Alert archive / Illinois / River Flood Warnings in 2009

River Flood Warning 42, NWS Lincoln, IL

May 15, 2009Cass County, Mason County, Illinois

NWS Lincoln, IL issued this river flood warning at May 15, 2009, 4:00 PM CDT for Cass County, Mason County, Illinois. It took effect at May 16, 2009, 10:29 AM CDT. It was in force for 8 days.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued: May 15, 2009, 4:00 PM CDT (21:00 UTC)
In effect from: May 16, 2009, 10:29 AM CDT
Expired: May 24, 2009, 9:06 AM CDT
In force: 8 days
Issued by: NWS Lincoln, IL
Flood severity: Minor

Counties Cass County, IL, Mason County, IL

The radar

The Lincoln radar (KILX), 64 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:01 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The river

Written for the forecast point Sangamon River near Chandlerville (CDLI2).

Action stage: 454 ft
Minor stage: 456.6 ft
Moderate stage: 459 ft
Major stage: 462 ft

This gauge today: stage, forecast and historic crests

Stage from the USGS instantaneous record, one reading an hour, from a day before the product to a day after it ended. Flood stages are today's.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this river flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Lincoln, IL wrote its last area forecast discussion before this river flood warning went out at May 15, 3:03 PM CDT, 57 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 15, 3:03 PM CDT, 57 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED HAZARD SECTION...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
303 PM CDT FRI MAY 15 2009

.DISCUSSION...
ISSUED 303 PM CDT FRI MAY 15 2009

SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY...
MOST OF THE SHORT TERM FOCUS IS PACKED INTO THE FIRST 12 HOURS.
SURFACE LOW NEAR KANSAS CITY HAS A WARM FRONT EXTENDING EASTWARD
ALONG THE INTERSTATE 72 CORRIDOR THROUGH ILLINOIS. INSTABILITY ON
THE 18Z LINCOLN SOUNDING SUPPORTIVE OF HAIL...AND THE LOW LEVEL WIND
PROFILE THROUGH THE LOWEST 2-3 KM ARE SUPPORTIVE OF SUPERCELLS. THIS
THREAT WILL BE ENHANCED NEAR THE WARM FRONT. IN ADDITION...AIRMASS
IS VERY MOIST AND THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD CONTINUE TO BLOSSOM UNTIL THE
ASSOCIATED UPPER TROUGH MOVES THROUGH AFTER MIDNIGHT. WITH THE
EXCESSIVE RAINFALL THAT HAS ALREADY FALLEN IN THE NORTH...AND THE
EXPECTED HEAVY RAINFALL TONIGHT...WILL CONTINUE THE FLASH FLOOD
WATCH AND EXTEND IT SOUTHWARD TOWARD INTERSTATE 70 IN SOUTHEASTERN
ILLINOIS. EVEN THE AREAS THAT MISSED OUT ON THE RAIN TODAY HAVE
NEARLY SATURATED GROUND FROM THE RECENT HEAVY RAINS. IN ADDITION TO
THE FLASH FLOOD THREAT...MAJOR FLOODING OF SEVERAL OF THE AREA
RIVERS WILL BE LIKELY.

WILL CARRY A CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION IN THE SOUTHEAST SATURDAY
MORNING...AFTERWHICH DRIER HIGH PRESSURE WILL BRING MAINLY
SUNNY/CLEAR SKIES THROUGH THE FIRST PART OF NEXT WEEK. LOWS SATURDAY
NIGHT AND SUNDAY NIGHT WILL BE QUITE COOL...IN THE 40-45 RANGE.

