Alert archive / Illinois / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026

Flash Flood Warning 37, NWS Lincoln, IL

June 21, 20265 counties in Illinois

NWS Lincoln, IL issued this flash flood warning at Jun 21, 2026, 4:37 PM CDT for 5 counties in Illinois. It was in force for 3 hr. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Jun 21, 2026, 4:37 PM CDT (21:37 UTC)
Expired
Jun 21, 2026, 8:00 PM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Lincoln, IL
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Clark County, IL, Clay County, IL, Cumberland County, IL, Jasper County, IL, Richland County, IL

The radar

The Evansville,IN radar (KVWX), 105 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:41 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jun 21, 7:00 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD2 Ne Newton, ILRoad closed along IL 33, east of Newton.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

Did it verify

Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched one storm report to this flash flood warning; the first came 143 minutes after it went out.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Lincoln, IL (KILX), launched 12:00Z, 9.6 hours before the alert went out and 119 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, Lincoln, IL at 12:00Z on 2026-06-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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, Lincoln, IL at 12:00Z on 2026-06-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 10 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1482 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
41 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
10 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
35 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

051 
WGUS53 KILX 212137
FFWILX
ILC023-025-035-079-159-220100-
/O.NEW.KILX.FF.W.0037.260621T2137Z-260622T0100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
437 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2026

The National Weather Service in Lincoln has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Southwestern Clark County in east central Illinois...
  Eastern Cumberland County in east central Illinois...
  Northeastern Clay County in south central Illinois...
  Jasper County in southeastern Illinois...
  North Central Richland County in southeastern Illinois...

* Until 800 PM CDT.

* At 437 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing 
  heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 3 inches of rain 
  have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches are 
  possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected 
  to begin shortly.

  HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

  SOURCE...Radar.

  IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban
           areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as
           other poor drainage and low-lying areas.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Newton, Casey, Greenup, Toledo, Ste. Marie, Willow Hill, Jewett, 
  Wheeler, Hidalgo, Bogota, Woodbury, Hunt City, Yale, Rose Hill, 
  Sam Parr State Park, Hazel Dell, West Liberty, Wakefield, Wendelin 
  and Ingraham.

This includes the following State Parks...
Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area and Sam Parr State Fish and 
Wildlife Area.

This includes  Interstate 70 between  mile markers 106 and 130.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood 
deaths occur in vehicles.

&&

LAT...LON 3917 8836 3937 8822 3937 8795 3885 8794
      3882 8836

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED

$$

Deubelbeiss
2 follow-up statements
024 
WGUS73 KILX 212320
FFSILX

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
620 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2026

ILC023-025-035-079-159-220100-
/O.CON.KILX.FF.W.0037.000000T0000Z-260622T0100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Clark IL-Clay IL-Cumberland IL-Jasper IL-Richland IL-
620 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2026

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING 
FOR SOUTHWESTERN CLARK, EASTERN CUMBERLAND, NORTHEASTERN CLAY, 
JASPER AND NORTH CENTRAL RICHLAND COUNTIES...

At 620 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy 
rain across the warned area. Between 2 and 4 inches of rain have 
fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are possible in 
the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin 
shortly.

HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

SOURCE...Radar.

IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas,
         highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor
         drainage and low-lying areas.

Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Newton, Casey, Greenup, Toledo, Ste. Marie, Willow Hill, Jewett, 
  Wheeler, Hidalgo, Bogota, Woodbury, Hunt City, Yale, Rose Hill, 
  Sam Parr State Park, Hazel Dell, West Liberty, Wakefield, Wendelin 
  and Ingraham.

This includes the following State Parks...
Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area and Sam Parr State Fish and 
Wildlife Area.

This includes  Interstate 70 between  mile markers 106 and 130.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood 
deaths occur in vehicles.

&&

LAT...LON 3917 8836 3937 8822 3937 8795 3885 8794
      3882 8836

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED

$$

Deubelbeiss
432 
WGUS73 KILX 220054
FFSILX

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
754 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2026

ILC023-025-035-079-159-220104-
/O.EXP.KILX.FF.W.0037.000000T0000Z-260622T0100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Clark IL-Clay IL-Cumberland IL-Jasper IL-Richland IL-
754 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2026

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR 
SOUTHWESTERN CLARK, EASTERN CUMBERLAND, NORTHEASTERN CLAY, JASPER 
AND NORTH CENTRAL RICHLAND COUNTIES...

The heavy rain has ended. Portions of the Flash Flood Warning have 
been replaced by an Areal Flood Warning through 8 AM Monday. Please 
continue to heed remaining road closures.

A Flood Watch remains in effect until 100 AM CDT for portions of 
central, east central, southeast, and west central Illinois.

