On the morning of March 30, the atmosphere over Illinois was uncommonly warm, humid and unstable for late March. During the morning hours, an upper level low pressure system was moving over Iowa while an associated cold front moved through Missouri and crossed the Mississippi River into Illinois.
Every event with a place to put it. 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 episode as NWS LOT wrote it up.
On the morning of March 30, the atmosphere over Illinois was uncommonly warm, humid and unstable for late March. During the morning hours, an upper level low pressure system was moving over Iowa while an associated cold front moved through Missouri and crossed the Mississippi River into Illinois. As the front moved into western Illinois, showers and thunderstorms began to develop. By 4:30 PM CST, strong thunderstorms moved into La Salle and Grundy Counties, producing large hail, up to golf ball size. Strong thunderstorms producing large hail continued to move northeastward throughout northcentral and northeastern Illinois. These storms continued to produce large hail and strong, damaging winds into the early evening hours. After sunset, the storms weakened and dissipated.
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 Chicago, IL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 30, 3:10 PM CST, 45 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL 310 PM CST WED MAR 30 2005 .DISCUSSION FOR AFTERNOON ZONES/GRIDS... MAIN FORECAST CONCERN WILL CONCENTRATE ON NEXT 6 HOUR PERIOD AND POTENTIAL OF SEVERE WEATHER WITH A TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT ACROSS ALL OF CWA UNTIL 8 PM. MID/UPPER LEVEL JET STREAK CONTINUES TO APPROACH NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS THIS AFTERNOON WHICH HAS AIDED IN CONVECTIVE INVITATION ACROSS WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS IN ADVANCE OF COLD FRONT TRACKING EASTWARD ACROSS WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. 18Z SOUNDING FROM ILX SHOWING VERY STEEP MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES WITH FAIRLY LARGE LOW AND MID LEVEL DEW POINT DEPRESSIONS. PLENTY OF DEEP LAYER SHEAR AROUND 55 KNOTS SUPPORTIVE OF SUPERCELLS EMBEDDED IN BROKEN LINE OF CONVECTION BUT LCLS APPEAR TO BE RELATIVELY HIGH IN THE 4-5K FOOT RANGE. WITH THE STEEP MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES...SB CAPES APPEAR TO BE ON THE ORDER OF 1000-1500 J/KG. CURRENT THINKING IS THAT WIND AND HAIL WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREATS WITH FLOODING NOT EXPECTED TO BE A BIG CONCERN GIVEN VERY STRONG STEERING FLOW WITH THE STORMS. DO HAVE SOUTH WINDS BRUSHING UP AGAINST WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA IN WARM SECTOR BUT EXPECTING WINDS TO DIMINISH A BIT WITH SOME WEAKENING OF LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES. WILL NOT ISSUE WIND ADVISORY AT THIS TIME WITH EXPECTATION WIND SPEEDS WILL DROP OFF TO JUST UNDER ADVISORY LEVELS EARLY THIS EVENING. UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AXIS TO PUSH THROUGH THE AREA LATE TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY. DID KEEP RAIN SHOWERS ACROSS NORTHERN CWA THURSDAY AFTERNOON WITH COLDER MID LEVEL TEMP AND STEEPER MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES ACROSS THE NORTH. NAM 850 HPA WINDS STILL UP IN THE 35 KNOT RANGE TOMORROW WITH DECENT MIXING SO MAY ONCE AGAIN BRUSH UP AGAINST WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA BUT WILL HOLD WITH WINDS IN THE 20 TO 30 MPH RANGE TOMORROW. MADE VERY FEW CHANGES TO REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST WITH EXCEPTION OF ADDING -SHRA CHANCES FOR LATE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY WITH NEXT SIGNIFICANT TROUGH TO APPROACH. NDM && .AVIATION... FOR 18Z TAFS...EXPECTING A SQUALL LINE TO IMPACT THE TERMINALS LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING. VFR CIGS AND VIS UNTIL THE TSRA. MVFR TO IFR EXPECTED WITHIN THE SQUALL LINE. BEHIND THE LINE, MVFR CIGS TO DEVELOP AND PERSIST THROUGH THE FCST PERIOD. TODAYS SFC WINDS WILL HOLD OUT OF THE SSE WITH GUSTS TO 30 KTS VEERING TONIGHT BEHIND THE TSRA TO THE SW THEN WEST TOMORROW. EXPECTING A WINDY DAY AGAIN TOMORROW. && .LOT...WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... .IL...NONE. .IN...NONE. .LK MI...SMALL CRFT ADVSRY THRU THURS..
