Alert archive / Illinois / River Flood Warnings in 2026

River Flood Warning 12, NWS Lincoln, IL

May 18, 2026Clay County, Richland County, Illinois

NWS Lincoln, IL issued this river flood warning at May 18, 2026, 12:12 PM CDT for Clay County, Richland County, Illinois. It took effect at May 18, 2026, 11:19 PM CDT. It was in force for 6 days.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued: May 18, 2026, 12:12 PM CDT (17:12 UTC)
In effect from: May 18, 2026, 11:19 PM CDT
Expired: May 25, 2026, 7:52 AM CDT
In force: 6 days
Issued by: NWS Lincoln, IL
Area: Storm-based polygon
Flood severity: Minor

Counties Clay County, IL, Richland County, IL

The radar

The Evansville,IN radar (KVWX), 72 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:12 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 Little Wabash River below Clay City (CLAI2). The gauge peaked at 22.59 ft at May 20, 2026, 7:00 PM CDT.

Action stage: 15 ft
Minor stage: 18 ft
Moderate stage: 22 ft
Major stage: 25 ft

This gauge today: stage, forecast and historic crests

Stage from the USGS instantaneous record for site 03379500, 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 18, 10:11 AM CDT, 2 hours 1 minute earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 18, 10:11 AM CDT, 2 hours 1 minute before

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Hazardous weather outlook, May 18, 5:00 AM CDT, 7 hours 12 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
500 AM CDT Mon May 18 2026

ILZ027>031-036>038-040>043-047>051-191100-
Knox-Stark-Peoria-Marshall-Woodford-Fulton-Tazewell-McLean-Schuyler-
Mason-Logan-De Witt-Cass-Menard-Scott-Morgan-Sangamon-
500 AM CDT Mon May 18 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Illinois and west
central Illinois.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

A broken line of thunderstorms will advance eastward to the I-55 corridor
this morning with a risk for scattered damaging wind gusts and
isolated large hail.

A second line of thunderstorms associated with an approaching cold
front will arrive late tonight. There is a continued risk for
damaging wind gusts and hail.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday.

Thunderstorms will continue into early afternoon Tuesday. There is a
Slight Risk (level 2 of 5) for damaging wind gusts and hail.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed through noon today.

Expected storm motion is toward the northeast around 35 mph.

ILZ044>046-052>057-061>063-066>068-071>073-191100-
Piatt-Champaign-Vermilion-Christian-Macon-Moultrie-Douglas-Coles-
Edgar-Shelby-Cumberland-Clark-Effingham-Jasper-Crawford-Clay-
Richland-Lawrence-
500 AM CDT Mon May 18 2026

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

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

A broken line of thunderstorms will advance into east-central and
southeast IL late this morning through afternoon with a risk for
scattered damaging wind gusts, isolated large hail, and a tornado or
two.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday.

Another round of strong to severe thunderstorms is anticipated
Tuesday morning through evening as a cold front pushes through the
region. There is a Slight Risk (level 2 of 5) for damaging wind
gusts and hail.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed late morning through afternoon
today.

Expected storm motion is toward the northeast around 35 mph.

37

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 18, 9:59 AM CDT, 2 hours 13 minutes before

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Local storm report, May 18, 10:01 AM CDT, 2 hours 11 minutes before

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Local storm report, May 18, 10:06 AM CDT, 2 hours 6 minutes before

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Local storm report, May 18, 10:26 AM CDT, 1 hour 46 minutes before

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Local storm report, May 18, 10:53 AM CDT, 1 hour 19 minutes before

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Local storm report, May 18, 11:30 AM CDT, 42 minutes before

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The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 18, 8:18 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILX	Fulton, Logan, Mason, Peoria, Tazewell	39 min
May 18, 9:24 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILX	McLean, Marshall, Woodford	22 min
May 18, 9:36 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILX	DeWitt, Macon, Piatt	39 min
May 18, 9:44 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILX	Coles, Douglas, Edgar	46 min
May 18, 9:49 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILX	Christian, Macon, Shelby	41 min
May 18, 10:20 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILX	Champaign, Douglas, Macon, Moultrie, Piatt	40 min
May 18, 10:28 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILX	Clay, Effingham, Jasper	47 min
May 18, 11:24 AM CDT	Flood Watch	ILX	Clark, Clay, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas and 7 more	11 hr
May 18, 11:54 AM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	ILX	Clay, Effingham, Jasper	6 hr
May 18, 1:44 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	ILX	Clay, Effingham, Jasper	4 hr
May 18, 2:52 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	ILX	Clay	3 hr
May 18, 3:23 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	ILX	Clay, Crawford, Jasper, Lawrence, Richland	3 hr
May 18, 5:50 PM CDT	Areal Flood Warning	ILX	Clay, Effingham, Jasper	15 hr
May 18, 5:58 PM CDT	River Flood Warning	ILX	Lawrence	4 days

Nearby

River Flood Warnings in Illinois, 2026 Every river 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive; the gauge from the NWS water service and the USGS.