Alert archive / Illinois / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 7, NWS St. Louis, MO

March 15, 2026Madison County, Saint Clair County, Illinois

NWS St. Louis, MO issued this tornado warning at Mar 15, 2026, 5:05 PM CDT for Madison County, Saint Clair County, Illinois. It was in force for 34 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
Mar 15, 2026, 5:05 PM CDT (22:05 UTC)
Expired
Mar 15, 2026, 5:39 PM CDT
In force
34 min
Issued by
NWS St. Louis, MO
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.0 in

Counties Madison County, IL, Saint Clair County, IL

The radar

The St Louis radar (KLSX), 60 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:09 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
Mar 15, 5:14 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUD2 W Collinsville, ILRotating funnel cloud at I-55/70 intersection with I-255 looking west toward Granite City.
Mar 15, 5:17 PM CDTTSTM WND GST 602 Wnw Collinsville, ILCorrects previous tstm wnd gst report from 2 WNW Collinsville. TV meteorologist noted several gusts over 60 mph in his Storm Runner vehicle.
Mar 15, 5:17 PM CDTTSTM WND GST 602 Wnw Collinsville, ILTV meteorologist noted several gusts over 60 mph in his Storm Runner vehicle.

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
Mar 15, 1:33 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Lincoln, IL (KILX), launched 12:00Z, 10.1 hours before the alert went out and 202 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 2026-03-15Temperature 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°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Lincoln, IL at 12:00Z on 2026-03-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 389 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
1382 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
55 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
389 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
410 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

791 
WFUS53 KLSX 152205
TORLSX
ILC119-163-152245-
/O.NEW.KLSX.TO.W.0007.260315T2205Z-260315T2245Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service St Louis MO
505 PM CDT Sun Mar 15 2026

The National Weather Service in St Louis has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Southern Madison County in southwestern Illinois...
  Northern Saint Clair County in southwestern Illinois...

* Until 545 PM CDT.

* At 505 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located over Madison, moving east at 45 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado.

  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.

* Locations impacted include...
  Cahokia, East St. Louis, Centreville, Granite City, Belleville,
  Caseyville, Pontoon Beach, Fairview Heights, Collinsville,
  Edwardsville, Swansea, Shiloh, Maryville, Glen Carbon, Troy,
  O'Fallon, Mascoutah, Lebanon and Highland.

This includes the following State Parks...
Horseshoe Lake State Park.

This includes the following highways...
Interstate 64 in Illinois between exits 9 and 23. Interstate 55 in
Illinois near exit 23. Interstate 70 in Illinois between exits 21 and
30.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a well-built building
away from 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 3852 9026 3855 9025 3860 9019 3863 9018
      3867 9018 3870 9021 3873 9021 3877 9017
      3880 9012 3890 8964 3888 8964 3887 8960
      3866 8960 3866 8971 3854 8971
TIME...MOT...LOC 2205Z 259DEG 37KT 3868 9016

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN

$$

Kimble
2 follow-up statements
950 
WWUS53 KLSX 152222
SVSLSX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service St Louis MO
522 PM CDT Sun Mar 15 2026

ILC119-163-152245-
/O.CON.KLSX.TO.W.0007.000000T0000Z-260315T2245Z/
Madison IL-Saint Clair IL-
522 PM CDT Sun Mar 15 2026

...TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 545 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN MADISON AND NORTHEASTERN SAINT CLAIR COUNTIES IN
SOUTHWESTERN ILLINOIS...

At 522 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Troy, moving east at 50 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado.

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.

Locations impacted include...
  East St. Louis, Centreville, Belleville, Pontoon Beach, Caseyville,
  Fairview Heights, Swansea, Collinsville, Shiloh, Maryville, Glen
  Carbon, Scott AFB, O'Fallon, Edwardsville, Troy, Mascoutah, Lebanon
  and Highland.

This includes the following highways...
Interstate 64 in Illinois between exits 9 and 23. Interstate 55 in
Illinois near exit 23. Interstate 70 in Illinois between exits 21 and
30.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a well-built building
away from 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 3853 9012 3882 9001 3890 8964 3888 8964
      3887 8962 3887 8960 3866 8960 3866 8971
      3854 8971
TIME...MOT...LOC 2205Z 250DEG 45KT 3869 9016

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN

$$

Kimble
174 
WWUS53 KLSX 152239
SVSLSX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service St Louis MO
539 PM CDT Sun Mar 15 2026

ILC119-163-152249-
/O.CAN.KLSX.TO.W.0007.000000T0000Z-260315T2245Z/
Madison IL-Saint Clair IL-
539 PM CDT Sun Mar 15 2026

...TORNADO WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR SOUTHEASTERN MADISON AND
NORTHEASTERN SAINT CLAIR COUNTIES IN SOUTHWESTERN ILLINOIS...

The storm which prompted the warning has weakened, and no longer
appears capable of producing a tornado. Therefore, the warning has
been cancelled. However, gusty winds are still possible with this
thunderstorm.

&&

LAT...LON 3853 9012 3882 9001 3890 8964 3888 8964
      3887 8962 3887 8960 3866 8960 3866 8971
      3854 8971
TIME...MOT...LOC 2222Z 250DEG 45KT 3876 8990

$$

Kimble

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 15, 2:37 PM CDTWinter Weather AdvisoryLSXAdams, Brown, Pike16 hr
Mar 15, 3:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXCalhoun35 min
Mar 15, 3:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXCalhoun46 min
Mar 15, 3:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXGreene, Jersey58 min
Mar 15, 3:59 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXCalhoun, Jersey33 min
Mar 15, 5:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXMadison, Monroe, Saint Clair44 min
Mar 15, 5:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXMacoupin36 min
Mar 15, 5:19 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXMonroe, Saint Clair47 min
Mar 15, 5:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXMonroe, Randolph, Saint Clair47 min
Mar 15, 5:31 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXBond, Montgomery44 min
Mar 15, 5:34 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXMonroe, Randolph, Saint Clair34 min
Mar 15, 5:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXClinton, Washington54 min
Mar 15, 5:54 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXClinton, Washington37 min
Mar 15, 6:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatLSXMarion58 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.