Hail, Effingham
- When
- April 18, 9:38 PM CST
- Where
- Effingham County, 3 mi N of Dieterich
- Measured
- 1.25 in hail
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 40.467, -87.667
Tornado and Hail in Illinois, April 18 to 19, 2006
16 hail, 10 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado, 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 4
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 27
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 18, 8:15 PM CST, 1 hour 23 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 18, 8:15 PM CST, 1 hour 23 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 915 PM CDT TUE APR 18 2006 .DISCUSSION... WILL BE UPDATING THE ZONES AND GRIDS SOON FOR A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH THAT INCLUDES FOUR COUNTIES IN WCENT IL. A SURFACE LOW IN CENT MO...WITH A WARM FRONT INTO EXTREME SOUTHERN IL WILL TRACK ESE ALONG THE BOUNDARY. THE STRONGEST STORMS SHOULD BE SOUTH OF OUR FORECAST AREA...BUT A FEW ELEVATED STORMS WITH LARGE HAIL COULD EXTEND NORTH OF THE LOW TRACK INTO WCENT IL. THE REST OF THE FORECAST AREA CAN EXPECT PERIODIC SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE NIGHT. SOME OF THESE MAY PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN AND SMALL HAIL. && .PREV DISCUSSION... MAIN CONCERNS ARE...STORMS TONIGHT...THEN LINGERING PRECIP CHANCES THROUGH THE WEEK DUE TO A DRIFTING CUT OFF LOW. IN THE SHORT TERM... MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT. THE EUROPEAN PAIR...CANADIAN GLOBAL AND NOGAPS MATCH UP WELL WITH THE NAM AND GFS WITH A LINE OF SHOWERS AND STORMS TONIGHT. WILL GO WITH GFS FOR DETAILS. SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY... LOW PRESSURE ACROSS WESTERN MISSOURI WILL DRIFT SOUTHEAST THIS EVENING. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL ERUPT ACROSS MISSOURI THIS EVENING...AND THEN MOVE EASTWARD INTO ILLINOIS OVERNIGHT. THE AIRMASS OVER ILLINOIS REMAINS RATHER DRY IN THE LOWER LEVELS ACROSS CENTRAL IL...PER THE 1730Z FLIGHT TODAY...AND ESPECIALLY DRY ABOVE 700 MB. A CAP IS PRESENT AT 850 MB AS WELL. SO STORMS WILL TAKE A WHILE TO GET GOING TONIGHT. BY MIDNIGHT...A LINE OF STORMS SHOULD BE ALREADY PUSHING INTO CENTRAL ILLINOIS...AS THE LOW PASSES ACROSS FAR SOUTHERN IL...AND THE INVERTED TROUGH ENTERS IL. WET BULB ZERO HEIGHTS OF 9000 FT AGL ARE FAVORABLE FOR HAIL. SHEAR VALUES WILL ALSO BECOME MORE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE STORMS THIS EVENING AS OUR SURFACE WINDS BACK IN RESPONSE TO THE APPROACHING LOW AND INVERTED TROUGH. WE ARE IN A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER TONIGHT...SEE SPC/S SWODY1 FOR DETAILS. THE SEVERE THREAT WILL DIMINISH AS THE STORMS PROGRESS EAST TOWARD OUR EASTERN CWA. WENT WITH LIKELY POPS FOR MID TO 6 AM...WHEN WE WILL SATURATE IN A DEEP ENOUGH LAYER FOR CONVECTION. THE LOW WILL MOVE SOUTHEAST ON WED MORNING...WITH STORMS LINGERING ACROSS OUR E CWA...MAINLY WED MORNING. THIS WILL BE DUE TO THE TROUGH STALLING OUT JUST EAST OF ILLINOIS...AS THE BLOCKED UPPER PATTERN KEEPS THE H5 LOW TO OUR NW. PRECIP MAY DEVELOP ON THURSDAY NIGHT AS A SECONDARY FRONT MOVES EAST ACROSS ILLINOIS...THEN AGAIN ON FRIDAY AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM CLIPS SOUTHEASTERN ILLINOIS. WENT WITH CHC POPS IN OUR SE CWA AS CANADIAN AND NOGAPS AGREE WITH GFS ON A PRECIP SHIELD IN THAT AREA FOR THUR NIGHT/FRIDAY. LONG TERM...SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY... A GENERAL COOLER TREND IS STILL EXPECTED TO REMAIN INTO THE EXTENDED...AS THE BLOCKED UPPER FLOW KEEPS COOLER AIR AND CLOUDS IN PLACE ACROSS THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. WE WILL SEE A LONG WAVE TROUGH COME INTO THE WEST COAST LATER THIS WEEK...AND POSSIBLY BRING SOME STORMS FOR NEXT MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT. WE ALREADY HAD 20 POPS FOR MONDAY...AND I LEFT THAT AS IS. && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && MILLER/SHIMON
