A strong cold front pushing into an unseasonably warm and moist airmass across central Illinois produced a round of severe thunderstorms on December 27th. With a very strong mid-level jet streak in place across the Midwest, the storms were able to tap into this energy and produce widespread damaging winds in excess of 60 mph.
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 ILX wrote it up.
A strong cold front pushing into an unseasonably warm and moist airmass across central Illinois produced a round of severe thunderstorms on December 27th. With a very strong mid-level jet streak in place across the Midwest, the storms were able to tap into this energy and produce widespread damaging winds in excess of 60 mph. In addtion, heavy rainfall falling on partially frozen ground led to flash flooding in a few locations.
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 Dec 27, 10:12 AM CST, 57 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 1012 AM CST SAT DEC 27 2008 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 1012 AM CST SAT DEC 27 2008 STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS PERSIST ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST THIS MORNING AHEAD OF A STRONG COLD FRONT. THESE WINDS ARE CONTINUING TO TRANSPORT UNSEASONABLY WARM AND HUMID AIR INTO THE REGION. A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT. WHILE THE INSTABILITY WILL NOT BE VERY GOOD...THE STRONG WIND FIELDS WILL LIKELY PRODUCE AT LEAST A FEW SEVERE STORMS AS THE LINE MOVES THROUGH THE REGION. GOING FORECAST IS IN GOOD SHAPE AND SEE NO REASON TO MAKE CHANGES AT THIS TIME. THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER WATCHES WILL INCREASE AROUND MIDDAY. BAK && .AVIATION... ISSUED 549 AM CST SAT DEC 27 2008...FOR THE 12Z TAFS WIND WILL BE THE BIG PLAYER TODAY. SOUTH WINDS WILL INCREASE THIS MORNING...ESPECIALLY FOR BMI/SPI/DEC/CMI. A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM TO MIDNIGHT FOR SUSTAINED 30 MPH WINDS WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH. THE COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE IS ANTICIPATED LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WINDS WILL WEAKEN NEAR THE FRONT...BUT THEN INCREASE FROM THE WEST BEHIND THE FRONT. FRONTAL TIMING LOOKS TO BE... PIA BY 22Z...BMI/SPI BY 00Z...DEC BY 01Z...AND CMI BY 02Z. STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON...WITH DAMAGING WINDS THE MAIN HAZARD. CIGS AND VIS WILL LIKELY DROP TO LIFR IN THE STRONGER STORMS. STRONG WIND SHEAR IS EXPECTED IN THE VICINITY OF THUNDERSTORMS. SOME WINDS MAY REACH 60 MPH IN A FEW DOWNBURSTS. SMALL HAIL WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. BY MID EVENING...I INCREASED WEST WINDS TO 20-30KTS AGAIN. WINDS SHOULD WEAKEN AFTER MIDNIGHT...AND CLOUD DECKS SHOULD CLIMB TO VFR AGAIN. SHIMON && .PREV DISCUSSION... ISSUED 330 AM CST SAT DEC 27 2008 DENSE FOG ADVISORY WILL BE CANCELLED FOR FULTON AND KNOX COUNTIES AS VISIBILITIES HAVE GREATLY IMPROVED WITH WARM FRONT LIFTING NORTH INTO NORTHERN IL EARLY THIS MORNING. 00Z SHORT RANGE MODELS ARE IN FAIR AGREEMENT THIS WEEKEND AS A STRONG COLD FRONT SWEEPS EASTWARD ACROSS ILLINOIS DURING THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...EXITING EAST INTO INDIANA BY MIDNIGHT. FORECAST CONCERN IS FLASH FLOOD WATCH AND WIND ADVISORY TODAY ALONG WITH NEAR RECORD HIGHS TODAY. QUIETER WX IN STORE FROM SUNDAY THROUGH WED WITH ZONAL UPPER LEVEL FLOW...WITH COOLER TEMPERATURES BUT STILL A BIT ABOVE NORMAL. SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. A 999 MB LOW PRESSURE OVER NORTHERN MN HAS A COLD FRONT OVER CENTRAL IA INTO NW MO...SE KS AND CENTRAL OK WHERE 1000 MB LOW PRESSURE. MODELS SWEEP STRONG COLD FRONT EAST ACROSS IL THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. HEAVY RAINS STILL LIKELY TODAY WITH THE HEAVIEST RAIN AXIS FROM I-55 WEST TO ALONG THE IL RIVER WHERE 1.75 TO 2.50 INCHES OF RAIN POSSIBLE. PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES AHEAD OF COLD FRONT ARE AROUND 1.50 INCHES...EXTREMELY HIGH FOR LATE DEC. SPC ISSUED TORNADO WATCH FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL IL NW OF I-70 AND FROM