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL 100 PM CST WED MAR 30 2005 ILZ003>006-008-010>014-019>022-023-032-033-039-INZ001-002-010-011-019 -311200- WINNEBAGO-BOONE-MCHENRY-LAKE IL-OGLE-LEE-DE KALB-KANE-DU PAGE-COOK- LA SALLE-KENDALL-GRUNDY-WILL-KANKAKEE-LIVINGSTON-IROQUOIS-FORD- LAKE IN-PORTER-NEWTON-JASPER-BENTON- 100 PM CST WED MAR 30 2005 THIS PORTION OF THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST ILLINOIS...AND NORTHWEST INDIANA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE ENTIRE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. TORNADO WATCHES ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING. A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY TONIGHT. THE MAIN THREATS FROM THE STRONGER STORMS WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS WILL BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. && COMPLETE FORECAST INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE NOAA NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE WEBPAGE AT: WEATHER.GOV/CHICAGO (LOWER CASE) LMZ740>746-766-311200- WINTHROP HARBOR IL TO NEW BUFFALO MI- LAKE MICHIGAN- 100 PM CST WED MAR 30 2005 THIS PORTION OF THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE ILLINOIS AND INDIANA WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NEAR SHORE WATERS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED ON THURSDAY DUE TO STRONG WINDS. && COMPLETE FORECAST INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE NOAA NWS CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE WEBPAGE AT: WEATHER.GOV/CHICAGO (LOWER CASE)
The Chicago radar (KLOT), 86 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:55 UTC.
50 hail, 7 thunderstorm wind, 2 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Cars were blown off the road 2 miles west of Streator, 1 1/2 miles south of State Road 18.
Nickel sized hail reported 8 miles west of Morris, 1625-1630 CSTQuarter sized hail reported in Morris, 1635-1640 CST.Penny sized hail reported in Morris, 1638-1643 CST.Quarter sized hail reported near mile marker 115 on I-80, just east of Morris, 1638-1643 CST.Golf ball sized hail reported at the Morris Airport, 5 miles north of Morris, 1640-1645 CST.Quarter sized hail reported in Morris, 1640-1645 CST.Quarter sized hail reported 2 miles north of I-80, on Ridge Rd. in Minooka, 1655-1700 CST.
Power lines reported down.
Roof and structural damage reported.
Quarter sized hail reported at the intersection of Rt. 47 and Newark Rd.
Golf ball sized hail and nickel sized hail reported in Plainfield, 1650-1655 CST.Nickel sized hail reported at the Plainfield library, 1708-1713 CST.Quarter sized hail reported at the intersection of County Line and Theodore Rds., 3 miles NW of Shorewood, 1705-1710 CST.
Nickel sized hail reported at the intersection of Fabian and Kirk Rds.
Penny sized hail reported at the intersection of Caton Farm and Essington Rds, 1705-1710 CST.Golf ball sized hail reported at Joliet Junior College, 1708-1713 CST.
Hail was reported to be covering the ground in Romeoville, 1709-1714 CST.Quarter sized hail was reported at the National Weather Service office, 1712-1717 CST.Penny sized hail was reported in Romeoville at intersection of Weber and Renwick Rds, 1718-1723 CST.Golf ball sized hail was reported in Romeoville, 1728-1733 CST.Penny sized hail was reported in Romeoville, 1729-1734 CST
Nickel to half dollar sized hail was reported from Shorewood to 1 mile north of Shorewood, 1710-1715 CST.
Penny sized hail was reported at the intersection of Rt. 17 and I-55.
Nickel sized hail was reported near the intersection of I-55 and Rt. 53.
Quarter sized hail was reported in Lemont, 1725-1730 CST.Quarter sized hail was reported in Chicago Ridge near the intersection of 95th St. and I-294, 1730-1735 CST.Penny sized hail was reported in Bridgeview at the intersection of 79th St. and 78th Ave, 1738-1743 CST.Nickel sized hail was reported in Hometown, 1740-1745 CST.Penny sized hail was reported in La Grange, 1740-1745 CST.Penny sized hail was reported in Bridgeview, 1755-1800 CST.
A portion of the roof was blown off an indoor sports complex on Bell Rd. near Homer Glen.A tractor-trailer was overturned near Homer Glen.
Penny sized hail was reported at Cedar Point, 1730-1745 CST.Golf ball sized hail was reported 1 mile east of La Salle, 1738-1743 CST.Quarter sized hail was reported by NWS Cooperative observer in Peru, 1740-1745 CST.Quarter sized hail was reported by law enforment officials at IL State Police District 17 office in Peru, 1740-1745 CST.Quarter sized hail was reported on East 8th Rd, 3 miles north of Utica, 1744-1749 CST.Golf ball sized hail was reported 2 miles east of East 8th Rd, on North 35th Rd, causing damage to a vehicle, 1750-1755 CST.Quarter sized hail was reported in Earlville by an amateur radio operator, 1800-1805 CST.
