Alert archive / Illinois / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 138, NWS St. Louis, MO

May 4, 2026Bond County, Montgomery County, Illinois

NWS St. Louis, MO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 4, 2026, 6:37 PM CDT for Bond County, Montgomery County, Illinois. It was in force for 38 min. 4 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
May 4, 2026, 6:37 PM CDT (23:37 UTC)
Expired
May 4, 2026, 7:15 PM CDT
In force
38 min
Issued by
NWS St. Louis, MO
Area
Storm-based polygon
Damage threat
Considerable
Hail
1.75 in
Wind
60.0 mph

Counties Bond County, IL, Montgomery County, IL

The radar

The St Louis radar (KLSX), 105 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:38 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
May 4, 6:38 PM CDTHAIL 0.25Litchfield, IL
May 4, 6:40 PM CDTHAIL 0.88Hillsboro, ILDime to nickel sized hail in Hillsboro.
May 4, 6:55 PM CDTHAIL 12 Se Old Ripley, ILReport from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.).
May 4, 7:10 PM CDTHAIL 1.751 Nw Greenville, IL

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 severe thunderstorm warning; the first came 18 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, 11.6 hours before the alert went out and 150 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 2026-05-04Temperature 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 2026-05-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 121 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
1708 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
121 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
231 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

348 
WUUS53 KLSX 042337
SVRLSX
ILC005-135-050015-
/O.NEW.KLSX.SV.W.0138.260504T2337Z-260505T0015Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service St Louis MO
637 PM CDT Mon May 4 2026

The National Weather Service in St Louis has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
  Bond County in south central Illinois...
  Southern Montgomery County in south central Illinois...

* Until 715 PM CDT.

* At 637 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Alhambra, or
  7 miles southeast of Staunton, moving east at 40 mph. Another storm
  was located near Hillsboro, also moving east at 35 mph.

  HAZARD...Golf ball size hail and 60 mph wind gusts.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated.

  IMPACT...People and animals outdoors will be injured. Expect hail
           damage to roofs, siding, windows, and vehicles. Expect
           wind damage to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...
  Litchfield, Walshville, Old Ripley, Sorento, Panama, Reno, Butler,
  Taylor Springs, Hillsboro, Donnellson, Schram City, Greenville,
  Irving, Coffeen, Woburn, Smithboro, Pleasant Mound, Mulberry Grove,
  Van Burensburg and Fillmore.

This includes the following State Parks...
Coffeen Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area and Lake Lou Yaeger.

This includes the following highways...
Interstate 55 in Illinois near exit 52. Interstate 70 in Illinois
between exits 41 and 52.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Anyone outdoors should move to shelter inside a well-built structure
and stay away from windows. This storm is capable of producing
dangerous hail and damaging winds.

&&

LAT...LON 3915 8970 3927 8969 3922 8925 3900 8925
      3900 8926 3882 8926 3884 8960 3887 8960
      3887 8963 3888 8964 3900 8964 3900 8970
TIME...MOT...LOC 2337Z 268DEG 34KT 3894 8971

THUNDERSTORM DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.75 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

Kimble
2 follow-up statements
950 
WWUS53 KLSX 042357
SVSLSX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service St Louis MO
657 PM CDT Mon May 4 2026

ILC005-135-050015-
/O.CON.KLSX.SV.W.0138.000000T0000Z-260505T0015Z/
Bond IL-Montgomery IL-
657 PM CDT Mon May 4 2026

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 715 PM CDT FOR
BOND AND SOUTHEASTERN MONTGOMERY COUNTIES IN SOUTH CENTRAL
ILLINOIS...

At 657 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Reno, or 7
miles west of Greenville, moving east at 40 mph.

HAZARD...Golf ball size hail and 60 mph wind gusts.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...People and animals outdoors will be injured. Expect hail
         damage to roofs, siding, windows, and vehicles. Expect wind
         damage to roofs, siding, and trees.

