Alert archive / Illinois / Tornado Watches in 2026

Tornado Watch 89

April 2, 20264 states

The Storm Prediction Center issued this tornado watch at Apr 2, 2026, 1:43 PM CDT for 4 states. It was in force for 8 hr.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: Apr 2, 2026, 1:43 PM CDT (18:43 UTC)
Expired: Apr 2, 2026, 9:33 PM CDT
In force: 8 hr
Issued by: the Storm Prediction Center
Largest hail expected: 2 in
Strongest gust expected: 65 kt

All 117 counties

Appanoose County, IA, Benton County, IA, Buchanan County, IA, Cedar County, IA, Clarke County, IA, Clinton County, IA, Davis County, IA, Decatur County, IA, Delaware County, IA, Des Moines County, IA, Dubuque County, IA, Henry County, IA, Iowa County, IA, Jackson County, IA, Jasper County, IA, Jefferson County, IA, Johnson County, IA, Jones County, IA, Keokuk County, IA, Lee County, IA, Linn County, IA, Louisa County, IA, Lucas County, IA, Mahaska County, IA, Marion County, IA, Marshall County, IA, Monroe County, IA, Muscatine County, IA, Polk County, IA, Poweshiek County, IA, Scott County, IA, Tama County, IA, Van Buren County, IA, Wapello County, IA, Warren County, IA, Washington County, IA, Wayne County, IA, Adams County, IL, Boone County, IL, Brown County, IL, Bureau County, IL, Carroll County, IL, Cass County, IL, Cook County, IL, DeKalb County, IL, DuPage County, IL, Fulton County, IL, Grundy County, IL, Hancock County, IL, Henderson County, IL, Henry County, IL, Jo Daviess County, IL, Kane County, IL, Kendall County, IL, Knox County, IL, Lake County, IL, LaSalle County, IL, Lee County, IL, Marshall County, IL, Mason County, IL, McDonough County, IL, McHenry County, IL, Menard County, IL, Mercer County, IL, Morgan County, IL, Ogle County, IL, Peoria County, IL, Pike County, IL, Putnam County, IL, Rock Island County, IL, Schuyler County, IL, Scott County, IL, Stark County, IL, Stephenson County, IL, Tazewell County, IL, Warren County, IL, Whiteside County, IL, Will County, IL, Winnebago County, IL, Woodford County, IL, Adair County, MO, Chariton County, MO, Clark County, MO, Grundy County, MO, Knox County, MO, Lewis County, MO, Linn County, MO, Livingston County, MO, Macon County, MO, Marion County, MO, Mercer County, MO, Monroe County, MO, Putnam County, MO, Ralls County, MO, Randolph County, MO, Schuyler County, MO, Scotland County, MO, Shelby County, MO, Sullivan County, MO, Columbia County, WI, Dane County, WI, Dodge County, WI, Fond du Lac County, WI, Grant County, WI, Green County, WI, Iowa County, WI, Jefferson County, WI, Kenosha County, WI, Lafayette County, WI, Milwaukee County, WI, Ozaukee County, WI, Racine County, WI, Rock County, WI, Sheboygan County, WI, Walworth County, WI, Washington County, WI, Waukesha County, WI

The radar

The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 24 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:46 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 SPC expected

The probabilities SPC published with the watch, for the watch area over its life.

Two or more tornadoes: 70%
One or more EF2 to EF5 tornadoes: 40%
Ten or more severe wind reports: 70%
One or more gusts of 65 knots or more: 60%
Ten or more severe hail reports: 40%
One or more hailstones of 2 inches or more: 30%
Six or more combined severe hail and wind reports: 90%