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 18, 10:48 AM CST, 10 hours 50 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 1148 AM CDT TUE APR 18 2006 ILZ040-047>052-061-062-066>068-071>073-191100- SCHUYLER-CASS-MENARD-SCOTT-MORGAN-SANGAMON-CHRISTIAN-SHELBY- CUMBERLAND-EFFINGHAM-JASPER-CRAWFORD-CLAY-RICHLAND-LAWRENCE- 1148 AM CDT TUE APR 18 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS...EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A WARM FRONT WILL LIFT NORTHWARD INTO SOUTHERN ILLINOIS LATER TODAY...AS AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE DEEPENS ACROSS WESTERN MISSOURI. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO INITIATE ACROSS PARTS OF MISSOURI AND IOWA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...THEN SPREAD EASTWARD INTO CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS TONIGHT. WHILE THE PRIMARY FOCUS FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL REMAIN JUST WEST AND SOUTH OF ILLINOIS...SOME OF THE STORMS THAT TRACK INTO THE AREA TONIGHT MAY BECOME SEVERE...ESPECIALLY ALONG AND SOUTHWEST OF A BEARDSTOWN...TO SHELBYVILLE...TO LAWRENCEVILLE LINE. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS WILL BE THE MAIN THREATS...WITH ISOLATED TORNADOES ALSO POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY A COLD FRONT WILL SLOWLY SWING THROUGH THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY...TRIGGERING SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. ANY STORMS THAT DEVELOP ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED TONIGHT...MAINLY BETWEEN 9 PM AND 4 AM. ILZ027>031-036>038-041>046-053>057-063-191100- KNOX-STARK-PEORIA-MARSHALL-WOODFORD-FULTON-TAZEWELL-MCLEAN-MASON- LOGAN-DE WITT-PIATT-CHAMPAIGN-VERMILION-MACON-MOULTRIE-DOUGLAS- COLES-EDGAR-CLARK- 1148 AM CDT TUE APR 18 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A WARM FRONT WILL LIFT NORTHWARD INTO SOUTHERN ILLINOIS LATER TODAY...AS AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE DEEPENS ACROSS WESTERN MISSOURI. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO INITIATE ACROSS PARTS OF MISSOURI AND IOWA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...THEN SPREAD EASTWARD INTO CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS TONIGHT. WHILE SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED...SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THE STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY A COLD FRONT WILL SLOWLY SWING THROUGH THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY...TRIGGERING SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. ANY STORMS THAT DEVELOP ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. BARNES
The radar
The Chicago radar (KLOT), 131 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:40 UTC.
Event by event
16 hail, 10 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail, Jasper
- When
- April 18, 9:39 PM CST
- Where
- Jasper County, 3 mi E of Newton
- Measured
- 1.75 in hail
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 38.717, -87.750
Hail, Jasper
- When
- April 18, 9:39 PM CST
- Where
- Jasper County, 3 mi N of Wheeler
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 39.767, -90.233
Hail, Crawford
- When
- April 18, 10:15 PM CST to 10:30 PM CST
- Where
- Crawford County, Robinson
- Measured
- 1.75 in hail
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 40.133, -89.750
Tornado, Logan
- When
- April 18, 10:19 PM CST
- Where
- Logan County, 2 mi W of Lincoln
- Rating
- F0
- Path length
- 0.1 mi
- Path width
- 50 yd
- Injuries
- 2 direct, 0 indirect
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 40.200, -88.500
A tornado developed in an open field and crossed Interstate 55 near mile marker 126. It overturned two semi trucks, causing two injuries. No other damage was reported.
Thunderstorm Wind, Morgan
- When
- April 18, 10:25 PM CST
- Where
- Morgan County, Jacksonville Arpt
- Measured
- 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
- Coordinates
- 39.933, -88.867
Thunderstorm Wind, Menard
- When
- April 18, 10:45 PM CST
- Where
- Menard County, 3 mi N of Greenview
- Measured
- 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 40.383, -88.833
20 power poles were snapped off along Route 29 near Salt Creek.
Thunderstorm Wind, Sangamon
- When
- April 18, 11:04 PM CST
- Where
- Sangamon County, (Spi)springfield Arp
- Measured
- 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
- Coordinates
- 40.600, -88.983
Thunderstorm Wind, Logan
- When
- April 18, 11:19 PM CST to 11:22 PM CST
- Where
- Logan County, 1 mi W of Lincoln
- Measured
- 70 kt (81 mph) estimated gust
- Injuries
- 2 direct, 0 indirect
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 39.800, -88.600
Several trees were blown down and the roof was damaged at the State Prison. In addition, 15 power poles and numerous trees were blown down along Old Route 66 and the Union Pacific Railroad tracks for about a mile just west of Lincoln. Finally, a semi truck was overturned on Interstate 55, near mile marker 123, causing two injuries.
