[ABiologyTeacher]

I guess it depends on what you mean by snowed in. We can get a foot of snow in a matter of hours but that happens only a few times of year. From my experience, it's normally in January. The biggest issue in Bloomington is the wind. Even four inches of snow can cause white out conditions and Bloomington is very windy. All and all you should be okay but there is always a slight risk that you come during a snow storm. I suggest buying some thermals and gloves if you plan on being outside.