Tornado and Flash Flooding in Illinois, April 19 to 20, 2002

Name: Tornado and Flash Flooding in Illinois, April 19 to 20, 2002
Start: 2002-04-19T17:36
End: 2002-04-20T01:30
Location: Illinois

April 19 to 20, 2002 · NWS ILX · 12 events in 9 counties and zones

4 hail, 4 flash flood, 3 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.

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.

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: 2
Property damage: None recorded
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 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 Apr 19, 1:15 PM CST, 4 hours 21 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 19, 1:15 PM CST, 4 hours 21 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
215 PM CDT FRI APR 19 2002

MODELS INITIALIZED WELL THIS MORNING AND HAD GOOD RUN TO RUN
CONSISTENCY. ETA MODEL WILL CONTINUE TO BE MODEL OF CHOICE AS HAS
BEEN PAST 36HRS. NGM TOO FAR NORTH AND SLOW WITH NEXT S/W LIFTING
OUT OF OK TOM NITE. AVN TOO FAST. THEREFORE WILL COMPROMISE WITH
ETA SPEED OF NEXT SYSTEM. MAIN QUESTIONS TONIGHT WILL CHC POPS FOR
NORTHERN CWA AND RESULTING TEMPS THROUGH FCST PERIOD AS FRONT STAYS
SOUTH MOST OF CWA THROUGH SUNDAY.

FRONT CURRENTLY FRONT NRN IND TO JUST SOUTH OF I-72 TO CNTRL MO TO
SFC LOW IN ERN KS. CRNT PRSS FALLS INDICATED SFC LOW WILL TRACK ENE
TWRD LSX BY THIS EVENING. MODELS CONSISTENT WITH THIS IDEA AS WELL...
ESPECIALLY THE ETA. THIS LOW LIFTING ENE TONIGHT SHOULD SPREAD PCPN
INTO MAINLY SOUTHERN IL TONIGHT...BUT SOME PCPN COULD SPREAD
NORTHWARD INTO REST OF CWA...THOUGH QPF WONT BE MUCH. CLOUD COVER
ASSOC WITH LOW BACK IN KS WILL ALSO ADVECT INTO CWA TONIGHT KEEPING
US MSTLY CLDY AND MILD ON TEMPS AGAIN...BUT NOT AS WARM AS PAST WEEK.

TOMORROW...FRONT FINALLY PUSHES FAR ENOUGH SOUTH THAT COOLER...MORE
SEASONABLE...AIR WILL ADVECT INTO CWA. PCPN CHANCES HOWEVER WILL
REMAIN ACRS CENTRAL WITH HIGHER POPS IN SOUTH...CLOSER TO FRONT. AS
FRONT PUSHES SOUTH DURING DAY...CHANCES OF PCPN ACRS AREA WILL
DIMINISH FOR ABOUT 12 TO 18 HOURS. ANOTHER SFC LOW WILL BE
DEVELOPING ACRS THE SRN PLAINS SAT AFTERNOON INTO SAT EVENING AND
THEN LIFT OUT SAT NIGHT INTO MO.

MODELS SHOW LARGE AREA OF MOISTURE AND TEMP CONVERGENCE AT 850 NORTH
OF FRONT...ALONG 850 FRONT SAT NIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING. THESE
DYNAMICS WILL BEGIN IN NRN MO AND THEN MOVE INTO CNTRL IL OVERNIGHT
AND CONTINUE DURING THE DAY SUNDAY. THIS WILL INCREASES CHCS OF
PCPN ACRS AREA INTO LIKELY CATEGORY FOR LATE SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
MORNING.

SUNDAY...AS LOW MOVES EAST IT WILL DRAG ANOTHER COLD FRONT FURTHER
SOUTH OF AREA AND BRING DRY AND MUCH COOLER TEMPS TO THE AREA FOR
MONDAY AND TUESDAY.

EXTENDED: DRY CONDITIONS AND COOL WX FOR MONDAY AND TUE. MODELS
STILL INDICATE CHC FOR PCPN WED...BUT ARE SLOWING SYSTEM SOME...SO
WILL NEED TO ADD PCPN FOR THUR MORNING AS WELL. FRI LOOKS DRY FOR
NOW.

ETA 2M TEMPS LOOKED GOOD LAST NIGHT SO WILL FOLLOW FOR LOWS
TONIGHT. FWC AND FAN TOO COOL ON TEMPS SO WILL FOLLOW CLOSER TO
MAV...OR SLIGHTLY COOLER...FOR HIGHS.

SPI ET 046/061 044/058 035 77647
PIA EW 045/058 041/054 034 77536
DEC ET 047/060 044/057 035 77647
CMI ET 047/060 044/056 034 77647
MTO ET 048/062 046/059 037 77657
LWV WT 050/065 048/062 039 77767

.ILX...NONE.

