Alert archive / Illinois / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026
Flash Flood Warning 6, NWS Lincoln, IL
NWS Lincoln, IL issued this flash flood warning at Apr 27, 2026, 5:50 PM CDT for 5 counties in Illinois. It was in force for 2 hr. 2 reports 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
- Apr 27, 2026, 5:50 PM CDT (22:50 UTC)
- Expired
- Apr 27, 2026, 8:04 PM CDT
- In force
- 2 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Lincoln, IL
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Flood severity
- None
Counties Cass County, IL, Menard County, IL, Morgan County, IL, Sangamon County, IL, Scott County, IL
The radar
The Lincoln radar (KILX), 100 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:49 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 6:50 PM CDT | FLASH FLOOD | 1 Nw Pleasant Plains, IL | East of IL Rte 123 on Sparrow Rd. |
| Apr 27, 7:35 PM CDT | RAIN 5.5 | 3 S Petersburg, IL | Total rainfall. |
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 2 storm reports to this flash flood warning; the first came 51 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, 10.8 hours before the alert went out and 160 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1053 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 25 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 104 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 306 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted.
826
WGUS53 KILX 272250
FFWILX
ILC017-129-137-167-171-280200-
/O.NEW.KILX.FF.W.0006.260427T2250Z-260428T0200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
550 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026
The National Weather Service in Lincoln has issued a
* Flash Flood Warning for...
Menard County in central Illinois...
Northwestern Sangamon County in central Illinois...
Cass County in west central Illinois...
Morgan County in west central Illinois...
Scott County in west central Illinois...
* Until 900 PM CDT.
* At 549 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing
heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 2.5 inches of
rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts up 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...
Jacksonville, Petersburg, Virginia, Winchester, Alexander, South
Jacksonville, Ashland, Meredosia, Bluff Springs, Pleasant Plains,
Greenview, Bluffs, Murrayville, Chandlerville, Woodson, Chapin,
Tallula, Arenzville, Manchester and Alsey.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.
Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the
dangers of flooding.
&&
LAT...LON 3983 9057 3987 9059 3993 9054 4006 9032
4003 9020 4011 8989 4011 8963 3952 9017
3952 9058 3954 9057 3956 9058 3964 9061
3970 9065 3976 9061 3979 9060
FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED
$$
Bumgardner1 follow-up statement
440
WGUS73 KILX 280104
FFSILX
Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
804 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026
ILC017-129-137-167-171-280114-
/O.CAN.KILX.FF.W.0006.000000T0000Z-260428T0200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Cass IL-Menard IL-Morgan IL-Sangamon IL-Scott IL-
804 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026
...FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR MENARD, NORTHWESTERN
SANGAMON, CASS, MORGAN AND SCOTT COUNTIES...
The heavy rain has ended. Flooding is no longer expected to pose a
threat. Please continue to heed remaining road closures.
&&
LAT...LON 3983 9057 3987 9059 3993 9054 4006 9032
4003 9020 4011 8989 4011 8963 3952 9017
3952 9058 3954 9057 3956 9058 3964 9061
3970 9065 3976 9061 3979 9060
$$
BumgardnerWhat 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 Apr 27, 2:35 PM CDT, 3 hours 15 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- There is a level 3 of 5 (enhanced) risk for severe weather this evening. Damaging winds, large hail, a couple tornadoes, and flash flooding are all concerns, especially near and south of I-70.