Locations impacted include...
  Sorento, Old Ripley, Reno, Donnellson, Coffeen, Greenville, Woburn,
  Smithboro, Chapman, Pleasant Mound, Mulberry Grove, Van Burensburg
  and Fillmore.

This includes Interstate 70 in Illinois between exits 41 and 52.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Anyone outdoors should move to shelter inside a well-built structure
and stay away from windows. This storm is capable of producing
dangerous hail and damaging winds.

&&

LAT...LON 3900 8964 3904 8941 3923 8935 3922 8925
      3900 8925 3900 8926 3882 8926 3884 8960
      3887 8960 3887 8963 3888 8964
TIME...MOT...LOC 2337Z 274DEG 32KT 3891 8974

THUNDERSTORM DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.75 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

Kimble
761 
WWUS53 KLSX 050007
SVSLSX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service St Louis MO
707 PM CDT Mon May 4 2026

ILC005-135-050015-
/O.CON.KLSX.SV.W.0138.000000T0000Z-260505T0015Z/
Bond IL-Montgomery IL-
707 PM CDT Mon May 4 2026

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 715 PM CDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN BOND AND SOUTHEASTERN MONTGOMERY COUNTIES IN SOUTH
CENTRAL ILLINOIS...

At 707 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Greenville,
moving east at 40 mph.

HAZARD...Golf ball size hail and 60 mph wind gusts.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...People and animals outdoors will be injured. Expect hail
         damage to roofs, siding, windows, and vehicles. Expect wind
         damage to roofs, siding, and trees.

Locations impacted include...
  Reno, Coffeen, Greenville, Woburn, Smithboro, Chapman, Pleasant
  Mound, Mulberry Grove, Van Burensburg and Fillmore.

This includes Interstate 70 in Illinois between exits 41 and 52.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Anyone outdoors should move to shelter inside a well-built structure
and stay away from windows. This storm is capable of producing
dangerous hail and damaging winds.

&&

LAT...LON 3903 8942 3904 8941 3923 8935 3922 8925
      3900 8925 3900 8926 3882 8926 3883 8950
      3888 8953 3896 8953 3899 8947
TIME...MOT...LOC 2357Z 276DEG 32KT 3887 8952

THUNDERSTORM DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.75 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

Kimble

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS St. Louis, MO wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 4, 2:56 PM CDT, 3 hours 41 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Showers and thunderstorms are expected tonight. Some storms may be severe with 1 to 1 1/2 inch hail this evening, primarily a. long and north of I-70. There may also be damaging winds, however this is not as likely as large hail.
  • Periods of rain will continue on Tuesday as a cold front moves through the area.
  • Temperatures will be below normal Tuesday through Thursday, but will warm back up for Friday into the weekend.
Area forecast discussion, May 4, 2:56 PM CDT, 3 hours 41 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Saint Louis MO
256 PM CDT Mon May 4 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Showers and thunderstorms are expected tonight. Some storms may
  be severe with 1 to 1 1/2 inch hail this evening, primarily a.
  long and north of I-70. There may also be damaging winds,
  however this is not as likely as large hail.

- Periods of rain will continue on Tuesday as a cold front moves
  through the area.

- Temperatures will be below normal Tuesday through Thursday, but
  will warm back up for Friday into the weekend.

&&

.SHORT TERM...  (Through Late Tuesday Night)
Issued at 255 PM CDT Mon May 4 2026

A cold front which is currently stretching from northeast Kansas
into northwest Missouri and southwest/central Iowa will move
slowly southeast through Missouri and Illinois over the next 24-36
hours. Latest RAP and GFS show as much as 2000-2500 J/Kg of
MUCAPE across parts of central and northeast Missouri late this
afternoon into early this evening with around 30kts of deep-layer
shear. However, they also show a good deal of CINH capping the
boundary layer. The CINH will likely lead to only sparse
development of storms this evening, at least initially. There is
enough CAPE and shear to support severe storms, but any storms
that do form are not expected to be rooted in the boundary layer,
so large hail will be the primary threat. Damaging wind gusts are
less likely, though still possible if a particularly strong storm
dumps its core and produces a microburst. A modest low level jet
will develop ahead of the front closer to midnight which produces
moderate moisture convergence across the area. This will lead to
an increase in thunderstorm coverage overnight, but instability
will be decreasing rapidly by that time. Even though there will be
more storms after midnight it is unlikely they will be severe.

