Illinois, 2000

Flood and Hail in Illinois, May 11, 2000

May 11, 2000 · NWS DVN · 8 events in 4 counties and zones

Strong warm air advection led to rapid development of thunderstorms over Northwest Illinois during the morning. Most of the storms were elevated, limiting the main threat to large hail.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
8

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.

Strong warm air advection led to rapid development of thunderstorms over Northwest Illinois during the morning. Most of the storms were elevated, limiting the main threat to large hail. There were many reports of hail reaching golfball size. The storms also produced heavy rain. Several roads and roadside ditches were submerged in water north of Freeport in Stephenson County.

The radar

The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 97 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 13:16 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 hail, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Jo Daviess

When
May 11, 7:15 AM CST
Where
Jo Daviess County, East Dubuque
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
42.483, -90.633

Hail, Whiteside

When
May 11, 7:16 AM CST
Where
Whiteside County, Erie
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
41.650, -90.083

Hail, Whiteside

When
May 11, 7:21 AM CST
Where
Whiteside County, Prophetstown
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
41.667, -89.933

Hail, Whiteside

When
May 11, 7:24 AM CST
Where
Whiteside County, Prophetstown
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
41.667, -89.933

Hail, Jo Daviess

When
May 11, 7:55 AM CST
Where
Jo Daviess County, Warren
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
42.500, -89.983

Hail, Bureau

When
May 11, 8:12 AM CST
Where
Bureau County, Ohio
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
41.550, -89.467

Hail, Stephenson

When
May 11, 8:15 AM CST
Where
Stephenson County, Orangeville
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
42.467, -89.633

Flood, Stephenson

When
May 11, 8:45 AM CST
Where
Stephenson County, 6 mi N of Freeport
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
42.352, -89.662 (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.
Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Illinois in 2000Every state in 2000This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, May 2000

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: 5145905, 5145906, 5145907, 5145908, 5145909, 5145910, 5145911, 5145912.