- There is a 30-50% chance for frost Friday night. Tender vegetation may need to be covered in order to prevent damage.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 27, 2:35 PM CDT, 3 hours 15 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lincoln IL 235 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - There is a level 3 of 5 (enhanced) risk for severe weather this evening. Damaging winds, large hail, a couple tornadoes, and flash flooding are all concerns, especially near and south of I-70. - There is a 30-50% chance for frost Friday night. Tender vegetation may need to be covered in order to prevent damage. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 226 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026 ***** SEVERE WEATHER THIS EVENING ***** Mid level water vapor satellite reveals a negatively tilted upper level trough spinning over the Midwest. At the surface, WPC has analyzed a 996mb low in eastern Iowa which is forecast to lift northeastward across Wisconsin this evening. Much of the warm sector has been worked over at this point via a morning-early afternoon MCS, but these storms left an outflow boundary near/south of the I- 70 corridor which will serve as a differential heating/convergence zone for renewed storms later this afternoon. A wake low continues to foster wind gusts up to 35mph from the southeast, which should help maintain stable low levels further north. Nonetheless, a few elevated storms could generate locally severe hail and wind in those areas. Meanwhile, south of the I-70 corridor, dewpoints should surge into the mid-upper 60s while a 50 kt LLJ maintains 40-55 kt effective bulk wind shear and 400-700 (679 on the VWX vad profiler) m^2/s^2 0-3km SRH via strongly cyclonically curved hodographs. CAMs generally suggest convective activity developing upstream over the next couple hours and moving through this environment during the evening will start discrete and eventually grow upscale into another MCS. Hence, the initial hazards will be very large hail and tornadoes, with the risk transitioning to damaging winds, locally severe hail, and QLCS tornadoes with time. Training storms will pose a risk for flash flooding (REFS and HREF ensemble max precip have swaths of 4+ inches of rain falling in <6 hours), for which we have issued a Flood Watch which extends through 10pm. A Tornado Watch is in effect for Effingham to Crawford Counties and areas further south, where the chance of surface based (and hence potentially tornadic) storms is highest. Storms should exit the ILX County Warning area by 11pm, while a cooler and more stable airmass arrives from the west-northwest behind a cold front. ***** DRY CONDITIONS LIKELY WEDNESDAY AND BEYOND ***** Another shortwave will lift northeast through the area tomorrow night, bringing another opportunity for some rain and perhaps a rumble of thunder. Thankfully QPF with this system is lighter, with a low (<20%) chance for an additional inch of rainfall. Since this will occur around 24 hours after this evening's heavy rainfall in southeast Illinois, the ground may have some time to absorb the water, though we'll still be keeping one eye on it. By Wednesday morning, a drier pattern should take hold of the region, with less than a 20% chance for rain through the weekend. High temperatures each day are forecast in the 60s, with locations near and north of the I-74 corridor potentially (60% chance) not climbing out of the 50s on Friday. The National Blend of Models (NBM) indicates a 30-50% chance temperatures fall below 37 degF Friday night into Saturday morning, which should be cold enough for frost given the expected light winds. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY/... Issued at 1258 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026 A thunderstorm complex will move east of the airfields over the next couple hours, with a 30-40% chance of redevelopment north to impact BMI and PIA (higher chances at the other airfields) after 22z. In the wake of the morning storms, a brief period of southeast wind gusts to 40 kt are possible (20-30% chance); TAFs will be amended for this as necessary. Otherwise, winds will blow from the south-southeast around 15-20 kt with gusts up to 30 kt through late afternoon, veering to southwesterly and easing this evening, and then veering more sharply to a west- northwesterly direction tonight behind a cold front. There will also be a 50-60% chance for MVFR ceilings behind that front after around 06z. && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flood Watch until 10 PM CDT this evening for ILZ052>057- 061>063-066>068-071>073. && KEY MESSAGES...Bumgardner DISCUSSION...Bumgardner AVIATION...Bumgardner
