Illinois, 1995

Hail and Damaging Winds in Illinois, May 16, 1995

May 16, 1995 · 35 events in 16 counties and zones

22 thunderstorm wind, 13 hail, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 35 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$463,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
35

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

The radar

The St Louis radar (KLSX), 110 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 09:51 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

22 thunderstorm wind, 13 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Clinton

When
May 16, 3:40 AM CST
Where
Clinton County, Breese
Property damage
$1,000
Coordinates
38.607, -89.422 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong thunderstorm winds blew debris into numerous windows.

Hail, Madison

When
May 16, 4:45 AM CST
Where
Madison County, Alton
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
38.830, -89.905 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several large trees were knocked down in Granite City.

Thunderstorm Wind, Madison

When
May 16, 5:10 AM CST
Where
Madison County, Granite City
Property damage
$200
Coordinates
38.830, -89.905 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several large trees were knocked down in Granite City.

Hail, Menard

When
May 16, 5:30 AM CST
Where
Menard County, Petersburg
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
40.027, -89.802 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, St. Clair

When
May 16, 5:32 AM CST
Where
St. Clair County, Smithton
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
38.470, -89.928 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Along with large hail, wind gusts to 60 miles an hour were reported.

Hail, St. Clair

When
May 16, 5:36 AM CST
Where
St. Clair County, Freeburg
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
38.470, -89.928 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Along with large hail, wind gusts to 60 miles an hour were reported.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Clair

When
May 16, 5:55 AM CST
Where
St. Clair County, Freeburg
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
38.470, -89.928 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Along with large hail, wind gusts to 60 miles an hour were reported.

Thunderstorm Wind, Clinton

When
May 16, 6:10 AM CST
Where
Clinton County, Breese
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
38.607, -89.422 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A local newspaper reported wind gusts as high as 60 miles an hour. No damage was reported.

Hail, White

When
May 16, 7:25 AM CST
Where
White County, Enfield
Measured
0.75 in hail
Property damage
$1,000
Coordinates
38.088, -88.180 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Union

When
May 16, 7:41 AM CST
Where
Union County, Jonesboro
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
37.471, -89.255 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Jackson

When
May 16, 8:00 AM CST
Where
Jackson County, Carbondale
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
37.785, -89.382 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Union

When
May 16, 8:20 AM CST
Where
Union County, Ware
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
37.471, -89.255 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Alexander

When
May 16, 8:46 AM CST
Where
Alexander County, Olive Branch
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
37.192, -89.338 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Pope

When
May 16, 9:05 AM CST
Where
Pope County, Dixon Springs
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
37.413, -88.562 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Alexander

When
May 16, 9:07 AM CST
Where
Alexander County, Cairo
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
37.192, -89.338 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Massac

When
May 16, 9:30 AM CST
Where
Massac County, Joppa
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
37.219, -88.708 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Massac

When
May 16, 9:35 AM CST
Where
Massac County, Metropolis
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
37.219, -88.708 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Hancock

When
May 16, 4:35 PM CST
Where
Hancock County, Plymouth
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
40.404, -91.165 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Hancock

When
May 16, 4:36 PM CST
Where
Hancock County, Augusta
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
40.404, -91.165 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Cass

When
May 16, 7:05 PM CST
Where
Cass County, Virginia
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
39.974, -90.247 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Pike

When
May 16, 7:20 PM CST
Where
Pike County, East Hannibal
Property damage
$200
Coordinates
39.623, -90.886 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Illinois State Police reported several large trees down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sangamon

When
May 16, 7:30 PM CST to 7:45 PM CST
Where
Sangamon County, Chatham to to Rochester
Property damage
$300,000
Coordinates
39.758, -89.659 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A downburst damaged a garage on one house in the Panther Creek Subdivion then moved to the east, knocking down numerous trees and causing some siding and roof damage to several homes. It also blew down a barn where several antique cars were stored and destroyed an uncompleted room addition on one house in Rochester. Damage was estimated around $300,000.

Thunderstorm Wind, Morgan

When
May 16, 7:45 PM CST
Where
Morgan County, Alexander
Coordinates
39.716, -90.201 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A couple of trees were blown down and a garage and home sustained some minor damage. No damage estimate was available.

Thunderstorm Wind, Madison

When
May 16, 8:23 PM CST
Where
Madison County, Alton
Property damage
$1,000
Coordinates
38.830, -89.905 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ham radio spotters reported power lines and poles down in Alton. Tree limbs up to five inches in diameter were snapped off in East Alton several minutes later.

Thunderstorm Wind, Macon

When
May 16, 8:30 PM CST
Where
Macon County, Decatur
Property damage
$135,000
Coordinates
39.860, -88.962 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A Decatur Sanitary District storage building was destroyed by thunderstorm winds. Four detached garages were blown down and three businesses had minor roof damage. Also, numerous trees and power lines were blown down. Damage was estimated around $135,000.

Thunderstorm Wind, Madison

When
May 16, 8:30 PM CST
Where
Madison County, East Alton
Coordinates
38.830, -89.905 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ham radio spotters reported power lines and poles down in Alton. Tree limbs up to five inches in diameter were snapped off in East Alton several minutes later.

Thunderstorm Wind, Macon

When
May 16, 8:45 PM CST
Where
Macon County, Argenta
Coordinates
39.860, -88.962 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm winds blew down several large trees.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Clair

When
May 16, 8:45 PM CST
Where
St. Clair County, Swansea
Property damage
$600
Coordinates
38.470, -89.928 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous power lines and large trees were knocked down across the county.

Thunderstorm Wind, Madison

When
May 16, 8:55 PM CST
Where
Madison County, Edwardsville
Property damage
$200
Coordinates
38.830, -89.905 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ham radio spotters reported several large trees and limbs down along Highway 159.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Clair

When
May 16, 8:55 PM CST
Where
St. Clair County, Belleville
Property damage
$2,000
Coordinates
38.470, -89.928 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous power lines and large trees were knocked down across the county.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Clair

When
May 16, 8:55 PM CST
Where
St. Clair County, O'Fallon
Property damage
$800
Coordinates
38.470, -89.928 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous power lines and large trees were knocked down across the county.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Clair

When
May 16, 8:55 PM CST
Where
St. Clair County, Scott A.F.B.
Property damage
$200
Coordinates
38.470, -89.928 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous power lines and large trees were knocked down across the county.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Clair

When
May 16, 9:05 PM CST
Where
St. Clair County, Mascoutah
Property damage
$15,000
Coordinates
38.470, -89.928 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The roof of an apartment complex collapsed after being damaged from high winds. Numerous large trees and power lines were blown down through out the Mascoutah area. Reported by ham radio spotters.

Thunderstorm Wind, Madison

When
May 16, 9:06 PM CST
Where
Madison County, Marine
Coordinates
38.830, -89.905 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ham radio spotters reported power lines down and power outages.

Thunderstorm Wind, Clinton

When
May 16, 9:15 PM CST
Where
Clinton County, Breese
Coordinates
38.607, -89.422 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The county sheriff reported power lines down.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Illinois in 1995Every state in 1995This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, May 1995

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 10320721, 10320402, 10320403, 10322762, 10322676, 10322677, 10322678, 10320722, 10322997, 10322837, 10320282, 10322863, 10320526, 10322669, 10320527, 10322600, 10322601, 10320746, 10320747, 10320651, 10322662, 10322983, 10322256, 10320404, 10320272, 10320405, 10320273, 10322679, 10320406, 10322680, 10322681, 10322682, 10322683, 10320407, 10320723.