Alert archive / Illinois / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2025

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 215, NWS Lincoln, IL

September 21, 2025Sangamon County, Illinois

NWS Lincoln, IL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Sep 21, 2025, 7:27 PM CDT for Sangamon County, Illinois. It was in force for 33 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Sep 21, 2025, 7:27 PM CDT (00:27 UTC)
Expired
Sep 21, 2025, 8:00 PM CDT
In force
33 min
Issued by
NWS Lincoln, IL
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
0.75 in
Wind
60.0 mph

County Sangamon County, IL

The radar

The Lincoln radar (KILX), 52 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:30 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 nearest sounding before it

Springfield, MO (KSGF), launched 00:00Z, 0.5 hours before the alert went out and 481 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Springfield, MO at 00:00Z on 2025-09-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1173 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Springfield, MO at 00:00Z on 2025-09-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 11 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
1173 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-8 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
976 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
14 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
11 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
3 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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 severe thunderstorm warning went out at Sep 21, 6:33 PM CDT, 54 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 21, 6:33 PM CDT, 54 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 21, 2:49 PM CDT, 4 hours 38 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
249 PM CDT Sun Sep 21 2025

ILZ027>031-036>038-221100-
Knox-Stark-Peoria-Marshall-Woodford-Fulton-Tazewell-McLean-
249 PM CDT Sun Sep 21 2025

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Illinois and west
central Illinois, mainly north of a Havana to Bloomington line.

.DAY ONE...Late This Afternoon and Tonight.

Isolated thunderstorms are possible this afternoon, with better
chances developing this evening. The threat of severe weather
appears low at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

Periods of scattered thunderstorms are expected Monday through
Wednesday. Lightning would be the primary hazard, though the threat
for severe weather appears low at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not anticipated tonight.

ILZ040>057-061>063-066>068-071>073-221100-
Schuyler-Mason-Logan-De Witt-Piatt-Champaign-Vermilion-Cass-Menard-
Scott-Morgan-Sangamon-Christian-Macon-Moultrie-Douglas-Coles-Edgar-
Shelby-Cumberland-Clark-Effingham-Jasper-Crawford-Clay-Richland-
Lawrence-
249 PM CDT Sun Sep 21 2025

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Illinois, east
central Illinois, southeast Illinois and west central Illinois.

.DAY ONE...Late This Afternoon and Tonight.

Scattered thunderstorms will occur this afternoon, especially north
of I-70, with better chances developing this evening. A few strong
to severe storms are possible. Hail to one inch in diameter and wind
gusts to 60 mph will be the primary hazards.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

Periods of scattered thunderstorms are expected Monday through
Wednesday. Lightning would be the primary hazard, though the threat
for severe weather appears low at this time. Locally heavy rain will
accompany the stronger storms, especially south of I-70.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed this afternoon and evening.

Expected storm motion is toward the east around 25 mph.

Geelhart

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Sep 21, 3:25 PM CDT, 4 hours 2 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Sep 21, 4:00 PM CDT, 3 hours 27 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
400 PM CDT Sun Sep 21 2025

ILZ038-212145-
McLean-
400 PM CDT Sun Sep 21 2025

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN MCLEAN COUNTY
THROUGH 445 PM CDT...

At 400 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Le Roy, or 18 miles southeast of Bloomington, moving east at 20 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and penny size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Le Roy and Bellflower.

This includes Interstate 74 between mile markers 149 and 154.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.

Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.

&&

LAT...LON 4029 8879 4035 8878 4043 8847 4029 8846
TIME...MOT...LOC 2100Z 256DEG 16KT 4032 8869

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH

25

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 21, 7:16 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementILXSangamon29 min
Sep 21, 8:34 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementILXDeWitt26 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Illinois, 2025Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2025

Sources

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