Illinois, 1998

Heat in Illinois, June 23 to 30, 1998

June 23 to 30, 1998 · NWS LSX · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

The first heat wave of the summer caused 1 death and over 120 heat related injuries. The bulk of the injuries in Madison County occurred at an NHRA drag racing event that was held at Gateway International Raceway June 25-28.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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  • Floods
  • Wind
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  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
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The toll

Deaths
1
Injuries
122
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
4

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 LSX wrote it up.

The first heat wave of the summer caused 1 death and over 120 heat related injuries. The bulk of the injuries in Madison County occurred at an NHRA drag racing event that was held at Gateway International Raceway June 25-28. The 1 death occurred in East St. Louis, St. Clair County.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 heat. Local standard time, as filed.

Heat, Madison

When
June 23, 12:00 PM CST to June 30, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Madison forecast zone
Injuries
71 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by
GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates
38.830, -89.905 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, St. Clair

When
June 23, 12:00 PM CST to June 30, 12:00 PM CST
Where
St. Clair forecast zone
Deaths
1 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries
34 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by
GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates
38.470, -89.928 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Washington

When
June 23, 12:00 PM CST to June 30, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Washington forecast zone
Injuries
10 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by
GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates
38.352, -89.410 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Adams

When
June 23, 12:00 PM CST to June 30, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Adams forecast zone
Injuries
7 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by
GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates
39.988, -91.188 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

EventDateAgeSexWhereKind
Heat, St. Clair1998-06-2871MalePermanent HomeDirect

What these are

Heat
Heat below excessive heat criteria that still caused deaths, injuries or significant impacts.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Illinois in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, June 1998

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: 5663263, 5663264, 5663265, 5663266.