Illinois' 2007-08 winter: "That 70s Show" revisited

This past year, old man winter returned to Illinois and much of the upper Midwest with a vengeance. Beginning in December and covering a period that extended into March, a near record number of winter storms impacted parts of the state. These winter storms led to record or near record snowfall totals across the northern fourth of the state. However, other types of uncommon winter weather, including freezing rain and thunderstorms that produced heavy rainfalls and tornadoes, occurred more frequently. All told, these weather events created a large number of cold season impacts among many sectors including transportation, construction, government activities, health and utilities. Many sectors had not planned for such a severe winter, one similar to those experienced in the late 1970s, and thus were caught off guard. This paper will put this winter into historical perspective and discuss related socio-economic impacts. An important “lesson learned” is that although the frequency of cold and snowy winters may decrease as the global climate changes, a chance that one similar to that experienced in 2007-08 occurring again still exists.