Central Illinois is digging out of nearly a foot of snow that fell Wednesday and Thursday.

Ed Shimon at the National Weather Service in Lincoln told Regional Radio the Wednesday snow set a daytime record for snow on February 2 at the Lincoln office. He adds this was the most significant snow event for the area in nearly a decade. 

How quickly will this snow melt? Shimon indicates the top layer of this snow could dissipate a little bit over the weekend as the sun is predicted for the next several days but it just isn't going to warm up enough to melt off it, at least right away.

Shimon indicates a significant snow event can impact the short-term outlooks. Shimon says the next few weeks might be colder than was anticipated by long-term weather outlooks put out around the first of the year.