21 thunderstorm wind, 4 hail, 3 flash flood, 3 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
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 May 24, 8:10 PM CST, 1 hour 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 910 PM CDT TUE MAY 24 2004 .DISCUSSION...LATEST SURFACE ANALYSIS HAD WAVY FRONTAL BOUNDARY LYING ACROSS SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...ROUGHLY ALONG I-70. FRONT IS NOT EXPECTED TO MAKE TOO MUCH MORE PROGRESS SOUTH TONIGHT AS WEAK UPPER IMPULSES CONTINUE TO MOVE ALONG IT. LOW LEVEL AIRMASS HAS COOLED AND DRIED TO THE NORTH OF THE BOUNDARY...BUT IT IS STILL WARM AND HUMID TO THE SOUTH. BEST FORCING FOR SHOWER/STORM DEVELOPMENT OVERNIGHT HAS ENDED AND DIURNAL INSTABILITY HAS DIMINISHED...SO DO NOT EXPECT MAJOR REDEVELOPMENT OVERNIGHT. HOWEVER...UPPER IMPULSES (AND THE ASSOCIATED WEAK DPVA AND WAA/ISENTROPIC ASCENT) AND STEEP MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES (TO 7 C/KM) SUPPORT KEEPING CHANCES OF SHOWERS/STORMS IN MUCH OF FORECAST AREA OVERNIGHT...ESPECIALLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-70. UPDATED GRIDS/ZONES ALREADY OUT...WITH MAINLY COSMETIC CHANGES. && .PREV DISCUSSION... SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT... CLUSTER OF STORMS OVER EAST-CENTRAL MISSOURI TRACKING EAST ALONG WARM FRONT THIS AFTERNOON HAS PROMPTED WATCH BOX BORDERING OUR COUNTIES TO THE SOUTH. JET STREAK EVIDENT IN WATER VAPOR IMAGERY INTERACTING WITH BOUNDARY TO FORCE STORMS. ETA SUGGESTS THAT MOVEMENT OF STREAK SHOULD BE GENERALLY TO THE EAST. SOUTHEAST COUNTIES HAVE HAD PARTIAL CLEARING ALLOWING LIFTED INDEX TO REACH THE -3 TO -5 RANGE FROM I-70 SOUTH. WILL KEEP LIKELY POPS GOING SOUTH OF I-70. MODELS EXPECT BOUNDARY TO BE SUPPRESSED TO NEAR OHIO RIVER WEDNESDAY BEFORE RETURNING NORTHWARD LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT. WILL KEEP CHANCES I-72 SOUTH...BUT AGREE WITH SPC DEPICTION OF KEEPING ACTIVITY MOSTLY ACROSS SOUTHERN ZONES. 12Z GFS/ETA ALSO SUPPRESSES BEST RAIN CHANCES SOUTH OF I-70. LONG TERM...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... BOUNDARY IS PROGGED TO BEGIN TO RETURN NORTHWARD ON THURSDAY IN RESPONSE TO STRONG SHORTWAVE EJECTING OUT OF THE PLAINS. WILL INTRODUCE POPS INTO ENTIRE AREA THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. CENTRAL ILLINOIS SHOULD BE IN THE WARM SECTOR ON FRIDAY. HOWEVER...GFS BRINGS WEAK DISTURBANCE ACROSS AREA FRIDAY NIGHT. WILL KEEP LOW CHANCE POPS GOING THEN AND INTO WEEKEND. GFS ENSEMBLE SEEMS SUBSTANTIALLY FASTER THAN OPERATIONAL GFS WITH REGARDS TO PASSAGE OF SYSTEM OVER WEEKEND. SUNDAY LOOKS LIKE BEST CHANCES AND WILL BE REFLECTED IN THE GRIDS. ENSEMBLE SUGGESTS THAT MEMORIAL DAY MAY BE DRY...BUT GIVEN UNCERTAINTY WILL KEEP GOING LOW POPS AT THIS TIME. SYSTEM SHOULD BE BY FOR TUESDAY AND WILL GO DRY THEN. WILL GENERALLY FOLLOW MAV/MEX TEMP GUIDANCE. && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. && BAK/BARKER
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 530 PM CDT MON MAY 24 2004 ILZ027>031-036-037-040>042-047>051-251100- CASS-FULTON-KNOX-LOGAN-MARSHALL-MASON-MENARD-MORGAN-PEORIA-SANGAMON- SCHUYLER-SCOTT-STARK-TAZEWELL-WOODFORD- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...GALESBURG...HAVANA...JACKSONVILLE... LINCOLN...PEORIA AND SPRINGFIELD 530 PM CDT MON MAY 24 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN PORTION OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT... THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER TONIGHT ACROSS WESTERN PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE ALREADY DEVELOPED OVER PARTS OF WESTERN MISSOURI AND SOUTHERN IOWA AND WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH EAST TOWARDS ILLINOIS THIS EVENING. THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO FORM INTO A SQUALL LINE PRIOR TO MOVING ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WILL BE HIGH STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE LINE WITH POTENTIAL FOR WIND SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 75 MPH. HOWEVER...EMBEDDED SUPERCELL STORMS MAY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND TORNADOES ALONG WITH TORRENTIAL RAINFALL. CURRENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE LINE WILL REACH KNOX...FULTON... SCHUYLER...CASS...MORGAN...AND SCOTT COUNTIES BETWEEN 9 AND 10 PM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE GREATEST THREAT WILL COME FROM HIGH WINDS AND POSSIBLY LARGE HAIL. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. .SPOTTER ACTIVATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE LIKELY THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. ILZ038-251100- MCLEAN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BLOOMINGTON 530 PM CDT MON MAY 24 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR MCLEAN COUNTY ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT... THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER TONIGHT ACROSS MCLEAN COUNTY. