It doesn’t appear there will be much warmer weather until March.

State Climatologist Jim Angel said the Champaign-Urbana area can expect temperatures below normal and precipitation above normal for the rest of February. The National Weather Service doesn’t make a long-term snowfall forecast, however, it will likely continue to snow until March.

He said last night’s storm was caused by a strong low pressure that occurs a few times per decade.

Between maintaining roads and parking lots, business revenue loss, flights cancellations, loss of power, shipping delays, damage to roads, health risks and halts in road construction, Angel expects the storm to cost around $900 million.

Barbara O’Connor, executive director of public safety at the University, said campus police were prepared with three four-wheel drive vehicles during last nights storm.

“Campus was very quiet last night, other than broken windows from the wind,” O’Connor said.

O’Connor said their biggest concern was making sure staff could get to work. She said they provided housing for those who could not get home or needed to nap between shifts.

“We were concerned first and foremost about traffic and pedestrian safety,” she added.

Carle spokesman Sean Williams said Carle Foundation Hospital was “fully staffed and prepared to meet patients’ needs.”

According to Williams, the number of visits to the emergency department were down compared to average.