LONG TERM...TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...
FAIRLY QUIET PERIOD EXPECTED NEXT WEEK AT AN UPPER RIDGE MIGRATES
FROM THE ROCKIES EASTWARD INTO THE SOUTHERN STATES BY FRIDAY.
HOWEVER...A COUPLE OF FEATURES WORTHY OF NOTE. THE DETERMINISTIC
MODEL GUIDANCE...ESPECIALLY THE 00Z ECMWF...APPEARS TO BE TOO
AMPLIFIED WITH THE FAST UPPER FLOW ACROSS THE NORTHERN CONUS
TUE-FRI. A LESS AMPLIFIED SOLUTION WOULD FAVOR A COLD FRONT POSSIBLY
FLIRTING WITH NORTHERN IL TUESDAY NIGHT OR WEDNESDAY BEFORE
RETREATING BACK NORTH. THE NEXT BETTER SHOT MAY BE BY NEXT FRIDAY...
BUT WILL KEEP POPS IN THE SLIGHT CHANCE RANGE FOR NOW.

04
&&

.AVIATION...
ISSUED 1250 PM CDT FRI MAY 15 2009

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT HAVE BEEN AFFECTING PIA SINCE AROUND
SUNRISE THIS MORNING WITH VSBYS AS LOW AS AROUND A MILE WITH HEAVY
RAIN WILL EVENTUALLY SPREAD ENE BACK TO BMI BY MID/LATE AFTERNOON.
AREAS FURTHER SOUTH ALONG I-72 WITH SEE ISOLATED TO SCATTERED
CONVECTION THIS AFTERNOON AND HAVE VCTY TO COVER THAT AT SPI...DEC
AND CMI. WAVES OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTEND FROM THE IL RIVER
VALLEY OF NORTHERN IL WSW ACROSS NORTHERN MO INTO FAR SE NEBRASKA
AND FAR NE KANSAS. THIS CONVECTION NEAR 850 MB WARM FRONT AND SHORT
WAVE ALONG IA/MO BORDER. CONVECTION NORTH OF SURFACE WARM FRONT
EXTENDING FROM JUST SOUTH OF I-72 TO NORTH OF I-70 IN NORTHERN MO TO
1007 MB LOW PRESSURE ALONG THE EASTERN KS/NE BORDER. SURFACE WARM
FRONT LIFTS NORTH ACROSS CENTRAL IL DURING THIS AFTERNOON WITH EAST
WINDS 10 TO 15 KTS SHIFTING SOUTH WITH PASSAGE OF WARM FRONT.
MEANWHILE A COLD FRONT FROM WESTERN MN INTO EASTERN NEBRASKA AND
CENTRAL KS TO SPREAD EAST OVER CENTRAL IL OVERNIGHT. COLD FRONT WILL
LIKELY BRING A BAND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINS
LASTING SEVERAL HOURS TONIGHT AS IT PRESSES SE ACROSS IL OVERNIGHT.
SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS TO DIMINISH FROM NW TO SE BETWEEN 07Z-11Z. LOW
CEILINGS AROUND 1K FT BEHIND COLD FRONT FOR LATER TONIGHT/EARLY SAT
MORNING. LOW CLOUDS TO LIFT AND SCATTERED OUT DURING MID/LATE SAT
MORNING AS BREEZY NW WINDS FILTER DRIER AIR INTO IL AS CANADIAN HIGH
PRESSURES SETTLES INTO THE MIDWEST.

HUETTL
&&

.ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING FOR...
ILZ027>031-036-038-040>057-061.

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, May 15, 2:30 PM CDT, 1 hour 30 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
230 PM CDT FRI MAY 15 2009

ILZ027>031-036>038-161200-
FULTON-KNOX-MARSHALL-MCLEAN-PEORIA-STARK-TAZEWELL-WOODFORD-
230 PM CDT FRI MAY 15 2009

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL
ILLINOIS.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

PERIODS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THIS EVENING.
SOME OF THE STORMS MAY REACH SEVERE LEVELS INTO THIS EVENING...
WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. AN ISOLATED TORNADO WILL BE
POSSIBLE FROM PEORIA SOUTH.