The cold front continues moving slowly southeast through the area on
Tuesday with moderate to occasionally strong low level moisture
convergence ahead of an 850mb low over the eastern Plains.  This
will lead to widespread across most of the area.  Clouds and rain
will keep temperatures cool with little chance for the atmosphere to
become unstable through the day.  While there will likely be some
rumbles of thunder through the day, severe storms are unlikely due
to lack of instability.  Rain should taper off from west to east
through the evening.

Carney

&&

.LONG TERM...  (Wednesday through Next Monday)
Issued at 255 PM CDT Mon May 4 2026

The upper level trough axis digs into the Great Plains on Wednesday
which forces the cold front farther south into the lower Mississippi
Valley.  A cool high pressure system builds into Missouri and
Illinois, however the approaching trough produces moderate to strong
mid level frontogenesis over Missouri and Illinois.  The GFS and to
a lesser extent the NAM print out some light QPF due to the
frontogenesis, but forecast soundings show a dry layer near the
surface associated with the approaching surface high.  Think chance
PoPs remain appropriate in this situation.  Northerly flow, with
clouds and potential showers will likely make Wednesday the coolest
day of the next 7 with highs struggling into the mid to upper 50s.
Temperatures warm back into the mid 60s, and then to near normal in
the 70s for Friday through Sunday as the long wave trough moves east
and the upper level flow becomes more zonal.  There will be a brief
chance for rain Friday as a weak short wave moves across the Mid
Mississippi Valle, but the next substantial chance for rain holds
off until Sunday ahead of the next upstream cold front.  The LREF is
showing a good deal of uncertainty with regards to the amplitude of
the trough which is driving this cold front.  This translates into
low confidence in the position of the front, and wide variations in
the temperature forecast. The interquartile range of high
temperatures is 10+ degrees on Sunday, and around 8 degrees on
Monday behind the cold front.  With that in mind, it does look
cooler on Monday with around a 10 degree drop in mean temperatures,
and deterministic guidance cools from the mid to upper 70s on Sunday
in most locations to the upper 60s and low 70s.

Carney

&&

.AVIATION...  (For the 18z TAFs through 18z Tuesday Afternoon)
Issued at 1247 PM CDT Mon May 4 2026

Scattered showers and thunderstorms will continue this afternoon
and into the evening, mainly across parts of eastern Missouri and
southwest Illinois. The storms will be capable of brief heavy rain
which could lower the visibility to 3 miles or less. The strongest
storms may also produce small hail. Additional thunderstorm
development is expected this evening ahead of a cold front across
northeast and central Missouri. Isolated storms could produce 1
inch or larger diameter hail and wind gusts to 50kts, mainly along
and north of I-70. Widespread showers will continue on Tuesday
morning behind the cold front with ceilings falling low MVFR along
and south of I-70, and IFR across the eastern Ozarks.

Carney

&&

.LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MO...None.
IL...None.
&&

WFO LSX
Hazardous weather outlook, May 4, 3:55 PM CDT, 2 hours 42 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service St Louis MO
355 PM CDT Mon May 4 2026

ILZ058>060-064-065-069-070-074-079-095>102-MOZ018-019-026-027-
034>036-041-042-047>052-059>065-072>075-084-085-099-052100-
Greene IL-Macoupin IL-Montgomery IL-Bond IL-Fayette IL-Clinton IL-
Marion IL-Washington IL-Randolph IL-Adams IL-Brown IL-Pike IL-
Calhoun IL-Jersey IL-Madison IL-Saint Clair IL-Monroe IL-Knox MO-
Lewis MO-Shelby MO-Marion MO-Monroe MO-Ralls MO-Pike MO-Boone MO-
Audrain MO-Moniteau MO-Cole MO-Osage MO-Callaway MO-Montgomery MO-
Lincoln MO-Gasconade MO-Warren MO-Saint Charles MO-Franklin MO-
Saint Louis MO-Saint Louis City MO-Jefferson MO-Crawford MO-
Washington MO-Saint Francois MO-Sainte Genevieve MO-Iron MO-
Madison MO-Reynolds MO-
355 PM CDT Mon May 4 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of eastern and
central Missouri as well as west central and southwest Illinois.