Quarter sized hail was reported at the intersection of Cass Rd. and 75th St.
Power lines down and new homes under construction had walls knocked down.
Penny sized hail was reported near the intersection of Lorenzo Rd. and I-55.
Large tree limbs blown down onto a house.
Penny sized hail fell for about 90 seconds on Illinois Rt. 23.
Penny sized hail was reported in Orland Park at the intersection of 82nd Ave. and 143rd St, 1830-1835 CST.Nickel sized hail was reported in Chicago Ridge, 1830-1830 CST.Nickel sized hail was reported in Oak Lawn at the intersection of 115th St. and Central Ave., 1832-1837 CST.Penny sized hail was reported in Bridgeview, 1835-1840 CST.Nickel sized hail was reported in Evergreen Park, 1843-1848 CST.
Golf ball sized hail was reported about 3 miles north of Paw Paw or 8 miles west of Shabbona.
Nickel sized hail was reported south of Rt. 80 on E. 16th rd. in the Autumnwood subdivision, 1830-1840 CST.The ground was reported to be covered with 2 to 3 inches of quarter sized hail, 1842-1847 CST.
Nickel sized hail was reported covering the ground.
Quarter sized hail was reported covering the ground in Morris, 1836-1841 CST.Half dollar sized hail was reported in Morris, 1840-1845 CST.Quarter sized hail was reported in Minooka, 1850-1855 CST.
Penny sized hail was reported on the campus of Northern Illinois University.
Quarter sized hail was reported 4 miles west of Joliet, at the intersection of County Line Rd. and Theodore St., 1855-1900 CST.Quarter sized hail was reported at the intersection of Rt. 59 and Caton Farm Rd, 1900-1905 CST.Golf ball sized hail was reported in Plainfield, 1900-1905 CST.Quarter sized hail was reported at the intersection of Rt. 7 and Rt. 52, 1859-1904 CST.
Golf ball sized hail was reported at the intersection of Renwick Rd. and Weber Rd, 1859-1904 CST.Golf ball sized hail was reported at the National Weather Sevice office, 1912-1917 CST.Quarter sized hail was reported in Romeoville by Emergency Management, 1910-1915 CST.
Quarter sized hail was reported at the intersection of Rt. 7 and Rt. 52, 1905-1910 CST.Quarter sized hail was reported at the University of St. Francis, 1910-1915 CST.Quarter sized hail was reported on Kelly Ave., 1910-1915 CST.Golf ball sized hail was reported near St. Joseph Hospital, 1911-1916 CST.
Penny sized hail was reported at the intersection of Weber Rd. and Interstate 55, 1905-1910 CST.Commonwealth/Jennifer (near Boughton-Weber Rd. intersection) reported penny sized hail, 1905-1910 CST.
Quarter sized hail was reported and 66 mph wind gust measured with unofficial equipment.
Nickel sized hail was reported near the intersection of Bruce Rd. and Lawrence Ave.
Golf ball sized hail was reported at the intersection of Interstate 355 and 75th St.
Water 6 inches deep was reported covering the road at the intersection of River Rd. and Renwick Rd. in Plainfield.
Large tree limbs were reported down on side streets.
Golf ball sized hail was reported in Lemont, 1922-1927 CST.Penny sized hail was reported in La Grange, 1932-1937 CST.Quarter sized hail was reported in La Grange, 1934-1937 CST.
Street flooding was reported at the intersection of River Rd. and Easy St. in Plainfield.
Penny sized hail was reported near the intersection of Golf Rd. and Harlem Ave.
Quarter sized hail was reported at the intersection of 91st St. and Rt. 83.
Quarter sized hail was reported at the intersection of Sunrise and Highland Rds.
Penny sized hail was reported to be covering the ground.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2005Every state in 2005This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, March 2005
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: 5433523, 5433522, 5433182, 5433183, 5433184, 5433185, 5433186, 5433187, 5433188, 5433189, 5433190, 5433191, 5433192, 5433193, 5433194, 5433195, 5433196, 5433293, 5433294, 5433295, 5433296, 5433521, 5433297, 5433298, 5433299, 5433300, 5433301, 5433302, 5433303, 5433304, 5433305, 5433519, 5433306, 5433307, 5433308, 5433309, 5433520, 5433398, 5433400, 5433399, and more.