AUTEN

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 hail, 4 flash flood, 3 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Christian

When: April 19, 5:36 PM CST
Where: Christian County, 5 mi S of Mt Auburn
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.700, -89.267

Hail, Macon

When: April 19, 5:50 PM CST
Where: Macon County, Blue Mound
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.700, -89.117

Hail, Cass

When: April 19, 6:20 PM CST
Where: Cass County, Beardstown
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 40.017, -90.433

Thunderstorm Wind, Cass

When: April 19, 6:20 PM CST to 6:47 PM CST
Where: Cass County, Beardstown
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph)
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 40.017, -90.433

Scattered wind damage was reported in portions of Cass County along and south of a Beardstown to Philadelphia line. The damage was due to the rear flank downdraft of the severe thunderstorm. Damage consisted of numerous trees toppled or broken off, power poles snapped off, an irrigation rig thrown over and damage to a barn.

Tornado, Cass

When: April 19, 6:27 PM CST to 6:32 PM CST
Where: Cass County, 4 mi ESE of Bluff Spgs
Rating: F1
Path length: 2 mi
Path width: 40 yd
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 39.967, -90.283

A tornado briefly touched down 3.5 miles east southeast of Bluff Springs near Illinois Route 125. It was on the ground for about 2 miles, moving east northeast. Thirty to forty large trees were either broken off or uprooted. Also, a grain bin and three barns were destroyed. An ATV was picked up and thrown a short distance into a pickup truck. A number of power poles were snapped off. The tornado lifted about 2.5 miles northwest of Virginia.

Hail, Piatt

When: April 19, 6:40 PM CST
Where: Piatt County, Cerro Gordo
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 39.883, -88.733

Thunderstorm Wind, Menard

When: April 19, 7:00 PM CST to 7:15 PM CST
Where: Menard County, Countywide
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph)
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 40.050, -89.767

Numerous trees and powerlines and were blown down countywide. Also, a propane tank was blown over just south of Athens.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sangamon

When: April 19, 7:00 PM CST to 7:25 PM CST
Where: Sangamon County, 1 mi W of Pleasant Plains
Measured: 64 kt (74 mph)
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 39.867, -89.933

A bow echo moved through northern portions of Sangamon county, producing widespread damage. West of Pleasant Plains, numerous trees and powerlines were blown down. In Salisbury, two mobile homes sustained minor damage while another one was rolled off its foundation and destroyed. No injuries reported there. Just west of Capital Airport, two mobile homes were destroyed after being rolled off their foundations. One was occupied at the time and the occupant sustained minor cuts and bruises.

Flash Flood, Champaign

When: April 19, 7:34 PM CST to April 20, 1:30 AM CST
Where: Champaign County, Southeast Portion
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 40.140, -88.199 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Over 6 inches of rain fell in a short amount of time in southeastern Champaign county, between Pesotum and Broadlands. Numerous roads in the area were flooded with several roads washed out. No structural damage was reported with the flooding and no injuries were reported.

Flash Flood, Douglas

When: April 19, 7:37 PM CST to April 20, 1:30 AM CST
Where: Douglas County, Villa Grove
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.770, -88.217 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Over 6 inches of rain fell over northern portions of Douglas County in the Villa Grove area. This caused considerable flooding. One and a half to two feet of water flowed over roads in town, while roads on the west side of town were covered with 3 to 4 feet of water. Numerous garages and basements were flooded, with one business sustaining flood damage. Numerous people had to be rescued from their vehicles after driving around the baricades blocking flooded roads in town. Around 10 pm, a car was reported washed off the road near the intersection of county road 1350E and 1500N, a few miles west of Villa Grove. Two people were rescued from the car with one occupant sustaining a broken arm. No other injuries were reported.

Flash Flood, Christian

When: April 19, 9:00 PM CST to 10:30 PM CST
Where: Christian County, North Portion
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.546, -89.277 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Very heavy rain fell over a short period of time in northern portions of Christian county. The Edinburg-Mt. Auburn blacktop was down to one lane for a while due to water over the road. Also, Illinois Route 104 near Kincaid had water over it as well as Illinois Route 48 near Stonington. No structural damage or injuries were reported with the flooding.

Flash Flood, Logan

When: April 19, 9:27 PM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Logan County, Mt Pulaski
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 40.125, -89.367 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Very heavy rain fell over a short period of time in Mt. Pulaski. This caused a viaduct to flood on the east side of town. The water was 4 feet deep. No rescues or injuries were reported.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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.
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.
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

Every storm in Illinois in 2002 Every state in 2002 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Illinois, 2002 Warnings in Illinois, April 2002

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: 5290216, 5290217, 5290218, 5290291, 5290290, 5290220, 5290219, 5290289, 5290294, 5290293, 5290352, 5290292.