Alert archive / Illinois / Tornado Warnings in 2026
Tornado Warning 126, NWS Lincoln, IL
NWS Lincoln, IL issued this tornado warning at Jun 21, 2026, 5:20 PM CDT for Crawford County, Lawrence County, Illinois. It was in force for 40 min. 3 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
- Jun 21, 2026, 5:20 PM CDT (22:20 UTC)
- Expired
- Jun 21, 2026, 6:00 PM CDT
- In force
- 40 min
- Issued by
- NWS Lincoln, IL
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Tornado
- Radar indicated
- Hail
- 1.0 in
Counties Crawford County, IL, Lawrence County, IL
The radar
The Evansville,IN radar (KVWX), 68 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 21, 5:24 PM CDT | HAIL 1 | 2 Ssw Flat Rock, IL | |
| Jun 21, 5:25 PM CDT | TORNADO | 3 W Birds, IL | EF-1, max wind 100 mph, path length 4.36 miles, max width 300 yards. The tornado touched down about 3 miles west of Birds and travels for 4.3 miles to the east and northeast. It dissipated about 2 miles north of Birds in southern Crawford County. During its ti |
| Jun 21, 5:30 PM CDT | TSTM WND DMG | Birds, IL | Collapsed barn. Possible tornado. |
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 tornado warning; the first came 5 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 watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 21, 1:28 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 9 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Lincoln, IL (KILX), launched 12:00Z, 10.3 hours before the alert went out and 167 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
- 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
The text
As transmitted.
054
WFUS53 KILX 212220
TORILX
ILC033-101-212300-
/O.NEW.KILX.TO.W.0126.260621T2220Z-260621T2300Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
520 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2026
The National Weather Service in Lincoln has issued a
* Tornado Warning for...
Northeastern Lawrence County in southeastern Illinois...
Southeastern Crawford County in east central Illinois...
* Until 600 PM CDT.
* At 519 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Chauncey, or 9 miles northwest of Lawrenceville,
moving east at 30 mph.
HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.
IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without
shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed.
Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree
damage is likely.
* This dangerous storm will be near...
Flat Rock around 525 PM CDT.
Other locations in the path of this tornadic thunderstorm include
Russellville.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.
&&
LAT...LON 3881 8780 3889 8781 3894 8752 3891 8753
3890 8752 3889 8754 3888 8753 3886 8755
3885 8753 3882 8753 3879 8750
TIME...MOT...LOC 2219Z 271DEG 25KT 3885 8777
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
$$
Erwin2 follow-up statements
032
WWUS53 KILX 212229
SVSILX
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
529 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2026
ILC033-101-212300-
/O.CON.KILX.TO.W.0126.000000T0000Z-260621T2300Z/
Lawrence-Crawford-
529 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2026
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM CDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN LAWRENCE AND SOUTHEASTERN CRAWFORD COUNTIES...
At 529 PM CDT, a confirmed tornado was located near Flat Rock, or 8
miles north of Lawrenceville, moving east at 30 mph.
HAZARD...Damaging tornado and quarter size hail.
SOURCE...Radar confirmed tornado.
IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without
shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage
to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is
likely.
This tornado will be near...
Russellville around 540 PM CDT.
Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include Birds.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
To repeat, a tornado is on the ground. TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a
basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy
building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in
a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect
yourself from flying debris.
&&
LAT...LON 3882 8772 3888 8773 3892 8753 3891 8753
3890 8752 3889 8754 3888 8753 3886 8755
3885 8753 3882 8753 3879 8750 3879 8753
TIME...MOT...LOC 2229Z 271DEG 25KT 3885 8768
TORNADO...OBSERVED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
$$
Erwin231
WWUS53 KILX 212237
SVSILX
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
537 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2026
ILC033-101-212300-
/O.CON.KILX.TO.W.0126.000000T0000Z-260621T2300Z/
Lawrence-Crawford-
537 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2026
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM CDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN LAWRENCE AND SOUTHEASTERN CRAWFORD COUNTIES...
At 537 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Flat Rock, or 9 miles north of Lawrenceville, moving
east at 25 mph.
HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.
IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without
shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage
to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is
likely.
This dangerous storm will be near...
Russellville around 545 PM CDT.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.