VERY HEAVY RAINFALL IS ALSO EXPECTED THROUGH THIS EVENING AND RAINFALL
AMOUNTS MAY REACH BETWEEN 1.5 TO 3 INCHES...WITH LOCAL 3 TO 5 INCH
AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. THIS RAIN FALLING ON ALREADY SATURATED
SOILS...WILL AGGRAVATE ONGOING FLOODING PROBLEMS ACROSS THE AREA.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL SHIFT SOUTHEAST OF THE AREA AFTER
3 AM TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

MANY AREA RIVERS WILL REMAIN AT OR ABOVE FLOOD STAGE FOR THE
NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. IN PARTICULAR...THE ILLINOIS...MACKINAW...AND
SPOON RIVERS WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED BETWEEN 3 AND 10 PM.

ILZ040>057-061>063-066>068-071>073-161200-
CASS-CHAMPAIGN-CHRISTIAN-CLARK-CLAY-COLES-CRAWFORD-CUMBERLAND-
DE WITT-DOUGLAS-EDGAR-EFFINGHAM-JASPER-LAWRENCE-LOGAN-MACON-MASON-
MENARD-MORGAN-MOULTRIE-PIATT-RICHLAND-SANGAMON-SCHUYLER-SCOTT-
SHELBY-VERMILION-
230 PM CDT FRI MAY 15 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL
ILLINOIS...EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BECOME MORE NUMEROUS LATE
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING NORTH OF I-70 AND SOUTH OF I-70
TONIGHT...AS A COLD FRONT PUSHES EAST ACROSS THE AREA. SOME OF THE
STORMS MAY REACH SEVERE LEVELS...WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE
HAIL. AN ISOLATED TORNADO WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE NORTH OF I-70.
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL MAY DEVELOP...AND FALL ON ALREADY SATURATED
SOILS. ANY ONGOING FLOODING PROBLEMS ACROSS THE AREA WILL LIKELY
BE AGGRAVATED.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL SHIFT SOUTHEAST OF THE AREA EARLY
SATURDAY MORNING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

MANY AREA RIVERS WILL REMAIN AT OR ABOVE FLOOD STAGE FOR THE
NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. IN PARTICULAR...THE ILLINOIS...SANGAMON...
LITTLE WABASH...AND EMBARRAS RIVERS WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED BETWEEN 5 PM AND 1 AM.

HUETTL

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 15, 2:38 PM CDT, 1 hour 22 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
238 PM CDT FRI MAY 15 2009

ILZ036-040-152045-
FULTON-SCHUYLER-
238 PM CDT FRI MAY 15 2009

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR SCHUYLER AND WESTERN FULTON COUNTIES
UNTIL 345 PM CDT...

AT 236 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR GOLDEN...OR 22 MILES WEST OF RUSHVILLE...
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

PENNY SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS AROUND 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.

PEOPLE IN FULTON AND SCHUYLER COUNTIES...INCLUDING THE CITIES OF
BROOKLYN AND LITTLETON...SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION
CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS...AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE
APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN.

LAT...LON 4027 9093 4029 9088 4028 9046 4052 9046
      4060 9030 4023 9018 4008 9070 4010 9071
      4010 9092 4011 9093
TIME...MOT...LOC 1938Z 232DEG 29KT 4012 9096

BARKER

Local storm report, May 15, 3:24 PM CDT, 36 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
324 PM CDT FRI MAY 15 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0315 PM     HEAVY RAIN       ALTONA                  41.12N 90.16W
05/15/2009  M2.09 INCH       KNOX               IL   CO-OP OBSERVER

            COOP OBSERVER MEASURED 2.09 INCHES OF RAIN SINCE 5 AM.

&&

KHUETTL

Local storm report, May 15, 3:27 PM CDT, 33 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
327 PM CDT FRI MAY 15 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0325 PM     HEAVY RAIN       GALESBURG               40.95N 90.38W
05/15/2009  M3.10 INCH       KNOX               IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SPOTTER MEASURED 3.10 INCHES OF RAIN IN GALESBURG SINCE 5
            AM.

