Hail and Damaging Winds in Illinois, July 23, 2001

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Illinois, July 23, 2001
Start: 2001-07-23T15:15
End: 2001-07-23T18:10
Location: Illinois

July 23, 2001 · NWS ILX · 9 events in 8 counties and zones

8 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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: $265,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 9

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 forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Lincoln, IL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 23, 2:10 PM CST, 1 hour 5 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 23, 2:10 PM CST, 1 hour 5 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
310 PM CDT MON JUL 23 2001

SFC ANALYSIS SHOWS A WK TROF PROGRESSING ACROSS THE MIS RVR INTO
IL.  SHRA/TSRA STARTING TO DVLP ALONG THIS BOUNDARARY ATTM AS SFC
CONVG PROVIDING ENOUGH LIFT.  LOTS OF UNSTABLE AIR LAYING AROND CEN
IL TO INTERACT WITH THIS FRONT  WITH SFC DWPTS NR 80.  MAIN SFC COLD
FRONT IS LAGGING ACROSS SRN MN WITH RELATIVELY DRIER AIR.

MAIN CONCERNS TDY WILL BE TSRA CHC TNGT AND TUES...AND THE DRIER
AIRMASS MOVING INTO THE AREA FOR WED.   PREFER THE ETA MODEL THIS
CYCLE AS ITS DOING A FAIRLY GOOD JOB WITH VORT MAXES AND SFC
BOUNDARIES.  ETA BRINGS SFC TROF ACROSS NRN SECTIONS OF CEN IL THIS
EVE...WITH SHRA/TSRA.  THIS VERIFIES PRETTY WELL WITH CURRENT 88D
TRENDS.  LOTS OF OTHER SFC BOUNDARIES AVAILABLE FOR TSRA
INITIATION.  SO WILL GO CATEGORICAL POPS FOR THIS EVE MOST PLACES.
WILL ONLY KEEP TSRA WORDING DURING THE EVE HOURS FOR NRN SECTIONS OF
CEN IL...AS OUTFLOW FROM CURRENT CONVECTION PUSHES SOUTH TOWARDS SRN
IL...WITH BUBBLE HIGH IN PLACE NORTH.  EVENING RAINS WILL KEEP TEMPS
DOWN A BIT SOMEWHAT OVERNIGHT...JUST BELOW HEAT ADVIS LEVELS.  WILL
KEEP ADVIS GOING FOR THE EVE HOURS...AS HEAT INDEX STAYS ABOVE
100...BUT WILL DISCONTINUE ADVIS FOR THE OVRNGT EXCEPT FOR SERN
IL.   PREFER THE SLIGTHLY WARMER MAV NUMBERS FOR LOW TEMPS...AS WARM
AIRMASS WILL STILL BE IN PLACE TNGT.

MAIN SFC FRONT MAKES ITS WAY SOUTH INTO IL ON EARLY TUES.  THIS IS A
LITTLE FASTER THAN PREVIOUS RUNS.  BOUNDARY PUSHES THROUGH NRN
SECTIONS OF CEN IL MAINLY DRY...WITH DVLPMT EXPECTED ALONG THIS
BOUNDARY DURING THE DAY ON TUES ACROSS CEN IL.  BELEIVE ETA MODEL
MAY BE A BIT FAST WITH THIS FRONT...SO WILL LEAVE GOING POPS FOR
MOST AREAS ALONE...BUT NIGHT SHIFT MAY HAVE TO ADJUST POPS FOR TUES
GIVEN SPEED OF FRONT.  CLOUD DEBRIS OVHD ON TUES AND EARLY FROPA
WILL BRING A SOMEWHAT DRIER AIRMASS TO NRN SECTIONS OF CEN IL ON
TUES.  EVEN THOUGH TEMPS WILL STILL BE AROUND 90...DWPTS WILL BE
SLIGTHLY LOWER...SO SEE NO NEED TO CONTINUE HEAT ADVIS FOR NRN
SECTIONS.  WILL CONTINUE HEAT ADVIS FOR SOUTH OF I-70 AS FRONT WILL
STALL OUT IN CEN IL TUES NIGHT.

ANOTHER S/WV MOVES ALONG THE STATIONARY FRONT ON WED...WITH THE BEST
CHC OF WIDESPREAD RAIN EXPECTED BY WED AFTN FOR CEN IL AS SHRA
OVERRUN THE BOUNDARY. THIS REINFORCING SHOT OF DRIER AIR WILL BRING
A NOTICEABLE TEMP/DWPT CHANGE FOR WED NGT INTO THU.  FAN/MAV NUMBERS
LOOK TOO COOL FOR HIGHS...SO WILL GO WITH A COMPROMISE BETWEEN THEM
AND TOO WARM FWC NUMBERS.

