Dangerously hot conditions are occurring today in southeast Oklahoma, the ArkLaTex, lower Mississippi Valley, and Puerto Rico. Hot temperatures surround this area throughout the southern U.S. Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories in effect. Excessive rainfall may lead to flash flooding today over parts of northern Alabama into eastern Tennessee and the Cascades. Read More >
The National Weather Service (NWS) Chicago/Rockford, IL, office uses information from volunteer spotters along area rivers to monitor the development of river ice which may lead to flooding. Ice jams are often localized and may occur away from river gauges. River ice spotters share important information such as extent of ice cover, ice cover trends, and location of ice jams which is very important for issuing timely warnings.
River ice can be a serious problem during some winters. Chronic ice jam locations on the Rock, Fox, and Kankakee Rivers have up to a 1-in-2 chance of experiencing an ice jam in any given year, and almost a 1-in-3 chance of experiencing ice jam flooding in a given year.
Qualifications
No special qualifications are required other than living near the river and a willingness to report river and ice conditions.
Reporting Ice Observations
A Google form is used to enter routine reports. For time-sensitive information such as ice jam formation, ice jam break-up, or flooding, we provide a non-public number to call. Reports are requested from all spotters at the same time - weekly on Monday from December 1st through March 31st. Reports are requested by 9AM. Reports may also be sent at other times especially when changes are observed in river ice.
How to Volunteer
For more information, see the Volunteer River Ice Spotter Network flyer, or contact the NWS Chicago office.
Email: nws.chicago@noaa.gov
Phone: 815-834-1435 or 815-963-5913
Reference/Training Materials
Most Recent Weekly River Ice Summary
299
FGUS83 KLOT 041807
RVSLOT
HYDROLOGIC STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO
0928 AM CST MON MAR 04 2024
WEEKLY RIVER ICE CONDITIONS
REPORTED BY RIVER ICE SPOTTERS
ID LOCATION RIVER ICE PCT ICE
CONDITION STATUS COVER
CHICAGO RIVER...
LITTLE CALUMET RIVER...
DES PLAINES RIVER...
DP-06 ELMWOOD PARK OPEN NO CHANGE 0
:NORTH AVENUE
DP-31 DES PLAINES OPEN NO CHANGE 0
:MINER STREET
DU PAGE RIVER...
DU-02 NAPERVILLE OPEN NO CHANGE 0
:LINCOLN GREENWAY
FOX RIVER...
FX-01 CARPENTERSVILLE OPEN NO CHANGE 0
:NEAR MAIN STREET
FX-16 MONTGOMERY OPEN NO CHANGE 0
:MILL STREET
ILLINOIS RIVER...
IL-02 OTTAWA OPEN NO CHANGE 0
:STARVED ROCK STATE PARK 2 MILES UPSTREAM STARVED ROCK DAM
KANKAKEE RIVER...
KK-04 WILMINGTON OPEN NO CHANGE 0
:PHELAN ACRES
KK-06 WILMINGTON OPEN NO CHANGE 0
:WILMINGTON DAM
KK-07 AROMA PARK OPEN NO CHANGE 0
:2 MILES DOWNSTREAM IL-17
KK-45 SHELBY OPEN NO CHANGE 0
:NEAR IN-55
KK-49 SHELBY OPEN NO CHANGE 0
:NEAR IN-55
KYTE CREEK...
KISHWAUKEE RIVER...
NIPPERSINK CREEK...
ROCK RIVER...
RK-04 ROSCOE OPEN NO CHANGE 0
:NEAR CHICORY RIDGE PARK
RK-02 MACHESNEY PARK OPEN NO CHANGE 0
:NEAR BAUER PARKWAY
RK-08 DIXON OPEN NO CHANGE 0
:4 MILES DOWNSTREAM IL-2
SALT CREEK...
SL-02 BROOKFIELD OPEN NO CHANGE 0
:WASHINGTON AVENUE
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