&&

LAT...LON 3917 8836 3937 8822 3937 8795 3885 8794
      3882 8836

$$

Deubelbeiss

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash 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 flash flood warning went out at Jun 21, 3:41 PM CDT, 56 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • A Tornado Watch is in effect for locations along and south of a Shelbyville to Paris line through 9pm this evening.
  • Below normal temperatures will persist through the week before a marked warming trend pushes readings well into the 80s close to 90 degrees by next weekend.
Area forecast discussion, Jun 21, 3:41 PM CDT, 56 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
341 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- A Tornado Watch is in effect for locations along and south of
  a Shelbyville to Paris line through 9pm this evening.

- Below normal temperatures will persist through the week
  before a marked warming trend pushes readings well into the
  80s close to 90 degrees by next weekend.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 341 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2026

*** Tornado Watch ***

20z/3pm radar imagery shows a band of rain with embedded
thunderstorms pushing across central Illinois. The pre-storm
environment remains stable across a large portion of the area:
however, MLCAPEs have increased to 500-1000J/kg south of a warm
frontal boundary draped along the I-70 corridor. With surface
dewpoints in the upper 60s/lower 70s in the warm sector, RAP
suggests further destabilization over the next 3-4 hours as
MLCAPEs reach 1000-1500J/kg. Deep-layer shear is currently being
augmented by an approaching MCV, while 0-1km shear has increased
to 20-25kt near the boundary. As a result, the southern part of
the rain band now contains rotating supercells capable of
producing tornadoes and damaging wind gusts. A Tornado Watch has
subsequently been issued for locations along/south of a
Shelbyville to Paris line through 9pm. Based on radar trends and
latest HRRR/RAP data, it appears the primary storm risk will
push into Indiana by 6-7pm. Meanwhile further west, will have to
keep an eye on a broken line of much weaker cells currently
firing along a Quincy to Kansas City line. These storms are in a
much more unfavorable environment and are not expected to
become severe: however, gusty winds will still be possible into
the evening as they spread E/SE into central Illinois...mainly
along/south of the I-72 corridor.

*** Quiet Mid-Week ***

Cool/dry weather will settle into the region for Monday and
Tuesday with daytime highs well below normal for this time of
year in the 70s and overnight lows dipping into the 50s. Given
persistent upper troughing over Canada, northwesterly flow will
continue for the rest of the week. The next embedded short-wave
trough and accompanying cold front will push through central
Illinois on Wednesday. While deep-layer moisture will be
lacking, there will be strong enough forcing to warrant low
chance PoPs (30-40%) for showers/thunder, especially during the
afternoon and evening.

*** Weekend Warm-Up and Storm Risk ***

The mid-week frontal boundary is progged to stall across the
Ohio River Valley on Thursday, then begin lifting slowly back
northward by the weekend as upper heights rise in response to an
upstream trough digging west of the Rockies. While the exact
speed of this process is still in question, model consensus
indicates the most favorable period for rain will be from late
Friday through late Saturday when several bouts of convection
may develop along/north of the front. It is still too early to
discuss any specific severe weather risks: however, all machine
learning algorithms show low probabilities (less than 15% chance)
for severe. Once the boundary lifts into the Great Lakes, a
return to more typical summertime weather is anticipated for
early next week. In fact, the 12z NBM shows a 30-50% chance for
temperatures climbing above 90 degrees by next Sunday.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY/...
Issued at 1218 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2026

Showers and a few thunderstorms are overspreading central
Illinois early this afternoon with additional development
possible behind this initial line. Confidence in details on
coverage/location of late afternoon/evening storms remains low,
thus precludes more than a prob30 mention at this time.
Meanwhile, E/ESE winds currently in place are expected to back
to NE by late this evening as weak low pressure moves across the
region. MVFR and eventually IFR ceilings will accompany the low
passage, with slow improvement expected from the northwest
behind the departing wave Monday.

&&

.ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Flood Watch until 1 AM CDT Monday for ILZ038-042>046-048>057-
061>063-066>068-071>073.

&&

KEY MESSAGES...Barnes
DISCUSSION...Barnes
AVIATION...Deubelbeiss
Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 21, 3:37 PM CDT, 1 hour before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
337 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2026

ILZ027>031-036>038-040>057-061>063-066>068-071>073-222045-
Knox-Stark-Peoria-Marshall-Woodford-Fulton-Tazewell-McLean-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-
337 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2026

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

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

Thunderstorms are expected through this evening with some potentially
strong to severe south of a Shelbyville to Paris line. Damaging wind
gusts and a few isolated tornadoes are possible. In addition, locally
heavy rain is expected which will lead to some pockets of flooding.

