Illinois, 1999

Tornadoes and Hail in Illinois, May 12, 1999

May 12, 1999 · NWS DVN · 12 events in 2 counties and zones

Summary of Events of May 12, 1999:Severe thunderstorms moved through northwestern Illinois during the afternoon and early evening hours, producing two tornadoes, very heavy rain, and numerous funnel clouds. The first tornado was reported in Carrol County northeast of Milledgeville.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 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
$20,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
12

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 DVN wrote it up.

Summary of Events of May 12, 1999:Severe thunderstorms moved through northwestern Illinois during the afternoon and early evening hours, producing two tornadoes, very heavy rain, and numerous funnel clouds. The first tornado was reported in Carrol County northeast of Milledgeville. The second tornado was spotted in Whiteside County south of Morrison. No damage was reported with either tornado and both were rated F0. Torrential rainfall saturated the ground across much of the area. Two homes in Milledgeville suffered extensive damage to their basements when the water-laden ground caused walls in their basements to collapse.See preceding individual Storm Data entries for further details and additional reports.

The radar

The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 86 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:47 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 funnel cloud, 3 hail, 2 tornado, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Carroll

When
May 12, 2:50 PM CST
Where
Carroll County, 3 mi E of Lanark
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
UNKNOWN
Coordinates
42.100, -89.770

Tornado, Carroll

When
May 12, 2:56 PM CST
Where
Carroll County, 2 mi NE of Milledgeville
Rating
F0
Path length
0.1 mi
Path width
10 yd
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
41.980, -89.750

Law enforcement officials reported a brief tornado. No damage was reported.

Funnel Cloud, Whiteside

When
May 12, 3:30 PM CST
Where
Whiteside County, 2 mi W of Sterling
Reported by
UNKNOWN
Coordinates
41.756, -89.914 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Funnel Cloud, Carroll

When
May 12, 3:44 PM CST
Where
Carroll County, 5 mi S of Mt Carroll
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
42.069, -89.934 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Whiteside

When
May 12, 4:25 PM CST
Where
Whiteside County, Fulton
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
UNKNOWN
Coordinates
41.870, -90.170

Thunderstorm Wind, Whiteside

When
May 12, 4:25 PM CST
Where
Whiteside County, Fulton
Property damage
$100
Reported by
UNKNOWN
Coordinates
41.870, -90.170

Severe thunderstorm winds downed large tree limbs.

Funnel Cloud, Whiteside

When
May 12, 4:25 PM CST
Where
Whiteside County, 5 mi S of Morrison
Reported by
UNKNOWN
Coordinates
41.756, -89.914 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Funnel Cloud, Whiteside

When
May 12, 4:30 PM CST
Where
Whiteside County, 3 mi NE of Prophetstown
Reported by
UNKNOWN
Coordinates
41.756, -89.914 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Carroll

When
May 12, 5:00 PM CST
Where
Carroll County, Milledgeville
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
42.069, -89.934 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Localized heavy rain caused basement walls in 2 separate houses to collapse. Up to 4 feet of mud poured into the basements. Damage to each house and the contents was estimated at $10,000.

Hail, Whiteside

When
May 12, 5:01 PM CST
Where
Whiteside County, 3 mi NE of Erie
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
UNKNOWN
Coordinates
41.680, -90.050

Tornado, Whiteside

When
May 12, 5:24 PM CST
Where
Whiteside County, 5 mi S of Morrison
Rating
F0
Path length
0.1 mi
Path width
10 yd
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
41.750, -89.970

Law enforcement officials reported a brief tornado south of Morrison. No damage was reported.

Funnel Cloud, Whiteside

When
May 12, 5:30 PM CST
Where
Whiteside County, 1 mi N of Sterling
Reported by
UNKNOWN
Coordinates
41.756, -89.914 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Tornado
A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Funnel Cloud
A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.
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.
Heavy Rain
Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Illinois in 1999Every state in 1999This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Illinois, 1999Warnings in Illinois, May 1999

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: 5714948, 5714949, 5714950, 5714951, 5714952, 5714953, 5714954, 5714955, 5715030, 5714956, 5715028, 5715029.