Alert archive / Illinois / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 2, NWS Lincoln, IL

February 19, 2026Effingham County, Illinois

NWS Lincoln, IL issued this tornado warning at Feb 19, 2026, 3:06 PM CST for Effingham County, Illinois. It was in force for 24 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
Feb 19, 2026, 3:06 PM CST (21:06 UTC)
Expired
Feb 19, 2026, 3:30 PM CST
In force
24 min
Issued by
NWS Lincoln, IL
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
1.0 in

County Effingham County, IL

The radar

The Evansville,IN radar (KVWX), 111 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:09 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
Feb 19, 3:07 PM CSTTORNADOMason, ILCorrects previous tornado report from Mason. Corrected location.
Feb 19, 3:16 PM CSTTSTM WND DMG1.5 Sw Watson, IL*** 1 INJ *** Corrects previous tstm wnd dmg report from 1.5 SW Watson. Seven vehicle accident due to thunderstorm winds. 1 injury.
Feb 19, 3:16 PM CSTTSTM WND DMG1.5 Sw Watson, ILSeven vehicle accident due to thunderstorm winds. 1 injury.

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

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Feb 19, 12:20 PM CSTTornado WatchSPC10 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Lincoln, IL (KILX), launched 12:00Z, 9.1 hours before the alert went out and 131 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 2026-02-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 7 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Lincoln, IL at 12:00Z on 2026-02-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 23 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 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
7 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-290 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
783 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
62 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
23 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
185 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
-0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

601 
WFUS53 KILX 192106
TORILX
ILC049-192130-
/O.NEW.KILX.TO.W.0002.260219T2106Z-260219T2130Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
306 PM CST Thu Feb 19 2026

The National Weather Service in Lincoln has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Southern Effingham County in south central Illinois...

* Until 330 PM CST.

* At 306 PM CST, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located near Edgewood, or 18 miles southwest of Effingham,
  moving northeast at 40 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...
  Edgewood and Mason around 310 PM CST.
  Watson and Heartville around 320 PM CST.

This includes Interstate 57 between mile markers 143 and 156.
 
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 3896 8875 3911 8854 3898 8838 3891 8866
      3891 8868
TIME...MOT...LOC 2106Z 236DEG 35KT 3890 8873 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

Deubelbeiss
2 follow-up statements
240 
WWUS53 KILX 192115
SVSILX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
315 PM CST Thu Feb 19 2026

ILC049-192130-
/O.CON.KILX.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-260219T2130Z/
Effingham-
315 PM CST Thu Feb 19 2026

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 330 PM CST FOR
SOUTHEASTERN EFFINGHAM COUNTY...

At 314 PM CST, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Mason, or 10 miles south of Effingham, moving
northeast at 25 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and ping pong ball 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...
  Watson and Heartville around 320 PM CST.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include
Effingham County Airport.

This includes Interstate 57 between mile markers 146 and 155.
 
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 3897 8869 3911 8854 3898 8838 3892 8862
TIME...MOT...LOC 2114Z 233DEG 23KT 3897 8857 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.50 IN

$$

Deubelbeiss
194 
WWUS53 KILX 192131
SVSILX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
331 PM CST Thu Feb 19 2026

ILC049-192140-
/O.EXP.KILX.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-260219T2130Z/
Effingham-
331 PM CST Thu Feb 19 2026

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN EFFINGHAM COUNTY HAS
EXPIRED...

The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the area.
Therefore, the warning has been allowed to expire.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 800 PM CST for south central
Illinois.

&&

LAT...LON 3897 8869 3911 8854 3898 8838 3892 8862
TIME...MOT...LOC 2130Z 236DEG 35KT 3906 8840 

$$

Deubelbeiss

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 19, 1:02 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXVermilion28 min
Feb 19, 1:07 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementILXChampaign8 min
Feb 19, 1:13 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXChampaign32 min
Feb 19, 1:34 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXVermilion15 min
Feb 19, 5:24 AM CSTDense Fog AdvisoryILXChristian, DeWitt, Logan, Macon, Menard, Morgan and 3 more6 hr
Feb 19, 1:51 PM CSTWind AdvisoryILXCass, Champaign, Christian, Coles, DeWitt, Douglas and 20 more19 hr
Feb 19, 3:02 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXEffingham32 min
Feb 19, 3:11 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXColes, Cumberland, Moultrie, Shelby34 min
Feb 19, 3:23 PM CSTTornado WarningILXEffingham, Jasper52 min
Feb 19, 3:27 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXMoultrie, Shelby33 min
Feb 19, 3:45 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXColes30 min
Feb 19, 3:48 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXClark, Cumberland29 min
Feb 19, 3:49 PM CSTTornado WarningILXClark, Cumberland26 min
Feb 19, 3:57 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXCrawford, Jasper, Lawrence, Richland48 min
Feb 19, 3:59 PM CSTTornado WarningILXClark, Crawford, Cumberland, Jasper31 min
Feb 19, 4:04 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXClark, Coles, Edgar41 min
Feb 19, 4:09 PM CSTTornado WarningILXCrawford36 min
Feb 19, 4:10 PM CSTTornado WarningILXClark50 min
Feb 19, 4:22 PM CSTTornado WarningILXClark, Crawford23 min
Feb 19, 4:25 PM CSTTornado Warning Tornado observedConsiderable damage threatILXCrawford12 min
Feb 19, 4:39 PM CSTTornado Warning Tornado observedILXCrawford12 min
Feb 19, 4:43 PM CSTTornado Warning Tornado observedILXClark, Crawford17 min
Feb 19, 5:57 PM CSTTornado WarningILXClay, Effingham48 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.