&&

KHUETTL

Local storm report, May 15, 3:30 PM CDT, 30 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
330 PM CDT FRI MAY 15 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0325 PM     HEAVY RAIN       ABINGDON                40.80N 90.40W
05/15/2009  M5.02 INCH       KNOX               IL   MESONET

            WEATHER OBSERVER MEASURED 5.02 INCHES OF RAIN IN ABINGDON
            SINCE 5 AM

&&

KHUETTL

Local storm report, May 15, 3:32 PM CDT, 28 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
332 PM CDT FRI MAY 15 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0325 PM     FLASH FLOOD      ABINGDON                40.80N 90.40W
05/15/2009                   KNOX               IL   MESONET

            SIGNIFICANT FLASH FLOODING WITH SEVERAL ROADS IN ABINGDON
            CLOSED FROM 1 TO 2 FEET OF WATER ON THEM. MAIN STREET IS
            CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING. MEASURED 5.02 INCHES OF RAIN
            SINCE 5 AM.

&&

KHUETTL

Local storm report, May 15, 3:46 PM CDT, 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
346 PM CDT FRI MAY 15 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0335 PM     HEAVY RAIN       PEORIA                  40.74N 89.61W
05/15/2009  M1.57 INCH       PEORIA             IL   NWS EMPLOYEE

            NWS EMPLOYEE MEASURED 1.57 INCHES OF RAIN SINCE 6 AM.

&&

KHUETTL

The office that day

Everything else NWS Lincoln, IL issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 15, 9:03 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	ILX	Fulton, Knox	6 hr
May 15, 10:28 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	ILX	Knox, Peoria, Stark	5 hr
May 15, 10:55 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	ILX	Fulton	6 days
May 15, 10:58 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	ILX	McLean, Tazewell, Woodford	56 hr
May 15, 11:32 AM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	ILX	Fulton, Marshall, Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford	6 hr
May 15, 2:35 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	ILX	Fulton, Knox, Peoria, Stark	6 hr
May 15, 2:38 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	ILX	Schuyler	67 min
May 15, 3:32 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	ILX	Fulton, Schuyler	6 hr
May 15, 3:45 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	ILX	Cass, Morgan, Scott	45 min
May 15, 4:17 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	ILX	Marshall, Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford	6 hr
May 15, 4:25 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	ILX	Cass, Morgan	35 min
May 15, 4:47 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	ILX	Mason, Tazewell	6 hr
May 15, 4:49 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	ILX	Cass, Menard, Sangamon	26 min
May 15, 5:14 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	ILX	Logan, Menard, Sangamon	46 min
May 15, 5:25 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	ILX	McLean, Tazewell, Woodford	6 hr
May 15, 5:38 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	ILX	Cass, Mason, Menard	6 hr
May 15, 5:40 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	ILX	Logan, Macon, Sangamon	50 min
May 15, 5:46 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	ILX	McLean, Tazewell, Woodford	5 hr
May 15, 5:54 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	ILX	Cass, Logan, Mason, Menard, Morgan, Sangamon and 2 more	6 hr
May 15, 5:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILX	Cass, Morgan, Scott	47 min
May 15, 6:06 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILX	Champaign, Vermilion	54 min
May 15, 6:11 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	ILX	Macon	35 min
May 15, 6:16 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	ILX	Mason, Menard	59 min
May 15, 6:26 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILX	Logan, Menard, Sangamon	30 min
May 15, 6:27 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	ILX	DeWitt, Macon	6 hr
May 15, 6:38 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	ILX	Champaign, Vermilion	31 min
May 15, 6:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILX	Christian, Logan, Sangamon	48 min
May 15, 6:42 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	ILX	Champaign, Macon, Piatt	48 min

Nearby

River Flood Warnings in Illinois, 2009 Every river flood warning in 2009

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive; the gauge from the NWS water service and the USGS.