Snow and Ice Removal Operations Underway – Winter Storm Warning
December 22, 2022 11:02 AM

With a Winter Storm Warning in effect from today through Saturday, Facilities & Services (F&S) staff have already started pretreatment and snow and ice removal preparations to keep the campus open and accessible for students, faculty, and staff throughout this period. 

The National Weather Service is indicating that the major multiday winter weather event will likely produce blizzard conditions and the following significant impacts:

• Mixed precipitation combined with strong winds—icing over concrete surfaces such as roads, stairs, parking lots, and sidewalks
• Blowing and drifting snow with two to four inches possible—reducing visibility to a quarter mile or less at times and making any travel hazardous
• Extreme wind chills of up to 30 below zero—causing frostbite to exposed skin in under an hour
• Wind gusts as high as 50 miles per hour—capable of bringing down tree branches and moving unsecured objects

The intensity and variability of this winter storm also have the potential to reduce the effectiveness of initial pretreatment and clearing activities. The probability of icing, followed by several inches of snow, will make for a challenging and lengthy removal process and create extremely slippery conditions for several days. The university strongly recommends adjusting plans and postponing voluntary trips once the storm begins. If you must travel on campus when subfreezing temperatures and layers of ice and snow exist, please use tremendous caution and prepare for contingencies. 

More information about F&S snow and ice removal procedures is available at http://www.fs.illinois.edu/services/maintenance/snow-removal, including a list of priority parking lot locations that will be continuously cleared throughout the event and support MTD service and bus stop access.

Thanks for your assistance as F&S crews perform this priority work and do their best to keep campus sidewalks, streets, pathways, parking lots, and building entrances clear of snow and ice.

Sincerely,

Dr. Ehab Kamarah
Associate Vice Chancellor and Executive Director, Facilities & Services