Sledders make their way back up the hill at the sledding hill at Centennial Park in Champaign on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025.

While fears of the "heaviest snowfall in a decade" were floated prior to Sunday's snowstorm, Central Illinois escaped without too large of a load.

Arcola and Tuscola received about 8 and 7 1/2 inches of snow, respectively. Both communities' city government offices remained open on Monday, while farther north in Champaign-Urbana, which received about 3 inches, city offices were closed.

Some parts of The News-Gazette coverage area -- from Rantoul on north -- had virtually no flakes on the ground.

Douglas County residents are certainly glad it wasn't the heaviest snowfall in a decade. Especially when considering that just two years ago mayhem ensued in Tuscola when hundreds of semis had to take refuge in that town during the Groundhog Day storm.

A mere 8 inches? A minor inconvenience in comparison.

Tuscola City Administrator Drew Hoel said the snow started falling late Sunday morning and continued through the night.

"It was heaviest yesterday afternoon and evening," Hoel said.

He said the city had eight plows clearing roadways.

"Just normal stuff. No big accidents," he said regarding any major problems.

"Our crews were out yesterday afternoon, last night and early this morning. They did a pretty darn good job."

Hoel said it was a good-sized snow, "but we didn't have near the semi truck traffic" parked in Tuscola compared to 2022.

Arcola City Administrator Bill Wagoner said that Douglas County community had snow plows out since Sunday morning "trying to keep up."

"We had three (plows), but we're down to two" after one broke down.

The snow is "just blowing around now."

Douglas County Emergency Management Agency Director Chana Ray said the agency was preparing for the worst but praying for the best. It turned out the latter happened.

"The hotels had rooms to handle anybody that got stranded," Ray said. "We had that pre-staged, but we didn't need it."

The prestaging meant moving an American Red Cross shelter trailer near the Tuscola Community Building "so we can make sure we have the resources and food and supplies needed."

Ahead of time, Ray was concerned "because they were talking about the '22 snow storm."

That was when "we had over 700 semis stop in Tuscola, and a lot of them ...couldn't move."

Ray said the county EMA task force team met Friday and held virtual meetings to discuss how things would be handled.

"We were more prepared than we needed to be," Ray said.

Area school districts were closed as was the Douglas County Courthouse.

Ray is thankful the county didn't get the ice that hit southern Illinois received, which resulted in some power outages.