Hail, Logan
- When
- April 18, 11:22 PM CST
- Where
- Logan County, Lincoln
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- NWS EMPLOYEE(OFF DUTY)
- Coordinates
- 40.017, -88.733
Hail, Moultrie
- When
- April 18, 11:28 PM CST
- Where
- Moultrie County, Lovington
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 40.200, -88.400
Hail, De Witt
- When
- April 18, 11:35 PM CST
- Where
- De Witt County, Rowell
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 39.200, -88.100
Hail, McLean
- When
- April 18, 11:45 PM CST
- Where
- McLean County, 1 mi E of Heyworth
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
- Coordinates
- 38.833, -88.033
Hail, McLean
- When
- April 18, 11:56 PM CST
- Where
- McLean County, Bloomington
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- NWS EMPLOYEE(OFF DUTY)
- Coordinates
- 39.850, -89.683
Thunderstorm Wind, Macon
- When
- April 19, 12:01 AM CST
- Where
- Macon County, Argenta
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 40.150, -89.383
Power lines blown down.
Hail, Macon
- When
- April 19, 12:01 AM CST
- Where
- Macon County, Argenta
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 40.150, -89.367
Hail, Macon
- When
- April 19, 12:04 AM CST
- Where
- Macon County, Oreana
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 40.150, -89.400
Thunderstorm Wind, McLean
- When
- April 19, 12:05 AM CST
- Where
- McLean County, 2 mi SE of Downs
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
- Coordinates
- 39.717, -88.633
Pickup truck and semi trailer overturned on Interstate 74 near mile marker 144.
Thunderstorm Wind, McLean
- When
- April 19, 12:08 AM CST
- Where
- McLean County, Hudson
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 40.067, -89.033
Home lost much of its roof in Hudson.
Hail, Piatt
- When
- April 19, 12:10 AM CST
- Where
- Piatt County, Hammond
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 40.317, -88.967
Hail, Piatt
- When
- April 19, 12:15 AM CST
- Where
- Piatt County, Cisco
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 39.117, -88.367
Hail, Piatt
- When
- April 19, 12:27 AM CST
- Where
- Piatt County, 1 mi S of Mansfield
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 38.983, -88.117
Hail, Champaign
- When
- April 19, 12:30 AM CST
- Where
- Champaign County, Mahomet
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
- Coordinates
- 39.100, -88.317
Thunderstorm Wind, Cumberland
- When
- April 19, 1:08 AM CST
- Where
- Cumberland County, 5 mi SE of Greenup
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
- Coordinates
- 39.000, -87.733
Several oak trees blown down near Greenup.
Thunderstorm Wind, Richland
- When
- April 19, 1:18 AM CST
- Where
- Richland County, 3 mi E of Dundas
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 40.483, -88.983
Large tree blown down across road.
Hail, Vermilion
- When
- April 19, 1:29 AM CST
- Where
- Vermilion County, Hoopeston
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 39.983, -88.817
Thunderstorm Wind, Lawrence
- When
- April 19, 1:33 AM CST
- Where
- Lawrence County, Bridgeport
- Measured
- 58 kt (67 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 39.983, -88.817
Numerous trees were blown down. Two trees fell on top of vehicles.
What these are
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
- 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.
- 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.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Avalanche in Washington, April 18, 2006
- Winter Storm in South Dakota, April 18 to 19, 2006
- Hail in Texas, April 18, 2006
- Winter Storm in North Dakota, April 18 to 19, 2006
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Missouri, April 18, 2006
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Texas, April 18, 2006
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Iowa, April 18, 2006
- Hail in Missouri, April 18, 2006
- Hail and High Wind in Texas, April 18, 2006
- Damaging Wind in Alabama, April 18, 2006
- Lightning Strike in Alabama, April 18, 2006
- Hail in Minnesota, April 18, 2006
More
Every storm in Illinois in 2006Every state in 2006This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Illinois, 2006Warnings in Illinois, April 2006
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: 5500400, 5500401, 5500402, 5500403, 5499471, 5499393, 5499467, 5499468, 5499469, 5499470, 5499472, 5499473, 5499474, 5500404, 5500405, 5500406, 5500407, 5500408, 5500409, 5500410, 5500411, 5500412, 5500413, 5500414, 5500415, 5500416, 5500417.