.DAYS ONE THROUGH SEVEN...This afternoon through Sunday.

More detailed information can be accessed at:
https://www.weather.gov/media/lsx/DssPacket.pdf

The Area Forecast Discussion is available at:
https://forecast.weather.gov/
product.php?issuedby=LSX&product=AFD&site=lsx

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Showers and thunderstorms are expected tonight. Some storms may
  be severe with 1 to 1 1/2 inch hail this evening, primarily a.
  long and north of I-70. There may also be damaging winds,
  however this is not as likely as large hail.

- Periods of rain will continue on Tuesday as a cold front moves
  through the area.

- Temperatures will be below normal Tuesday through Thursday, but
  will warm back up for Friday into the weekend.

NOTE: Starting May 29, 2026, this outlook product will be
discontinued. Please see the above products for more detailed
forecast information.

WFO LSX

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 4, 5:50 PM CDT, 47 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service St Louis MO
550 PM CDT Mon May 4 2026

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

0744 AM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     7 SSW Madison           39.38N 92.25W
04/27/2026                   Monroe             MO   NWS Storm Survey

            NWS Storm Survey found multiple trees
            uprooted. Estimated wind speed of 85 mph.
            Time estimated from radar.

&&

BAH
Local storm report, May 4, 5:51 PM CDT, 46 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service St Louis MO
551 PM CDT Mon May 4 2026

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

0744 AM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     7 S Madison             39.37N 92.21W
04/27/2026                   Monroe             MO   NWS Storm Survey

            NWS Storm Survey found a farm outbuilding
            with all walls collapsed. Estimated wind
            speed of 95 mph. Time estimated from radar.

&&

BAH
Local storm report, May 4, 5:53 PM CDT, 44 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service St Louis MO
553 PM CDT Mon May 4 2026

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

0745 AM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     7 S Madison             39.37N 92.20W
04/27/2026                   Monroe             MO   NWS Storm Survey

            NWS Storm Survey found a farm outbuilding
            with multiple walls collapsed. Estimated
            wind speed of 95 mph. Time estimated from
            radar.

&&

BAH
Local storm report, May 4, 5:54 PM CDT, 43 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service St Louis MO
554 PM CDT Mon May 4 2026

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

0745 AM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     7 S Madison             39.38N 92.19W
04/27/2026                   Monroe             MO   Public

            NWS Storm Survey found multiple trees
            uprooted. Estimated wind speed of 80 mph.
            Time estimated from radar.

&&

BAH
Local storm report, May 4, 6:23 PM CDT, 14 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service St Louis MO
623 PM CDT Mon May 4 2026

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

0621 PM     Hail             2 W Worden              38.93N 89.88W
05/04/2026  E1.50 Inch       Madison            IL   Trained Spotter

&&

JPG
Local storm report, May 4, 6:25 PM CDT, 12 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service St Louis MO
625 PM CDT Mon May 4 2026

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

0611 PM     Hail             2 NNE Bethalto          38.92N 90.04W
05/04/2026  E0.75 Inch       Madison            IL   Amateur Radio

            Lasted about 5 minutes.

&&

JPG

The office that day

Everything else NWS St. Louis, MO issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 3, 10:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXCalhoun, Jersey30 min
May 3, 10:38 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXJersey, Macoupin, Madison45 min
May 4, 12:01 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXMacoupin18 min
May 4, 2:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXClinton, Saint Clair, Washington42 min
May 4, 6:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXMacoupin, Madison52 min
May 4, 6:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXFayette46 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Illinois, 2026Every severe thunderstorm 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.