Several rivers are in minor to moderate flood today, and additional
rises are expected following heavy rainfall tonight. Rivers expected
to flood include portions of the Illinois, Sangamon, Wabash, Little
Wabash, and Spoon Rivers.

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

Several rivers will continue in minor to moderate flood for many
days, including portions of the Illinois, Wabash, Little Wabash,
Sangamon, and Spoon Rivers.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed through this evening.

Expected storm motion is toward the northeast around 40 mph.

Deubelbeiss

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 21, 3:31 PM CDT, 1 hour 6 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
331 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2026

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

0319 PM     Funnel Cloud     3 SE Mode               39.24N 88.70W
06/21/2026                   Shelby             IL   Storm Chaser

&&
Local storm report, Jun 21, 3:43 PM CDT, 54 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
343 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2026

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

0334 PM     Tornado          Louisville              38.77N 88.50W
06/21/2026                   Clay               IL   Emergency Mngr

&&
Local storm report, Jun 21, 3:51 PM CDT, 46 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
351 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2026

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

0347 PM     Tornado          3 W Ingraham            38.84N 88.38W
06/21/2026                   Clay               IL   Emergency Mngr

&&
Local storm report, Jun 21, 4:07 PM CDT, 30 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
407 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2026

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

0406 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     1 ENE Neoga             39.33N 88.43W
06/21/2026                   Cumberland         IL   Emergency Mngr

            Semi flipped over on Interstate 57 at Neoga.

&&
Local storm report, Jun 21, 4:14 PM CDT, 23 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
414 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2026

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

0414 PM     Tornado          1 SSE Newton            38.98N 88.15W
06/21/2026                   Jasper             IL   Official NWS Obs

            Large TDS on radar.

&&
Local storm report, Jun 21, 4:25 PM CDT, 12 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
425 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2026

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

0335 PM     Tornado          3 W South Pekin         40.49N 89.71W
06/21/2026                   Tazewell           IL   Broadcast Media

            Received video confirmation of a landspout.

&&

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 20, 7:14 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningILXCass, Mason49 hr
Jun 20, 7:20 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningILXFulton, Knox3 days
Jun 21, 9:24 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningILXLawrence10 days
Jun 21, 10:06 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningILXFulton34 hr
Jun 21, 2:15 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryILXSangamon5 hr
Jun 21, 2:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXEffingham, Shelby64 min
Jun 21, 3:04 PM CDTTornado WarningILXEffingham, Shelby41 min
Jun 21, 3:09 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningILXEffingham, Shelby4 hr
Jun 21, 3:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXClay, Effingham, Jasper, Richland61 min
Jun 21, 3:22 PM CDTTornado WarningILXClay, Effingham, Jasper, Richland38 min
Jun 21, 3:38 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXColes, Cumberland, Effingham, Jasper, Shelby67 min
Jun 21, 3:51 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedILXCrawford, Jasper39 min
Jun 21, 3:55 PM CDTTornado WarningILXClay, Effingham32 min
Jun 21, 3:56 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningILXClay, Effingham4 hr
Jun 21, 3:59 PM CDTTornado WarningILXClark, Coles, Cumberland46 min
Jun 21, 4:06 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningILXCumberland, Effingham3 hr
Jun 21, 4:10 PM CDTTornado WarningILXClay, Effingham17 min
Jun 21, 4:23 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedILXClark, Crawford, Jasper43 min
Jun 21, 4:29 PM CDTTornado WarningILXClay46 min
Jun 21, 4:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXClark, Coles, Crawford, Edgar, Jasper60 min
Jun 21, 4:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXClark, Crawford, Jasper58 min
Jun 21, 4:46 PM CDTTornado WarningILXCrawford, Jasper25 min
Jun 21, 4:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXClay, Effingham, Jasper53 min
Jun 21, 4:55 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningILXClark, Crawford3 hr
Jun 21, 4:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXLawrence, Richland64 min
Jun 21, 5:12 PM CDTTornado WarningILXClay, Richland48 min
Jun 21, 5:20 PM CDTTornado WarningILXCrawford, Lawrence40 min
Jun 21, 5:21 PM CDTTornado WarningILXClay, Jasper39 min
Jun 21, 5:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXCrawford, Jasper63 min
Jun 21, 5:49 PM CDTTornado WarningILXLawrence, Richland41 min
Jun 21, 5:52 PM CDTTornado WarningILXClay, Jasper, Richland25 min
Jun 21, 5:58 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXClay, Jasper, Richland62 min
Jun 21, 5:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXCrawford, Jasper, Lawrence, Richland61 min
Jun 21, 6:11 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningILXClay, Lawrence, Richland104 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Illinois, 2026Every flash flood warning in 2026

Sources

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