LIVE UPDATES
Live blog: Heavy snow postpones some IHSA football state title games
Here's the latest on a major snowstorm expected to hit Bloomington-Normal on the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend. More resources:
Do you have a cancellation or other news to report? Send it to news@wglt.org.
Town of Normal enacts snow parking ban
A snow parking ban goes into effect on all streets within the Town of Normal effective midnight Friday until noon Monday.
The police department may ticket vehicles parked on the street. When a parking ban is activated, no parked cars are permitted on any streets in the Town of Normal. Cars must be moved off the streets to a driveway, garage or parking lot. Residents who do not have a driveway or garage may park their cars for free in the parking lots of the town's parks, including but not limited to: Anderson, Fairview and Underwood.
A snow parking ban is activated to allow snowplow crews to clear the entire street, including parking areas. For your safety, when approaching operating salt vehicles, stay at least 100 feet behind the equipment. It is inadvisable to pass salt or plow trucks.
Bloomington-Normal could see 7-10 inches of snow
The Bloomington-Normal area is expecting 7-10 inches of snow in a storm that begins Friday night.
Much of Central Illinois, including McLean County, will be under a winter storm warning from midnight Friday through 6 a.m. Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.
"Roads and especially bridges and overpasses will likely become slick and hazardous. The strong winds and weight of snow on tree limbs may down power lines and could cause sporadic power outages. Travel could be very difficult to impossible," the weather service warned.
Bloomington announces parking bans as winter storm approaches
The City of Bloomington has implemented parking restrictions ahead of the expected winter storm.
No parking will be allowed on designated snow routes starting at 11 p.m. Friday to enable snow plows to pass through city streets. A citywide parking ban will take effect starting at 6 a.m. Saturday.
According to a city news release, residents who don’t have access to a driveway or alternate off-street parking can access parking at city parks and all city-managed lots.
All parking garages will be free to use during the parking ban, which will remain in effect until further notice.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for McLean County portions of eight states from late Friday through 6 a.m. Sunday. The weather service says the Bloomington-Normal area is likely to receive at least six inches of snow.
Forecast leads to 'unprecedented' postponement of IHSA state football title games
The IHSA said it's postponing four football state title games Saturday because Illinois State University is closing its campus because of the expected snowstorm.
The second day of the 2025 IHSA Football State Finals were set to unfold at ISU’s Hancock Stadium in Normal. Now, the Class 5A, 6A, 7A, and 8A state championship games scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 29, are being postponed. The IHSA is working with ISU leadership to determine the dates and times of the remaining state title games. The games will not be played Sunday, Nov. 30.
“The postponement of the IHSA Football State Finals is unprecedented in the state playoffs 51-year history,” IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson said in a statement. “All of the competing teams in Class 5A, 6A, 7A and 8A have been alerted that their state championship games will not be played on Nov. 29, but that they will be played in the coming days. We appreciate the patience and understanding of these schools and communities as we work to determine the best and safest solution to rescheduling these contests and crowning state champions in our four largest classes.”
Hancock Stadium is hosting the Class 1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A title games on Friday. Those contests are not impacted and will be played as scheduled.