Illinois, 1996

Flash Flood in Illinois, May 10, 1996

May 10, 1996 · NWS ILX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Thunderstorms dumped up to 2 inches of rain in a 30 minute period. Twenty-five families had to be evacuated from one subdivision near Danville after flood gates were opened at the Lake Vermilion Dam, causing the North Fork to spill over its banks in some areas.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS ILX wrote it up.

Thunderstorms dumped up to 2 inches of rain in a 30 minute period. Twenty-five families had to be evacuated from one subdivision near Danville after flood gates were opened at the Lake Vermilion Dam, causing the North Fork to spill over its banks in some areas. Some roads, especially around the Georgetown area, were washed out. Also, the Georgetown water treatment plant was threatened and several homes sustained flooding damage. No injuries were reported and no damage estimate was available.

The radar

The Indianapolis radar (KIND), 135 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:29 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Vermilion

When
May 10, 11:30 AM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where
Vermilion County, Countywide
Coordinates
40.183, -87.733 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Illinois in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, May 1996

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: 5561537.