CHAMPAIGN WESTWARD UNTIL 9 AM. THUNDERSTORMS RACING NE NEAR 60 MPH WITH 60 KT SW LOW LEVEL JET. THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINS NW OF A RUSHVILLE TO BLOOMINGTON LINE. CONVECTION SHOULD OVERSPREAD REST OF CENTRAL IL DURING THIS MORNING AND MAY NOT GET INTO SE IL BY THE WABASH RIVER UNTIL LATER TODAY. DECIDED TO REMOVE SE COUNTIES OUT OF FLASH FLOOD WATCH THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING SINCE THEY ARE EXPECTING LESS RAINFALL OF 1 INCH OR LESS AND NO SNOW/ICE MELT THERE. STRONG WIND FIELDS TODAY AHEAD OF COLD FRONT AND BEHIND COLD FRONT THIS EVENING ESPECIALLY FROM I-55 EAST WHERE WIND ADVISORY ISSUED. WINDY OVER THE IL RIVER VALLEY BUT APPEARS BELOW WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA AT THIS TIME WITH IS SUSTAINED WINDS OF 30 MPH AND/OR WIND GUSTS OF 45 MPH OR STRONGER. SPC PUSHED SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS THIS AFTERNOON SW OF CWA. BUT WITH SUCH STRONG WIND FIELDS...STILL COULD BE A FEW STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WITH HIGH WINDS EAST OF I-55. BUMPED UP HIGHS TODAY INTO THE 60S... RANGING FROM 60F NW OF THE IL RIVER TO LOWER 70S NEAR THE WABASH RIVER. NEAR RECORD HIGHS TODAY WHICH ARE 64F AT PEORIA AND LINCOLN WHILE 66F AND SPRINGFIELD. STRONG COLD FRONT ACCELERATES EAST OF IL BY MIDNIGHT WITH RAIN DIMINISHING QUICKLY BEHIND IT FROM WEST TO EAST DURING THIS EVENING. JUST SLIGHT CHANCE OF LIGHT RAIN/SNOW OVERNIGHT WITH NO SNOW ACCUMULATIONS. STRONG WINDS CONTINUE THIS EVENING ESPECIALLY EAST OF I-55 AS SOUTH WINDS TURN WEST BEHIND STRONG COLD FRONT. DRY SLOT WORKS NE INTO CENTRAL/SE IL OVERNIGHT WITH DECREASING CLOUDS. A PIECE OF HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE ROCKIES BREAKS OFF AND MOVES INTO AR/TN BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON BRINGING MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 30S/LOWER 40S CENTRAL IL AND MID 40S SE IL. HIGH PRESSURE MOVES INTO THE EASTERN STATES MON AND KEEPS MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES AGAIN AND A BIT MILDER HIGHS IN THE MID TO UPPER 40S. LONG TERM...TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. MEDIUM RANGE MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW ZONAL UPPER LEVEL FLOW OVER THE MIDWEST DURING MID WEEK WITH DRY WEATHER THROUGH THU. COLD FRONT PASSES THROUGH IL DRY ON TUE WITH SOME COOLING BEHIND THE FRONT TUE NIGHT AND WED WITH TEMPERATURES GETTING CLOSER TO NORMAL. ANOTHER COLD FRONT MOVES INTO IL THU NIGHT INTO FRI AND APPEARS TO HAVE A BIT MORE MOISTURE TO WORK WITH TO BRING A CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW. 00Z GFS BECOMES MUCH STRONGER WITH LOW PRESSURE EJECTING INTO IL BY SUNSET FRI BUT 00Z ECMWF HAS THIS LOW PRESSURE PASSING NORTH OF THE GREAT LAKES. SO BIG DIFFERENCES HERE WITH THIS LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM AND TENDED TO LEAN TOWARD THE ECMWF SOLUTION. LOOKS LIKE SOME COOLING AGAIN BEHIND THIS SYSTEM BY WEEKS END. HUETTL && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR ILZ038-042>046- 051>057-061>063-066>068-071>073. FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON FOR ILZ027>031- 036>038-040>044-047>054-061. FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR ILZ045-046-055. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 1022 AM CST SAT DEC 27 2008 ILZ027>031-036-037-040-041-047>050-281200- CASS-FULTON-KNOX-MARSHALL-MASON-MENARD-MORGAN-PEORIA-SCHUYLER- SCOTT-STARK-TAZEWELL-WOODFORD- 1022 AM CST SAT DEC 27 2008 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT STEADY RAINS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP TOWARD NOON FOR AREAS WEST OF I-55. SOME STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND A FEW TORNADOES POSSIBLE. BETWEEN ONE HALF AND ONE INCH OF RAIN ALREADY FELL SINCE MIDNIGHT FOR SOME AREAS WEST OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. ADDITIONAL LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON...WITH AROUND 2 MORE INCHES OF RAINFALL POSSIBLE. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH 6 PM THIS EVENING. THE WARM RAIN WILL ALSO MELT ANY REMAINING SNOW AND ICE ON THE GROUND...AND THE FROZEN GROUND WILL FORCE MOST OF THE WATER TO RUNOFF. HEAVY RAINS...MELTING SNOW...AND POSSIBLE CLOGGED STREET DRAINS MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING TODAY. COLDER TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO RETURN TONIGHT...WITH ANY RAIN POSSIBLY CHANGING TO FREEZING RAIN OR SNOW. ANY WET SURFACES MAY RE-FREEZE. HAZARDOUS TRAVEL MAY DEVELOP TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON. ILZ038-042>044-051>054-061-281200- CHRISTIAN-DE WITT-LOGAN-MACON-MCLEAN-MOULTRIE-PIATT-SANGAMON- SHELBY- 1022 AM CST SAT DEC 27 2008 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT VERY STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED INTO TONIGHT. DRIVING MAY BECOME DIFFICULT FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES...ESPECIALLY ON EAST-WEST ROADS. WINDS WILL TURN WESTERLY THIS EVENING BEHIND THE COLD FRONT...AND BECOME STRONG AGAIN. THE WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT AS A RESULT. STEADY RAINS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON FOR AREAS EAST OF I-55. SOME STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND A FEW TORNADOES POSSIBLE. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON...WITH 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL POSSIBLE. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH 6 PM THIS EVENING. THE FROZEN GROUND WILL FORCE MOST OF THE WATER TO RUNOFF. HEAVY RAINS AND POSSIBLE CLOGGED STREET DRAINS MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING TODAY. BASEMENTS WILL LIKELY SEE WATER SEEPAGE AS WELL. COLDER TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO RETURN TONIGHT...WITH ANY RAIN POSSIBLY CHANGING TO FREEZING RAIN OR SNOW. ANY WET SURFACES MAY RE-FREEZE. HAZARDOUS TRAVEL MAY DEVELOP TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON. ILZ045-046-055-281200- CHAMPAIGN-DOUGLAS-VERMILION- 1022 AM CST SAT DEC 27 2008 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT VERY STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED INTO TONIGHT. DRIVING MAY BECOME DIFFICULT FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES...ESPECIALLY ON EAST-WEST ROADS. WINDS WILL TURN WESTERLY THIS EVENING BEHIND THE COLD FRONT...AND BECOME STRONG AGAIN. THE WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT AS A RESULT. STEADY RAINS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON FOR AREAS EAST OF I-55. SOME STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND A FEW TORNADOES POSSIBLE. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WITH 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL POSSIBLE. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH MIDNIGHT THIS EVENING. THE FROZEN GROUND WILL FORCE MOST OF THE WATER TO RUNOFF. HEAVY RAINS AND POSSIBLE CLOGGED STREET DRAINS MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING TODAY. BASEMENTS WILL LIKELY SEE WATER SEEPAGE AS WELL. COLDER TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO RETURN TONIGHT...WITH ANY RAIN POSSIBLY CHANGING TO FREEZING RAIN OR SNOW. ANY WET SURFACES MAY RE-FREEZE. HAZARDOUS TRAVEL MAY DEVELOP TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON...MAINLY AFTER 3 PM. ILZ056-057-062-063-066>068-071>073-281200- CLARK-CLAY-COLES-CRAWFORD-CUMBERLAND-EDGAR-EFFINGHAM-JASPER- LAWRENCE-RICHLAND- 1022 AM CST SAT DEC 27 2008 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT VERY STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH WILL PERSIST INTO TONIGHT. DRIVING MAY BECOME DIFFICULT FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES...ESPECIALLY ON EAST-WEST ROADS. WINDS WILL TURN WESTERLY THIS EVENING BEHIND THE COLD FRONT...AND BECOME STRONG AGAIN. THE WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT AS A RESULT. COLDER TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO RETURN TONIGHT...WITH ANY RAIN POSSIBLY CHANGING TO FREEZING RAIN OR SNOW. ANY WET SURFACES MAY RE-FREEZE. HAZARDOUS TRAVEL MAY DEVELOP TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON OR EARLY EVENING...MAINLY AFTER 4 PM. BAK
The Lincoln radar (KILX), 109 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:11 UTC.
