Strong to severe thunderstorms moved across parts of north central Illinois during the late evening hours of July 19th and early morning hours of July 20th.
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.
Strong to severe thunderstorms moved across parts of north central Illinois during the late evening hours of July 19th and early morning hours of July 20th.
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 Jul 19, 6:00 PM CST, 4 hours 20 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL 700 PM CDT SAT JUL 19 2008 .DISCUSSION... 238 PM CDT MODELS DIFFERING SIGNIFICANTLY ON SPEED AND LOCATION OF SYSTEMS THIS WEEKEND. NAM AND GFS ARE SO FAR APART ON LOW INTENSITY AND SPEED THAT BLENDING NOT EVEN SENSIBLE. ECMWF SLOWER THAN EITHER BUT WUD BLEND BETTER WITH GFS THEN NAM AT LEAST IN EARLY PERIODS AND WUD PREFER A BLEND OF THOSE TWO...LEAVING THE NAM AS AN OUTLIER. ALL SEEM TO INITIATE WELL WITH CURRENT REMNANT PCPN IN ERN IL AND INDIANA MOVING EAST WITH MID LVL DISTURBANCE. SFC ANALYSIS INDICATING SOME LOW LVL CONVERGENCE FROM N OF STL TO CHI AREA WHERE STREAMLINES INDICATING SOME SFC CIRCULATION NORTH OF OHARE. DEPENDING ON SPEED OF CURRENT PCPN PATTERN AND EXTENT OF ANY NEW DEVELOPMENT WILL DETERMINE KICKOFF VERBIAGE OF TONIGHTS FCST. APPEARS CURRENT LAGGING PCPN IN NERN IL AND NW INDY SHUD BE OUT OF CWA BY 330 PM. AM BANKING ON NO NEW DEVELOPMENT IN WAKE OF THIS UPR FEATURE BUT RATHER FOCUS ON NEW CONVECTION AT APEX OF THETA E RIDGE POKING INTO THE UPR MS VLY TONIGHT. CAPES OF 2K OR BETTER ARE PROGGED OUT ACROSS THE DAKOTAS AND UPR MV VLY OVERNIGHT WHERE FIRING IS ALREADY BEGINNING IN SE S DAKOTA AND SW MN. THIS AIDED BY GOOD LOW LVL 40KT JET FEEDING HEAT AND GULF MSTR INTO THIS DESTABILIZING AREA OF THE COUNTRY. SFC LOW ASSOC WITH THE NEXT MID LVL WAVE DEEPENING IN THIS VICINITY PROGGED TO PASS ACROSS SRN MN WITHIN THIS COMPLEX OVERNIGHT. LOBE OF THIS CONVECTION LIKELY TO PASS ACROSS NRN PTN OF CWA AFTER MDNGT TNGT. TRACK RECORD OF OVERNIGHT CONVECTION HAS BEEN TO WEAKEN TOWARD EARLY MRNG HOURS TO RAIN AND ISOLATED TSTMS...SO SLIGHT RISK OF SVR SHUD RISK NO MORE THAN SLIGHT BY THE TIME CONVECTION ROLLS INTO NRN IL. SFC LOW PASSAGE INTO MICHIGAN SUN AFTN COINCIDING WITH DEEPENING OF UPR DISTURBANCE OVER THE LAKES AT THAT TIME IN CONJUNCTION WITH BLDG RIDGE OVER THE ROCKIES. SFC COLD FRONT SHUD SWING DOWN BEHIND THIS SFC LOW LATE SUNDAY AND STAGNATE OVER CNTRL IL/IN OVERNIGHT. A SECONDARY UPR TROF SWINGING DOWN THRU WI ON MONDAY WILL STILL KEEP THE RISK OF SHOWERS AND TSTMS IN THE MIDWEST. PASSAGE OF THIS LAST TROF SHUD BE FOLLOWED BY THE ENHANCED UPR RIDGING WORKING INTO THE PLAINS WHILE SFC HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS DOWN FROM ONTARIO. THIS SHUD BRING A DRY STABLE PERIOD TO THE MIDWEST AND GREAT LAKES REGION THRU WEDNESDAY. COOLING NE FLOW SHUD KEEP TEMPS CAPPED TO THE LOW TO MID 80S DURING THE MIDWEEK WITH DEWPOINTS PUSHING DOWN INTO THE DRIER 50S. BUT RIDGE PASSAGE THURSDAY WILL BRING THE WARMER AND MOIST SOUTH FLOW BACK INTO THE REGION AND SPARK AN NEW RISK OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. HIGH PRESSURE SHUD RETURN FOR THE WEEKEND AND SO FAR LOOKS TO START OFF DRY. RLB && .AVIATION... 1900 CDT THE CLOUDS HAVE MOSTLY CLEARED ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS. THERE IS AN AREA OF MVFR CLOUDS ALONG THE SHORE OF LAKE MICHIGAN IN SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN AND NORTHEAST ILLINOIS. THESE ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE WESTERN PART OF A SURFACE CYCLONIC ROTATION IN MICHIGAN. THERE MAY BE SOME LOW CEILINGS OVER ORD...GYY AND MDW EARLY TONIGHT. THIS SMALL SURFACE LOW WILL MOVE EAST LATER TONIGHT AND WE EXPECT THE CEILINGS TO LIFT. OTHER VFR CLOUDS WILL MOVE INTO NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS AS REMNANTS OF THE THUNDERSTORMS IN MINNESOTA. WE WILL FORECAST SOME SHOWERS IN ROCKFORD LATER TONIGHT. WE WILL MONITOR THE UPPER AIR SHORT WAVE TROUGH THAT MAY BE PRODUCING THESE THUNDERSTORMS AND THE NEW 00 UTC SOUNDINGS TO SEE IF WE NEED TO ADD THUNDERSTORMS IN ORD...DPA...AND MDW TERMINAL FORECASTS. && .MARINE... 