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE MIDDLE MISSOURI VALLEY THIS AFTERNOON AND MOVE EASTWARD INTO ILLINOIS THIS EVENING. THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO FORM INTO A SQUALL LINE PRIOR TO MOVING ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WILL BE HIGH STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE LINE WITH POTENTIAL FOR WIND SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 75 MPH. HOWEVER...EMBEDDED SUPERCELL STORMS MAY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND TORNADOES ALONG WITH TORRENTIAL RAINFALL. CURRENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE LINE WILL REACH MCLEAN COUNTY BETWEEN 10 AND 11 PM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE GREATEST THREAT WILL COME FROM HIGH WINDS AND POSSIBLY LARGE HAIL. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. .SPOTTER ACTIVATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. ILZ043-044-052>054-061-251100- CHRISTIAN-DE WITT-MACON-MOULTRIE-PIATT-SHELBY- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...DECATUR...SHELBYVILLE AND TAYLORVILLE 530 PM CDT MON MAY 24 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT... THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER TONIGHT ACROSS CENTRAL ILLINOIS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE MIDDLE MISSOURI VALLEY THIS AFTERNOON AND MOVE EASTWARD INTO ILLINOIS THIS EVENING. THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO FORM INTO A SQUALL LINE PRIOR TO MOVING ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WILL BE HIGH STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE LINE WITH POTENTIAL FOR WIND SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 75 MPH. HOWEVER...EMBEDDED SUPERCELL STORMS MAY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND TORNADOES ALONG WITH TORRENTIAL RAINFALL. CURRENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE LINE WILL REACH DECATUR...CLINTON...AND TAYLORVILLE BETWEEN 10 AND 11 PM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE GREATEST THREAT WILL COME FROM HIGH WINDS AND POSSIBLY LARGE HAIL. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. .SPOTTER ACTIVATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY TONIGHT. ILZ045-046-055>057-062-063-066>068-071-251100- CHAMPAIGN-CLARK-CLAY-COLES-CRAWFORD-CUMBERLAND-DOUGLAS-EDGAR- EFFINGHAM-JASPER-VERMILION- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CHAMPAIGN...DANVILLE...EFFINGHAM... FLORA AND MATTOON 530 PM CDT MON MAY 24 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT... THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER TONIGHT ACROSS EASTERN ILLINOIS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE MIDDLE MISSOURI VALLEY THIS AFTERNOON AND MOVE EASTWARD INTO ILLINOIS THIS EVENING. THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO FORM INTO A SQUALL LINE PRIOR TO MOVING ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WILL BE HIGH STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE LINE. LARGE HAIL AND BRIEF TORNADOES WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE ALONG WITH TORRENTIAL RAINFALL. THE GREATEST POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE BETWEEN 11 PM AND 3 AM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE GREATEST THREAT WILL COME FROM HIGH WINDS AND POSSIBLY LARGE HAIL. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. .SPOTTER ACTIVATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED LATE THIS EVENING AND DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. ILZ072-073-251100- LAWRENCE-RICHLAND- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...LAWRENCEVILLE 530 PM CDT MON MAY 24 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR LAWRENCE AND RICHLAND COUNTIES IN ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT... THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER LATE TONIGHT ACROSS PARTS OF SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED OVERNIGHT ACROSS RICHLAND AND LAWRENCE COUNTIES. SOME OF THESE STORMS TONIGHT WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND SPEEDS UP TO 60 MPH...HAIL...HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. THE GREATEST POTENTIAL FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE AFTER MIDNIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE GREATEST THREAT WILL COME FROM HIGH WINDS AND POSSIBLY LARGE HAIL. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. .SPOTTER ACTIVATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. && THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER...HYDROLOGIC AND CLIMATE INFORMATION...IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEB AT: HTTP://WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/ILX. THIS ADDRESS IS ALL IN LOWER CASE. SMITH/BARKER
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
21 thunderstorm wind, 4 hail, 3 flash flood, 3 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Several trees, power lines and numerous tree limbs were blown down between Brooklyn and Frederick.