Warnings issued inside it

70 tornado, severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings for its counties while it was in force.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 2, 2:06 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Appanoose, Lucas, Monroe, Wayne	39 min
Apr 2, 2:13 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Appanoose, Davis, Monroe	47 min
Apr 2, 2:16 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	EAX	Mercer	29 min
Apr 2, 2:24 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Jasper, Marion, Polk, Warren	41 min
Apr 2, 2:29 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Wayne	23 min
Apr 2, 2:41 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Appanoose, Wayne	49 min
Apr 2, 2:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	EAX	Mercer, Putnam	18 min
Apr 2, 2:45 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Mahaska, Marion, Monroe, Wapello	45 min
Apr 2, 2:55 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Davis, Mahaska, Monroe, Wapello	50 min
Apr 2, 2:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	EAX	Mercer, Putnam	49 min
Apr 2, 3:03 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Wapello	32 min
Apr 2, 3:14 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Appanoose, Davis, Monroe, Wapello, Wayne	46 min
Apr 2, 3:18 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DVN	Jefferson, Keokuk, Washington	42 min
Apr 2, 3:56 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DVN	Johnson, Washington	49 min
Apr 2, 3:59 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DVN	Benton, Iowa, Johnson, Keokuk, Linn, Washington	61 min
Apr 2, 4:12 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DVN	Henry, Jefferson, Keokuk, Louisa, Washington	63 min
Apr 2, 4:27 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	DVN	Cedar, Johnson, Muscatine	48 min
Apr 2, 4:28 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DVN	Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Mercer, Rock Island, Warren	62 min
Apr 2, 4:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DVN	Cedar, Clinton, Jackson, Johnson, Jones, Muscatine and 1 more	64 min
Apr 2, 5:05 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DVN	Cedar, Clinton, Scott	25 min
Apr 2, 5:14 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DVN	Carroll	46 min
Apr 2, 5:16 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DVN	Henry, Rock Island, Whiteside	59 min
Apr 2, 5:18 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DVN	Warren	27 min
Apr 2, 5:19 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	ILX	Knox	41 min
Apr 2, 5:29 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DVN	Carroll	46 min
Apr 2, 5:46 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DVN	Henry, Rock Island, Whiteside	44 min
Apr 2, 5:47 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	ILX	Knox, Stark	43 min
Apr 2, 5:48 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MKX	Rock	57 min
Apr 2, 5:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MKX	Iowa, Lafayette	47 min
Apr 2, 6:00 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILX	Fulton, Knox	45 min
Apr 2, 6:01 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LOT	Lee, Ogle	44 min
Apr 2, 6:03 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MKX	Jefferson, Rock	42 min
Apr 2, 6:04 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DVN	Carroll, Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Whiteside	56 min
Apr 2, 6:07 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	DVN	Carroll, Whiteside	23 min
Apr 2, 6:07 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MKX	Rock	38 min
Apr 2, 6:13 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LOT	Lee, Ogle	17 min
Apr 2, 6:14 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DVN	Bureau, Putnam	46 min
Apr 2, 6:15 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	MKX	Green, Lafayette	30 min
Apr 2, 6:16 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	ILX	Knox, Peoria	29 min
Apr 2, 6:24 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	LOT	Boone, DeKalb, Lee, Ogle, Winnebago	36 min
Apr 2, 6:31 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILX	Fulton, Knox, Marshall, Peoria, Stark	44 min
Apr 2, 6:33 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	ILX	Marshall, Peoria, Stark	24 min
Apr 2, 6:35 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MKX	Dane, Green, Iowa	40 min
Apr 2, 6:39 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MKX	Jefferson, Rock, Walworth	30 min
Apr 2, 6:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	LOT	Lee, Ogle	18 min
Apr 2, 6:43 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DVN	Bureau, Putnam	47 min
Apr 2, 6:43 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	MKX	Dane, Green, Jefferson, Rock	32 min
Apr 2, 6:47 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LOT	LaSalle	43 min
Apr 2, 6:55 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILX	Marshall, Peoria, Woodford	50 min
Apr 2, 6:58 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MKX	Rock	23 min
Apr 2, 7:00 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	LOT	Boone, DeKalb, Kane, McHenry, Ogle	60 min
Apr 2, 7:00 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	MKX	Rock, Walworth	30 min
Apr 2, 7:01 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	LOT	Boone, DeKalb, Kane, McHenry, Ogle	59 min
Apr 2, 7:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MKX	Columbia, Dodge	20 min
Apr 2, 7:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MKX	Waukesha	57 min
Apr 2, 7:06 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LOT	DeKalb, LaSalle	24 min
Apr 2, 7:11 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LOT	LaSalle, Livingston	34 min
Apr 2, 7:14 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MKX	Jefferson, Rock, Walworth, Waukesha	31 min
Apr 2, 7:24 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILX	Peoria, Tazewell	51 min
Apr 2, 7:30 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	LOT	DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, LaSalle and 1 more	45 min
Apr 2, 7:30 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MKX	Walworth	30 min
Apr 2, 7:38 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILX	Marshall, Woodford	31 min
Apr 2, 7:39 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MKX	Fond du Lac	14 min
Apr 2, 7:40 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LOT	Lake, McHenry	35 min
Apr 2, 7:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MKX	Kenosha	32 min
Apr 2, 7:43 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	LOT	Grundy, Kendall, LaSalle, Livingston	62 min
Apr 2, 7:45 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MKX	Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington, Waukesha	30 min
Apr 2, 8:02 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	LOT	Cook, DuPage, Will	58 min
Apr 2, 8:23 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LOT	Cook, Will	67 min
Apr 2, 8:59 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	LOT	Cook, Will	31 min

Discussions around it

SPC mesoscale discussions over the same counties from four hours before the watch to its end.

The nearest sounding before it

Lincoln, IL (KILX), launched 12:00Z, 6.7 hours before the alert went out and 209 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 19 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -278 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 846 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 453 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 450 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

SPC that day

Everything else SPC issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 2, 12:28 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Bureau, Carroll, DeKalb, Hancock, Henderson, Henry and 12 more	3 hr
Apr 2, 3:41 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Adams, Brown, Fulton, Hancock, Henderson, Henry and 6 more	94 min
Apr 2, 3:48 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Alexander, Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Perry and 6 more	117 min
Apr 2, 4:26 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Carroll, Henry, Jo Daviess, Mercer, Rock Island, Stephenson and 1 more	94 min
Apr 2, 5:11 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar and 1 more	94 min
Apr 2, 5:39 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Bond, Calhoun, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clinton and 22 more	2 hr
Apr 1, 7:42 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Bates, Benton, Camden, Cedar, Dallas, Henry and 7 more	2 hr
Apr 2, 3:55 AM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Barron, Chippewa, Clark, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson and 18 more	3 hr
Apr 2, 7:27 AM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Brown, Calumet, Florence, Fond du Lac, Forest, Kewaunee and 15 more	3 hr
Apr 2, 12:34 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Florence, Marinette	4 hr

Nearby

Tornado Watches in Illinois, 2026 Tornado Watches in Iowa, 2026 Tornado Watches in Missouri, 2026 Every tornado watch 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.