More than 100 vehicles crashed during a snowstorm Thursday in Illinois, forcing authorities to shut down a 30-mile stretch of an interstate overnight as drivers battled the inclement weather.
“I-39 from Normal to Minonk will be closed for approx. 12 hours due to multiple crashes involving over 100 vehicles,” Illinois State Police tweeted late Thursday. “Together, with our local partners, we are diligently working to ensure motorists are safely escorted from the area to warming centers.”
The snow-related accident occurred amid a sprawling storm system that also unleashed strong winds, flooding and tornadoes in parts of the central and eastern U.S., leading to power outages and pockets of damage. More than 100,000 homes were still without power across the Northeast states on Friday morning, amid howling winds of 40 to 65 mph.
The massive Illinois pileup took place on Interstate 39, about 124 miles south of Chicago, near the city of El Paso, state police said, issuing a travel warning and establishing diversions.
“We’re asking everyone to avoid the area,” state troopers said in a video online. “Please do not travel unless it’s an emergency.”
Winter weather causes 100-car pileup in Illinois
Multiple accidents involving more than 100 cars and trucks shut down 30 miles of highway on Feb. 17, in El Paso, Ill. (The Washington Post)
The Illinois Department of Transportation tweeted early Friday that I-39 remained closed “in both directions with no access between Normal and Minonk because of multiple crashes involving 100+ plus vehicles.” It added that it was “not expected to reopen until roughly midday” on Friday.
The multiple crashes took place around 3:13 p.m. local time on Thursday, local outlet ABC7 reported, adding that authorities have yet to report any injuries.
Cellphone video footage from one driver, David Troesser, shows dozens of cars and large trucks skidded off the road, lights flashing and some in snow-covered ditches. Troesser is heard telling people to stay off the road, as the snow pelts down. “Oh my God, there’s more. They’re just piling up,” he narrates. “It’s getting bad, y’all.”
High rates of snowfall and blizzardlike conditions were set to cause poor visibility and hazardous travel conditions throughout Illinois, state police had warned earlier Thursday.
The National Weather Service in Lincoln, Ill., said the snow was “winding down” late Thursday across central Illinois but “bitterly cold temperatures” would set in overnight. The weather body said early Friday that parts of the region could see “patchy blowing snow” in the afternoon but predicted warmer temperatures would break through over the weekend.
“Several roads were snow and ice covered and hazardous over central IL early this morning, especially untreated roads,” it tweeted Friday. “Sunshine along with temperatures rising into the low to mid 30s this afternoon, should help with the melting process.”
Earlier this year snow and cold weather snarled traffic on the East Coast’s busiest highway, halting travel toward the nation’s capital along Interstate 95 and making national headlines as hundreds of drivers were trapped and frustrated with emergency state responses amid the extreme weather.
“I-39 from Normal to Minonk will be closed for approx. 12 hours due to multiple crashes involving over 100 vehicles,” Illinois State Police tweeted late Thursday. “Together, with our local partners, we are diligently working to ensure motorists are safely escorted from the area to warming centers.”
The snow-related accident occurred amid a sprawling storm system that also unleashed strong winds, flooding and tornadoes in parts of the central and eastern U.S., leading to power outages and pockets of damage. More than 100,000 homes were still without power across the Northeast states on Friday morning, amid howling winds of 40 to 65 mph.
The massive Illinois pileup took place on Interstate 39, about 124 miles south of Chicago, near the city of El Paso, state police said, issuing a travel warning and establishing diversions.
“We’re asking everyone to avoid the area,” state troopers said in a video online. “Please do not travel unless it’s an emergency.”
Winter weather causes 100-car pileup in Illinois
Multiple accidents involving more than 100 cars and trucks shut down 30 miles of highway on Feb. 17, in El Paso, Ill. (The Washington Post)
The Illinois Department of Transportation tweeted early Friday that I-39 remained closed “in both directions with no access between Normal and Minonk because of multiple crashes involving 100+ plus vehicles.” It added that it was “not expected to reopen until roughly midday” on Friday.
The multiple crashes took place around 3:13 p.m. local time on Thursday, local outlet ABC7 reported, adding that authorities have yet to report any injuries.
Cellphone video footage from one driver, David Troesser, shows dozens of cars and large trucks skidded off the road, lights flashing and some in snow-covered ditches. Troesser is heard telling people to stay off the road, as the snow pelts down. “Oh my God, there’s more. They’re just piling up,” he narrates. “It’s getting bad, y’all.”
High rates of snowfall and blizzardlike conditions were set to cause poor visibility and hazardous travel conditions throughout Illinois, state police had warned earlier Thursday.
The National Weather Service in Lincoln, Ill., said the snow was “winding down” late Thursday across central Illinois but “bitterly cold temperatures” would set in overnight. The weather body said early Friday that parts of the region could see “patchy blowing snow” in the afternoon but predicted warmer temperatures would break through over the weekend.
“Several roads were snow and ice covered and hazardous over central IL early this morning, especially untreated roads,” it tweeted Friday. “Sunshine along with temperatures rising into the low to mid 30s this afternoon, should help with the melting process.”
Earlier this year snow and cold weather snarled traffic on the East Coast’s busiest highway, halting travel toward the nation’s capital along Interstate 95 and making national headlines as hundreds of drivers were trapped and frustrated with emergency state responses amid the extreme weather.