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 27, 2:32 PM CDT, 3 hours 18 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Lincoln IL 232 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026 ILZ027>031-036>038-040-041-281945- Knox-Stark-Peoria-Marshall-Woodford-Fulton-Tazewell-McLean-Schuyler- Mason- 232 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Illinois and west central Illinois. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Thunderstorm redevelopment continues to be possible this afternoon and moving east through mid evening. The storms will be capable of producing damaging winds, hail, and a few tornadoes. In addition, heavy rainfall may produce areas of flooding. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. Minor flooding will persist on the Illinois River from Havana to Beardstown through the week, with some renewed rises around midweek. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed. Expected storm motion is toward the east-northeast around 50 mph. ILZ042>057-061>063-281945- Logan-De Witt-Piatt-Champaign-Vermilion-Cass-Menard-Scott-Morgan- Sangamon-Christian-Macon-Moultrie-Douglas-Coles-Edgar-Shelby- Cumberland-Clark- 232 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Illinois, east central Illinois and west central Illinois. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Thunderstorm redevelopment is possible this afternoon with storms moving out of east central Illinois by late evening. The storms will be capable of producing damaging winds, hail, and a few tornadoes. In addition, heavy rainfall may produce areas of flooding. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. A few thunderstorms are expected Tuesday night, but severe weather is not likely. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed. Expected storm motion is toward the east-northeast around 50 mph. ILZ066>068-071>073-281945- Effingham-Jasper-Crawford-Clay-Richland-Lawrence- 232 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southeast Illinois. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Periods of thunderstorms are expected through the evening hours. Some of these will be severe. Damaging winds and tornadoes are the main concerns. In addition, heavy rainfall may produce areas of flooding. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. Scattered thunderstorms are expected Tuesday night, but severe weather is not likely. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will likely be needed. Expected storm motion is toward the east-northeast around 50 mph. Knutsvig
In the hours before
Local storm report, Apr 27, 3:43 PM CDT, 2 hours 7 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
343 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0234 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst Willard Airport 40.03N 88.28W
04/27/2026 M52 MPH Champaign IL ASOS
ASOS station KCMI Willard Arpt.
&&
JLALocal storm report, Apr 27, 3:46 PM CDT, 2 hours 4 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
346 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0333 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst Coles County Airport 39.47N 88.27W
04/27/2026 M52 MPH Coles IL ASOS
ASOS station KMTO Coles Co. Mem AP.
&&
JLALocal storm report, Apr 27, 3:50 PM CDT, 2 hours before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
350 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0338 PM Hail Bridgeport 38.71N 87.76W
04/27/2026 E1.25 Inch Lawrence IL Public
Report from mPING: Half Dollar (1.25 in.).
&&Local storm report, Apr 27, 4:28 PM CDT, 1 hour 22 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
428 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0413 PM Rain 3 NNE Curran 39.77N 89.75W
04/27/2026 M3.20 Inch Sangamon IL Public
Storm total rainfall since this morning.
Relayed by Broadcast Media.
&&
JLALocal storm report, Apr 27, 4:34 PM CDT, 1 hour 16 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
434 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0352 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst Coles County Airport 39.47N 88.27W
04/27/2026 M53 MPH Coles IL ASOS
ASOS station KMTO Coles Co. Mem AP.
