Springfield, Illinois – Residents across central Illinois could face renewed winter travel disruptions as a late-January pattern increases the likelihood of accumulating snow across the region.
According to the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center, central Illinois is included in a slight risk for heavy snow from Saturday through the following Friday, signaling a higher chance for one or more organized winter systems moving through the Midwest. The risk covers a broad stretch of the state away from the immediate lake influence, where colder air is expected to remain in place.
In the Interstate 55 corridor, including Springfield and Lincoln, temperatures trending below normal favor snow as the primary precipitation type. That could lead to slick conditions along I-55, I-72, and U.S. Route 36 during periods of steadier snowfall, particularly overnight and early morning.
Farther north, including Peoria and the Illinois River Valley, snow may arrive in multiple rounds rather than a single storm, raising the potential for cumulative impacts on local roads and regional highways such as I-74. Eastward toward Bloomington and Normal, similar conditions could affect commuter travel along I-39 and surrounding state routes.
The Illinois Department of Transportation urges drivers to monitor road conditions closely, allow extra travel time, and keep vehicles stocked with winter emergency supplies. With colder air expected to persist, snow that falls may linger between systems.
More detailed timing and potential winter weather advisories are expected as the late-January window approaches, with clearer impacts becoming available by early next week.
