Carleigh Cooper, 10, of Mount Zion takes aim at her mom, Stephanie, during a snowball fight Sunday morning in Nelson Park in Decatur. The deeper-than-expected snow, coupled with mild temperatures, brought many people to the park for some snow play.
LINCOLN — Weather officials say the Decatur area saw around four to eight inches of snowfall overnight Saturday, but it may not hang around very long.
Snow accumulation in areas outside of Macon County along Interstate 72 totaled upwards of 10 inches, according to Scott Baker, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Lincoln. The weather service had initially forecasted a high of two inches of snowfall. Â
"There was a heavy band of snow that developed as the system moved through the area," Baker said. "That's why we ended up getting a lot more than what was originally forecasted."
The NWS reports Mount Pulaski in Logan County and Warrensburg in Macon County received 4 inches of snow. Argenta received 6 inches of snow and several other area towns, such as Monticello, reported 8 inches of snow. Cisco reported 9.8 inches of snow at 6:30 a.m.
Meteorologist Chuck Schaffer said the snow isn't expected to stay long, as fairly mild temperatures in the high 40s are predicted for the next few days that should contribute to melting the snow. No major weather systems are expected over the next several days, either, according to Schaffer.
"There will be a little bit of melting today with highs getting above freezing, especially with roads getting cleared with salt as the day goes on," Schaffer said Sunday morning.Â
Conditions of cloudy skies, a high of 34 degrees and light winds reaching 10 mph are forecasted for the rest of Sunday.
HISTORY PHOTOS: Snow photos from years past in the Decatur region
1942
The young folks' sleds are getting an unusual workout here this year, and present prospects are that the fun can go right on for at least a few days. The young men coming toward you are Robert Wasson and Leroy Nelson. They are sliding down the hill in the 1400 block of West Sunset Avenue.
1958
The winter's first snowfall arrived on a school holiday and brought out a group of enthusiastic sledders. These children were using the slopes in Fariview Park. Five streets will be closed for sledding tomorrow by the Recreation Department. The sites will be supervised.
1977
Traffic backs up as a truck stops near the top of the viaduct.
1973
Herald & Review, R.E. Strongman Officer Ward Davis blocks traffic at Main and Decatur streets until the plow arrives.
1973
Herald & Review, Doug Gaumon Some people found it easier to walk than drive in the streets such as the corner of North and Church streets.
1973
Herald & Review, Doug Gaumon Just after opening hour today shoppers started jamming the downtown mall area in which pathways were cleared of snow.
1960
Herald & Review, L. Roger Turner The cutline simply said, Uncle, Mr. Weatherman.
1906
Looking north from the middle of the 300 block of N. Main streets in March of 1906.
1940
West Macon Street hill, above, is only one of the many streets barricaded by the Recreation Association and the city for coasting. School children, who not only had last week free but this week also, are in great luck, for snow and ice seldom last so long in this climate.
1964
Herald & Review, J.D. Patrick Snow drifted up to six feet deep along downtown streets last night and this morning. This sidewalk, along North Main Street, was made impassable by drifts, although it appears, from the footprints, that someone tried to get through the snow.
1964
Herald & Review, Dick Torgerson Large piles of snow are piled along N. 22nd Street after this January snow.
1968
Herald & Review, Larry Brooks Some businessmen hired their own snowplows to help keep them open. At the Steak-n-Shake drive-in at 1621 E. Eldorado St., a former Illinois Highway Division road grader pushes the snow out to the way. Meanwhile, city and county plows were having a tough time opening, and keeping open city and county streets.
1964
Herald & Review, R.E. Strongman Snow removal operations continue in Decatur this morning. A bulldozer, on North Park Street downtown, loads snow into semi-trailers.
1964
Herald & Review, Dick Torgerson There was about 8 inches of snow but drifts piled up to ten feet on East North Street. The Sears builidng is in the background.
1965
Herald & Review, Dick Torgerson About nine inches of snow caused traffic problems along Decatur streets.
1977
Herald & Review, Herb Slodounik After snow fell for the seventh time this year snow plows are back on the streets of Decatur.
1965
Herald & Review, J.D. Patrick About seven inches of snow, accompanied by strong winds, formed these drifts and kept customers away from this service station on U.S. 36, 1 1/4 miles west of LaPlace. Parts of 36 west of Decatur were closed to traffic.
1965
Herald & Review, Ralph W. Sanders Seven-foot drifts of snow finally gave way to the distant snow plow on a country road near Broadwell in Logan County. Township highway crews including men with shovels were still busy freeing roads plugged by the week's snow.
1931
Snow plows were attached to the front of street department trucks to deal with this snow on March 8, 1931
1930
1930: A freak spring blizzard visited Decatur March 25, 1930, leaving eight inches of wet snow drifted over roads and streets as a postlude to an already hard winter experienced by Decatur residents. This picture was made near Decatur on one of the blocked hard roads.
1930
A snow plow moves down Route 10 after a spring snow storm.
1930
A snow plow moves down Route 10 after a spring snow storm.
1929
Snow covers a line of cars along the street on May, 2 1929.
1929
Entirely unexpected, a blizzard on May 2, 1929, brought this unseasonable mode of transportation into use. More than four inches of snow canceled early season baseball games as temperatures dropped to one degree below freezing.
Contact Garrett Karsten at (217) 421-6949. Follow him on Twitter: @GarrettKarsten
Garrett Karsten
Reporter