&&
JLALocal storm report, Apr 27, 5:09 PM CDT, 41 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
509 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0500 PM Hail 1 N Pleasant Plains 39.89N 89.92W
04/27/2026 E0.88 Inch Sangamon IL Fire Dept/Rescue
&&
JLAThe office that day
Everything else NWS Lincoln, IL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 8:20 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Morgan, Sangamon | 40 min |
| Apr 27, 8:38 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Christian, Macon, Shelby | 52 min |
| Apr 27, 8:59 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Logan, Sangamon | 46 min |
| Apr 27, 9:02 AM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | ILX | Sangamon | 62 min |
| Apr 27, 9:09 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Cass, Fulton, Mason, Menard, Morgan, Sangamon and 2 more | 51 min |
| Apr 27, 9:37 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Fulton, Knox, Mason | 23 min |
| Apr 27, 9:44 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | DeWitt, Logan, Macon, Sangamon | 31 min |
| Apr 27, 9:52 AM CDT | River Flood Warning | ILX | Clay, Richland | 14 days |
| Apr 27, 9:53 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Cass, Fulton, Logan, Mason, Menard, Morgan and 1 more | 37 min |
| Apr 27, 10:04 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | ILX | Sangamon | 2 hr |
| Apr 27, 10:09 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | DeWitt, Macon, Piatt | 36 min |
| Apr 27, 10:27 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Christian, Logan, Macon, Sangamon | 33 min |
| Apr 27, 10:35 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | DeWitt, Logan, McLean, Tazewell, Woodford | 25 min |
| Apr 27, 10:41 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Christian, Macon, Sangamon | 34 min |
| Apr 27, 10:45 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | ILX | Christian, Sangamon | 30 min |
| Apr 27, 10:52 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Champaign, Christian, DeWitt, Logan, McLean, Macon and 3 more | 38 min |
| Apr 27, 11:15 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Christian, Moultrie, Piatt, Shelby | 30 min |
| Apr 27, 11:20 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | ILX | Christian, Moultrie, Shelby | 25 min |
| Apr 27, 11:29 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Champaign, DeWitt, Douglas, McLean, Moultrie, Piatt and 1 more | 61 min |
| Apr 27, 11:30 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Crawford, Jasper, Lawrence, Richland | 30 min |
| Apr 27, 11:38 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | ILX | Champaign, Douglas, Piatt | 37 min |
| Apr 27, 11:42 AM CDT | Flood Watch | ILX | Christian, Clark, Clay, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland and 9 more | 11 hr |
| Apr 27, 11:43 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Champaign, Clark, Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar and 4 more | 62 min |
| Apr 27, 11:45 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | ILX | Coles, Douglas, Edgar | 33 min |
| Apr 27, 12:36 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Effingham | 24 min |
| Apr 27, 12:44 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Edgar, Jasper | 61 min |
| Apr 27, 12:58 PM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | ILX | Coles | 3 hr |
| Apr 27, 1:11 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | ILX | Clay, Cumberland, Effingham, Jasper, Shelby | 19 hr |
| Apr 27, 1:54 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Clay | 51 min |
| Apr 27, 2:43 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Clay, Richland | 47 min |
| Apr 27, 3:11 PM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | ILX | Christian, Shelby | 5 hr |
| Apr 27, 3:18 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Lawrence | 42 min |
| Apr 27, 3:56 PM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | ILX | Clay, Crawford, Jasper, Lawrence, Richland | 3 hr |
| Apr 27, 4:57 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Cass, Mason, Morgan, Schuyler | 48 min |
| Apr 27, 5:07 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Fulton, Mason, Peoria, Tazewell | 38 min |
| Apr 27, 5:18 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ILX | Cass, Morgan, Scott | 42 min |
| Apr 27, 5:40 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ILX | Menard, Morgan, Sangamon | 23 min |
| Apr 27, 5:42 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ILX | Logan, Mason, Menard | 33 min |
| Apr 27, 5:48 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Cass, Menard, Morgan, Sangamon, Scott | 42 min |
| Apr 27, 6:02 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Logan, McLean, Mason, Menard, Sangamon | 32 min |
| Apr 27, 6:15 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Champaign, Macon, Piatt | 45 min |
| Apr 27, 6:18 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ILX | DeWitt, Logan, Macon | 27 min |
| Apr 27, 6:20 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Christian, Macon, Sangamon | 40 min |
| Apr 27, 6:28 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | DeWitt, Logan, McLean, Macon, Piatt | 47 min |
| Apr 27, 6:38 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Christian | 37 min |
| Apr 27, 6:39 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ILX | DeWitt, Macon, Piatt | 36 min |
| Apr 27, 6:46 PM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | ILX | Christian, DeWitt, Logan, Macon, Menard, Morgan and 3 more | 104 min |
| Apr 27, 6:46 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ILX | DeWitt, McLean, Piatt | 29 min |
| Apr 27, 6:52 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Champaign, Christian, Coles, DeWitt, Douglas, McLean and 4 more | 53 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.