Illinois and Missouri Split by Extreme Snowfall Cutoff as Winter Storm Drops 8 Inches on Springfield but Barely Touches St. Louis
ILLINOIS — A fast-moving Alberta Clipper has revealed one of the most dramatic snowfall gradients of the season, with satellite imagery showing a razor-sharp cutoff between areas that received significant accumulation and locations that saw almost nothing. The storm’s narrow band of heavier snow left parts of Illinois blanketed, while nearby regions in Missouri recorded barely a trace.
A Clear Snow Line Seen From Satellite
A natural-color satellite image highlights where snow remains on the ground across the Midwest. The bright teal shading represents areas with deeper snowpack, sharply contrasting with nearby locations that experienced almost no accumulation. This visual footprint shows how tightly focused the core of the clipper snowfall was.
According to the data provided:
- Springfield, Illinois picked up 8.0 inches of snow over the past 3 days
- St. Louis, Missouri saw only a trace
This extremely narrow divide demonstrates just how sensitive these systems are to small shifts in the storm track.
A Classic Alberta Clipper Signature
Alberta Clippers often produce sharp north-to-south gradients in snowfall, especially along their southern edge. In this event, the snow band aligned perfectly with a corridor stretching from Iowa into Illinois, while areas just tens of miles south remained mostly snow-free.
These systems are known for:
- Fast movement
- Limited moisture
- Sharp snowfall cutoffs
- High sensitivity to minor path adjustments
A difference of only 25–40 miles in the track can determine whether a community receives several inches of plowable snow or barely a flurry.
Why Forecast Ranges Can Be Wide
This storm is a strong example of why meteorologists sometimes issue broader snowfall ranges for clippers. The extreme gradients make it difficult for model guidance to pinpoint exactly where the heavier band will set up until the final hours.
Forecasters noted that even a slight shift could significantly change totals, and that proved true once the final snowfall reports came in.
What Happens Next
With cold air still entrenched across the Midwest, snow cover in Illinois is likely to linger. Missouri areas that missed the heavier band will warm more quickly due to bare ground. No additional major clipper systems are highlighted in the current short-range outlook, but fast-moving disturbances remain possible this week.
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