&&
LAT...LON 3885 8767 3889 8767 3892 8753 3891 8753
3890 8752 3889 8754 3888 8753 3886 8755
3885 8753 3882 8753 3879 8750 3879 8753
3881 8764
TIME...MOT...LOC 2237Z 268DEG 23KT 3886 8763
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
$$
ErwinWhat forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this tornado 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 tornado warning went out at Jun 21, 3:41 PM CDT, 1 hour 39 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, 1 hour 39 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 43 minutes 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, 4:14 PM CDT, 1 hour 6 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, 55 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.
&&Local storm report, Jun 21, 4:48 PM CDT, 32 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
448 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0441 PM Tornado 2 NW Oskaloosa 38.78N 88.67W
06/21/2026 Clay IL Emergency Mngr
&&Local storm report, Jun 21, 4:52 PM CDT, 28 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
452 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0445 PM Tornado 3 ESE Annapolis 39.13N 87.77W
06/21/2026 Crawford IL Official NWS Obs
TDS observed on radar.
&&Local storm report, Jun 21, 5:02 PM CDT, 18 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
502 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0501 PM Flood Trilla 39.38N 88.35W
06/21/2026 Coles IL Emergency Mngr
Six inches water over Co Rd 650 E near Clear
Creek.
&&Local storm report, Jun 21, 5:05 PM CDT, 15 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
505 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0503 PM Funnel Cloud 3 S Louisville 38.72N 88.51W
06/21/2026 Clay IL Trained Spotter
&&The office that day
Everything else NWS Lincoln, IL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 20, 7:14 PM CDT | River Flood Warning | ILX | Cass, Mason | 49 hr |
| Jun 20, 7:20 PM CDT | River Flood Warning | ILX | Fulton, Knox | 3 days |
| Jun 21, 9:24 AM CDT | River Flood Warning | ILX | Lawrence | 10 days |
| Jun 21, 10:06 AM CDT | River Flood Warning | ILX | Fulton | 34 hr |
| Jun 21, 2:15 PM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | ILX | Sangamon | 5 hr |
| Jun 21, 2:52 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Effingham, Shelby | 64 min |
| Jun 21, 3:04 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ILX | Effingham, Shelby | 41 min |
| Jun 21, 3:09 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | ILX | Effingham, Shelby | 4 hr |
| Jun 21, 3:14 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Clay, Effingham, Jasper, Richland | 61 min |
| Jun 21, 3:22 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ILX | Clay, Effingham, Jasper, Richland | 38 min |
| Jun 21, 3:38 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Coles, Cumberland, Effingham, Jasper, Shelby | 67 min |
| Jun 21, 3:51 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ILX | Crawford, Jasper | 39 min |
| Jun 21, 3:55 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ILX | Clay, Effingham | 32 min |
| Jun 21, 3:56 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | ILX | Clay, Effingham | 4 hr |
| Jun 21, 3:59 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ILX | Clark, Coles, Cumberland | 46 min |
| Jun 21, 4:06 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | ILX | Cumberland, Effingham | 3 hr |
| Jun 21, 4:10 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ILX | Clay, Effingham | 17 min |
| Jun 21, 4:23 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ILX | Clark, Crawford, Jasper | 43 min |
| Jun 21, 4:29 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ILX | Clay | 46 min |
| Jun 21, 4:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Clark, Coles, Crawford, Edgar, Jasper | 60 min |
| Jun 21, 4:32 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Clark, Crawford, Jasper | 58 min |
| Jun 21, 4:37 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | ILX | Clark, Clay, Cumberland, Jasper, Richland | 3 hr |
| Jun 21, 4:46 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ILX | Crawford, Jasper | 25 min |
| Jun 21, 4:52 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Clay, Effingham, Jasper | 53 min |
| Jun 21, 4:55 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | ILX | Clark, Crawford | 3 hr |
| Jun 21, 4:56 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Lawrence, Richland | 64 min |
| Jun 21, 5:12 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ILX | Clay, Richland | 48 min |
| Jun 21, 5:21 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ILX | Clay, Jasper | 39 min |
| Jun 21, 5:27 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Crawford, Jasper | 63 min |
| Jun 21, 5:49 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ILX | Lawrence, Richland | 41 min |
| Jun 21, 5:52 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ILX | Clay, Jasper, Richland | 25 min |
| Jun 21, 5:58 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Clay, Jasper, Richland | 62 min |
| Jun 21, 5:59 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Crawford, Jasper, Lawrence, Richland | 61 min |
| Jun 21, 6:11 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | ILX | Clay, Lawrence, Richland | 104 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Illinois, 2026Every tornado warning in 2026Tornadoes 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.