Very heavy rain fell countywide in a short amount of time. Numerous roads were flooded.
Large maple tree blown down.
Thunderstorm winds blew down numerous trees, power lines and tree limbs from west of Glasgow to the Winchester area. Several large trees, over 3 feet wide, were blown down on the east side of the Illinois River near Montezuma Landing. A couple of the fallen trees damaged some unoccupied camping trailers.
The tornado initially touched down 6 miles west southwest of Winchester then traveled to the northeast causing minor tree damage. Two miles southwest of Winchester it destroyed a mobile home causing 1 fatality. The two occupants of the mobile home were thrown from the home. The husband only sustained minor injuries. As the tornado went through Winchester it weakened in intensity causing minor to moderate damage to the roofs of several homes, destroyed some sheds and blew down numerous trees.
A small tornado touched down in the southwest section of Jacksonville near the point where Route 67 turns north. As it traveled to the northeast it quickly intensified to F2 strength destroying a furniture store, house and church and caused major damage to a motel. One occupant of the motel sustained minor injuries. The tornado then quickly weakened causing minor damage to several more homes and businesses before lifting and dissipating.
Thunderstorm winds caused a large swath of damage across town. Numerous trees, tree limbs and power lines were blown down. Also, several homes sustained minor roof damage. The county courthouse also sustained roof damage. No injuries were reported.
Numerous tree limbs were blown down between Manito and Mason City. Also, an irrigation system near Manito was flipped over.
Thunderstorm winds blew down a large tree across IL Route 54 between Farmer City and Clinton.
A large tree was blown down in town, as well as numerous tree limbs.
Up to three inches of rain fell in a short amount of time causing numerous rural and urban roads to become flooded.
Damaging thunderstorm winds caused widespread damage across Sangamon County. In Berlin, the winds damaged the roof of a double wide mobile home and destroyed a garage. On the east side of Springfield a two story building sustained moderate roof damage. Then in an area from Auburn to Divernon to Pawnee, damaging winds pushed one wall of a large storage building out, snapped numerous power poles off, blew down numerous trees and power lines, caused extensive damage to the roofs of three apartment buildings and blew over two semis on I-55. One driver sustained minor injuries and one resident of the apartment complex sustained minor injuries. Northeast of Rochester, numerous trees were blown down, one of which landed on an unoccupied car, destroying it. A horse stable sustained moderate roof damage.
A tornado briefly touched down in Divernon. It destroyed 5 garages and blew down numerous trees, tree limbs and power lines. Several homes sustained minor damage, while one home sustained moderate damage. No injuries were reported.
Several large tree limbs were blown down around town.
Thunderstorm winds caused widespread damage across Christian County. Numerous trees, tree limbs, power lines and power poles were blown down. The most extensive damage was in the Edinburg area where several of the fallen trees landed on nearby homes causing moderate roof damage. Damage was also reported in the Taylorville and Pana areas. A large machine shed was destroyed one mile northwest of Taylorville off IL Route 29. In Pana, a porch was demolished when a tree fell on it. No injuries were reported.
Very heavy rains caused Coon Creek to rise above its banks and flood several yards and one garage in the Portland Place area.
Numerous large tree limbs were blown down between Bethany and Sullivan.
A large tree was blown down.
Numerous trees, tree limbs, power lines and power poles were blown down. One manufactured home near Forsyth had its roof blown off. Three cars in Decatur were damaged from fallen trees and two homes sustained roof damage due to fallen trees. No injuries were reported.
Thunderstorm winds blew down numerous trees, tree limbs and power lines. One tree landed on a garage in the Cowden area causing minor damage.
Several trees, power lines and power poles were blown down.
Several trees and tree limbs were blown down.
Numerous trees, tree limbs and power lines were blown down. One tree was uprooted in Tuscola damaging a car nearby. No injuries were reported.
Numerous trees, tree limbs and power lines were blown down countywide.
Several trees and tree limbs were blown down.
Several large tree limbs and power lines were blown down.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado, Scott | 2004-05-25 | 63 | Female | Mobile/Trailer Home | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2004Every state in 2004This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Illinois, 2004Warnings in Illinois, May 2004
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: 5400990, 5400989, 5400991, 5400993, 5400992, 5400994, 5400995, 5400996, 5400997, 5400998, 5401270, 5400999, 5401265, 5401267, 5401268, 5401269, 5401266, 5401273, 5401272, 5401274, 5401271, 5401543, 5401275, 5401544, 5401545, 5401549, 5401546, 5401547, 5401548, 5401550, 5401551.