SHRA/TSRA CHC LINGERS IN SERN IL EARLY THU AS FRONT HANGS UP ACROSS
THIS AREA.  WILL DRY THINGS OUT ELSEWHERE...WITH MORE PLEASANT TEMPS
ACROSS THE AREA. LATER STAGES OF THE AVN KEEP THINGS DRY ACROSS THE
AREA FRI AND SAT AS HIGH PRESS RIDGE MOVES ACROSS THE GRT LKS.  WARM
AIRMASS RETURNS FOR THE WEEKEND...WITH NOCTURNAL TSRA CHC BACK FOR A
VISIT.  WILL ADD TSRA CHC FOR SUN INTO MON AS INSTABILITY RETURNS.

...PRELIMINARY CCF FOR COORDINATION PURPOSES ONLY...

SPI TB 074/089 069/084 061 22666
PIA TB 073/088 067/082 060 22664
DEC TB 075/089 069/084 061 22666
CMI TB 075/088 070/083 059 22666
MTO TB 076/091 072/082 065 22466
LWV GT 077/093 074/084 065 22446

.ILX...HEAT ADVISORY THIS EVENING FOR CENTRAL/EASTERN
ILLINOIS.        HEAT ADVISORY TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY ALONG AND SOUTH
OF I-70.

KETCHAM

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 23, 11:25 AM CST, 3 hours 50 minutes before

ILZ027>031-036>038-040>057-061>063-066>068-071>073-231830-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR CENTRAL ILLINOIS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
1225 PM CDT MON JUL 23 2001

...HOT WEATHER WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS...

HOT AND HUMID CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST
ILLINOIS THIS AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES CLIMBING INTO THE 90 TO 95 DEGREE
RANGE WILL COMBINE WITH HIGH LEVELS OF HUMIDITY TO PRODUCE HEAT INDICES
RANGING FROM 105 TO 110 THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY THIS EVENING. A
HEAT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS
THIS AFTERNOON AS A RESULT.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS
THIS AFTERNOON. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL HAVE THE CAPABILITY
OF PRODUCING GUSTY WINDS AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL...HOWEVER...THE THREAT
FOR ANY ORGANIZED SEVERE WEATHER APPEARS TO BE LIMITED.

SMITH

The radar

The Lincoln radar (KILX), 77 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:13 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Tazewell

When: July 23, 3:15 PM CST to 3:38 PM CST
Where: Tazewell County, Hopedale
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 40.567, -88.617

Several trees were blown down in Armington.

Thunderstorm Wind, McLean

When: July 23, 3:58 PM CST
Where: McLean County, Colfax
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 39.750, -89.717

Two large trees were blown down. One fell onto a house causing minor damage, but no injuries.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sangamon

When: July 23, 4:05 PM CST to 4:20 PM CST
Where: Sangamon County, 5 mi SW of Springfield
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage: $250,000
Reported by: NWS EMPLOYEE(OFF DUTY)
Coordinates: 39.850, -89.167

Two empty semis were blown over on I-72 one mile north of Curran. Neither driver was injured. Also, fourteen power poles on the southwest side of Springfield were blown over, trapping several cars and their occupants for half an hour.

Thunderstorm Wind, Macon

When: July 23, 5:05 PM CST to 5:15 PM CST
Where: Macon County, Niantic
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 39.550, -89.300

Thunderstorm winds blew down numerous tree limbs, power lines and a large tree. The tree knocked down additional power lines.

Thunderstorm Wind, Christian

When: July 23, 5:15 PM CST to 5:25 PM CST
Where: Christian County, Taylorville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 40.117, -88.250

Numerous power lines were blown down as well as several large trees at a local park and cemetery.

Thunderstorm Wind, Champaign

When: July 23, 5:24 PM CST to 5:40 PM CST
Where: Champaign County, Champaign
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 39.800, -88.283

Thunderstorm winds blew off part of the roof of a storage building, damaging a car nearby. Also, numerous tree limbs and power lines were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Vermilion

When: July 23, 6:10 PM CST
Where: Vermilion County, Potomac
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 40.417, -89.417

Several power lines were blown down in Potomac.

Thunderstorm Wind, Douglas

When: July 23, 6:10 PM CST
Where: Douglas County, Tuscola
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 40.383, -87.667

Several trees and tree limbs were blown down.

Hail, Vermilion

When: July 23, 6:10 PM CST
Where: Vermilion County, Rossville
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 40.300, -87.800

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

Every storm in Illinois in 2001 Every state in 2001 This day in weather history Warnings in Illinois, July 2001

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: 5258060, 5258061, 5258062, 5258063, 5258064, 5258065, 5256632, 5258066, 5258067.