33 thunderstorm wind, 3 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The roof was blown off a barn.
A barn was destroyed by high winds.
A semi was blown over and a roof was ripped off a lumber yard near I-74.
Thirty utility poles were blown down on 600 North near Kilbourne.
Power lines were blown down and six to eight houses sustained wind damage. Numerous trees and tree branches were blown down as well.
The roof of a patio was blown off its supports and a small utility shed was flipped over.
The roof was blown off a barn and a small shed was destroyed.
An outbuilding was damaged between Toulon and Wyoming.
Multiple power poles were blown down near the intersection of Downs School Road and Wasson Road.
The back window was blown out of a spotter's truck.
Shingles were blown off a roof and several tree limbs fell into power lines.
A farmstead west of Springfield on McQueen Road sustained significant wind damage.
High winds damaged two homes in New Holland. Three outbuildings were blown down and numnerous trees were damaged as well.
Winds damaged the roof of the District 186 School Administration building.
Loose debris from the State Fairgrounds was blown across Peoria Road and struck a nearby gas station.
Unanchored outdoor displays were blown off a hardware store parking lot.
High winds damaged the roofs of three large barns and the grandstand overhang at the State Fairgrounds.
A large section of the roof was blown off the U.S. Grant School at the intersection of Monroe and Stage.
A semi truck was blown over near exit 126 on I-55 west of Lincoln.
An unanchored mobile home was blown off its pad near the intersection of Williamsville Road and Turkey Run Road.
Power poles and lines were blown down for at least one quarter of a mile along State Route 10 outside the National Weather Service office.
Four power poles were snapped off and numerous tree limbs were blown down near the US-136 and I-55 interchange.
An RV was tipped over at a dealership. High winds destroyed a grain silo and caused roof damage at an agriculture dealership.
Houses were damaged in Covell.
Houses were damaged in the town of McLean.
A barn roof was blown off at the corner of Durock and Strown Road.
Strong winds damaged three to four buildings at a farmstead near Ireland Grove Road and Towanda Barnes Road. A machine shed was also destroyed.
Four semi trucks were blown over on I-55 and I-74 on the west side of Bloomington.
Multiple buildings sustained wind damage in Kincaid and Bulpitt.
Rapid rises were reported along Put Creek, causing flooding near County Road 2 and along Highway 97.
A pole barn was blown down.
Numerous trees and tree branches were blown down.
The roof of an attached garage was blown off a well-built home.
Camp Run Creek north of the town of Stark rapidly rose out of its banks. This caused high water to flood portions of 1300 East and West jersey Blacktop.
Trees and power lines were blown down in the town of Coles.
Water was rapidly rising along numerous small creeks and streams across Schuyler County. This caused flooding over some area roadways.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, December 2008
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: 143623, 143622, 143621, 143620, 143629, 143632, 143619, 143616, 143617, 143618, 143615, 143614, 143593, 143594, 143613, 143595, 143597, 143612, 143627, 143598, 143611, 143610, 143624, 143608, 143609, 143607, 143600, 143605, 143606, 143639, 143601, 143602, 143604, 143640, 143603, 143642.