314 PM CDT HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN CENTERED OVER HUDSON BAY OVERNIGHT WHILE LOW PRESSURE MOVES EAST FROM SOUTHERN MINNESOTA ACROSS CENTRAL WISCONSIN. AS THE LOW TRACK EAST ACROSS SOUTHERN LAKE HURON SUNDAY A COLD FRONT WILL DROP SOUTH THROUGH NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND INDIANA. THE LOW CONTINUES TO THE UPPER ST. LAWRENCE VALLEY BY MONDAY MORNING...WHILE THE HUDSON BAY HIGH PRESSURE EXPANDS SOUTHWESTWARD ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND UPPER MIDWEST. THE CENTER OF THE HIGH WILL SETTLE OVER THE UPPER GREAT LAKES TUESDAY NIGHT. TRS && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. IN...NONE. LM...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL 322 PM CDT SAT JUL 19 2008 ILZ003>006-008-010>014-019>023-032-033-039-INZ001-002-010-011-019- 202030- WINNEBAGO-BOONE-MCHENRY-LAKE ILLINOIS-OGLE-LEE-DE KALB-KANE- DUPAGE-COOK-LA SALLE-KENDALL-GRUNDY-WILL-KANKAKEE-LIVINGSTON- IROQUOIS-FORD-LAKE INDIANA-PORTER-NEWTON-JASPER-BENTON- 322 PM CDT SAT JUL 19 2008 /422 PM EDT SAT JUL 19 2008/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS...NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. WEATHER HAZARDS EXPECTED: THUNDERSTORMS. SOME STORMS MAY PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF AN INCH. THE STRONGEST STORMS MAY PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH AND PENNY SIZED HAIL. AREAS AFFECTED AND TIMING: ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP AGAIN ACROSS THE ENTIRE OUTLOOK AREA OVERNIGHT. STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO NORTHWEST ILLINOIS AROUND MIDNIGHT...SPREADING SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE OUTLOOK AREA DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BE MOST NUMEROUS NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80. DISCUSSION: A STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE FROM THE NORTHERN PLAINS INTO THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY TONIGHT...WHICH WILL INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE LATE NIGHT HOURS. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS NORTHERN IOWA AND MINNESOTA DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS...AND WILL LIKELY DEVELOP EASTWARD INTO NORTHERN ILLINOIS BY OR SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE SEVERE WEATHER...MAINLY DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. THE GREATEST THREAT OF SEVERE STORMS WILL BE ACROSS FAR NORTHWEST PORTIONS OF THE OUTLOOK AREA ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS. DECREASING INSTABILITY DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS WILL LESSEN THE POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER FARTHER EAST AS THE STORMS EVENTUALLY MOVE TOWARD NORTHWEST INDIANA EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. PORTIONS OF THE ROCK RIVER WILL REMAIN IN FLOOD. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THERE WILL BE PERIODIC CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS SUNDAY INTO MONDAY...AND AGAIN THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. PORTIONS OF THE ROCK RIVER WILL REMAIN IN FLOOD THROUGH SUNDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NECESSARY OVERNIGHT. && COMPLETE FORECAST INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE NWS CHICAGO WEBPAGE: WEATHER.GOV/CHICAGO LMZ740>745-202030- WINTHROP HARBOR TO WILMETTE HARBOR- WILMETTE HARBOR TO NORTHERLY ISLAND- NORTHERLY ISLAND TO CALUMET HARBOR-CALUMET HARBOR TO GARY- GARY TO BURNS HARBOR-BURNS HARBOR TO MICHIGAN CITY- 322 PM CDT SAT JUL 19 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS NEARSHORE WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN AND THE INDIANA NEARSHORE WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. SOME STORMS LATE TONIGHT COULD BE STRONG... WITH WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 30 KNOTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS SUNDAY AND MONDAY...AND AGAIN THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. && COMPLETE FORECAST INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE NWS CHICAGO WEBPAGE: WEATHER.GOV/CHICAGO LMZ080-261-362-364-366-563-565-567-669-671-673-675-777-779-868- 870-872-874-876-878-202030- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM MICHIGAN CITY IN TO ST. JOSEPH MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM SEUL CHOIX POINT TO ROCK ISLAND PASSAGE 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN SOUTH OF A LINE FROM SEUL CHOIX POINT TO THE MACKINAC BRIDGE AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM CHARLEVOIX MI TO SOUTH FOX ISLAND 5 NM OFFSHORE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM CHARLEVOIX TO POINT BETSIE MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM POINT BETSIE TO MANISTEE MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM ROCK ISLAND PASSAGE TO STURGEON BAY WI- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM STURGEON BAY TO TWO RIVERS WI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM TOW RIVERS TO SHEBOYGAN WI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM SHEBOYGAN TO PORT WASHINGTON WI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM PORT WASHINGTON TO NORTH POINT LIGHT WI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM NORTH POINT LIGHT TO WIND POINT WI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM WIND POINT WI TO WINTHROP HARBOR IL 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM WINTHROP HARBOR TO WILMETTE HARBOR IL 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM WILMETTE HARBOR IL TO MICHIGAN CITY IN 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM PENTWATER TO MANISTEE MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM WHITEHALL TO PENTWATER MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM GRAND HAVEN TO WHITEHALL MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM HOLLAND TO GRAND HAVEN MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM SOUTH HAVEN TO HOLLAND MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM ST. JOSEPH TO SOUTH HAVEN MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- 322 PM CDT SAT JUL 19 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF THE OPEN WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER MUCH OF LAKE MICHIGAN TONIGHT .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER MUCH OF LAKE MICHIGAN SUNDAY...AND AGAIN ON MONDAY. THERE WILL AGAIN BE A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS FRIDAY. && COMPLETE FORECAST INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE NWS CHICAGO WEBPAGE: WEATHER.GOV/CHICAGO RLB
The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 93 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:22 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A seven inch diameter tree limb was blown down. Numerous small limbs were also blown down.
Penny size hail was reported near Interstate 80 and Route 23.
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, July 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: 124118, 124117.