Snow Squall Triggers Power Outages and School Closures Across Central Illinois

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A fierce snow squall barreled through Central Illinois on Wednesday morning, sweeping across several counties with powerful winds reaching speeds of 45 to 50 miles per hour and causing visibility to plummet to near zero.

The Illinois State Police reported they attended to 14 vehicular accidents and assisted 10 motorists in distress in the regions affected by the sudden squall. Fortunately, no fatalities were reported.

The impact of the squall extended beyond just road incidents.

In related weather developments, a cold front is moving in, bringing renewed chances of snow.

The superintendent of Prairieview-Ogden reported that South Elementary experienced a power outage lasting an hour. Meanwhile, parents of Oakwood Grade School students formed a line stretching two blocks as they arrived early to pick up their children due to similar power issues.

“All the kids looked at me and they were like, ‘What?’” Stacy Rickard, an agriculture teacher said. “I was like, ‘I don’t know.’”

She said it’s the first time she’s seen her school get out early because of a power outage, especially one caused by a snow squall.

“We’ve had power outages before and a lot of times we’re back to going for 20-30 minutes,” Rickard said. “You don’t have power, you’ve got to think on your feet really quick on how you manage up to 20 high school kids.”