A line of severe thunderstorms moved across central and southeast Illinois during the afternoon and early evening hours of the 15th. The storms produced widespread wind damage.
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 line of severe thunderstorms moved across central and southeast Illinois during the afternoon and early evening hours of the 15th. The storms produced widespread wind damage. A few of the storms produced large hail and one produced a weak tornado.
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 Jun 15, 1:34 PM CST, 9 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 234 PM CDT SUN JUN 15 2008 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 234 PM CDT SUN JUN 15 2008 LATEST SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWED A COMPLEX WEATHER PATTERN ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA AND POINTS UPSTREAM. A COLD FRONT EXTENDED FROM LAKE SUPERIOR INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. MEANWHILE...AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY FROM OVERNIGHT CONVECTION EXTENDED FROM SOUTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN...THROUGH SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...INTO SOUTHEAST IOWA. CLOSER TO HOME...ANOTHER OUTFLOW WAS JUST NORTH OF A LINE FROM QUINCY TO CHAMPAIGN. THE ONGOING AND YET TO DEVELOP CONVECTION ALONG THESE BOUNDARIES THROUGH TONIGHT IS THE PRIMARY FORECAST CONCERN OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. ONCE THE ABOVE MENTIONED COLD FRONT PASSES THROUGH TONIGHT...QUIETER AND COOLER WEATHER IS EXPECTED FOR MUCH OF THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. NOT SURPRISINGLY...THE MODELS ARE STRUGGLING WITH THE ONGOING CONVECTION AND WILL NOT BE OF SIGNIFICANT USE TONIGHT. OTHERWISE... 12Z MODELS IN REASONABLE AGREEMENT WITH RESPECT TO FEATURES EXPECTED TO IMPACT REGION OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. GUIDANCE TEMPERATURES GENERALLY CLOSE/REASONABLE...SO WILL NOT STRAY TOO FAR. SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY... TONIGHT...EXPECT STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TO TRACK EAST SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA INTO EARLY EVENING...ASSOCIATED WITH CURRENT STRONG COMPLEX. THESE STORMS WILL BE MOVING INTO AN AREA WITH STEEP LAPSE RATES AND WITH FAIRLY STRONG UNIDIRECTIONAL WIND SHEAR PROFILES. THE PREDOMINANT THREATS WITH THESE STORMS WILL BE DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. ADDITIONAL SHOWER/STORM DEVELOPMENT IS POSSIBLE UNTIL THE COLD FRONT PASSES THROUGH THE REGION LATER TONIGHT...BUT THE EXTENT AND POTENTIAL SEVERITY OF THIS DEVELOPMENT WILL BE DETERMINED BY HOW MUCH STABILIZATION OCCURS DUE TO THE ONGOING STORMS. MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...BULK OF THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD BE SOUTH AND EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA BY EARLY MONDAY AS SURFACE FRONT PUSHES SOUTH OF THE REGION. THEN...FAIRLY DEEP UPPER TROFFING OVER THE UPPER GREAT LAKES WILL SLOWLY SHIFT EAST AND ALLOW THE UPPER FLOW OVER THE FORECAST AREA TO BECOME NEUTRAL. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD ACROSS THE REGION AT THE SURFACE AS A RESULT. THESE FEATURES WILL PROVIDE US WITH QUIET AND COOLER CONDITIONS. LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY...MODEL/ENSEMBLE AGREEMENT REMAINS PRETTY GOOD THROUGH THE PERIOD. TROFFING OVER EASTERN NORTH AMERICA AND RIDGING OVER THE PLAINS WILL SLOWLY SHIFT EAST WITH TIME...ALLOWING A GRADUAL MODERATION IN TEMPERATURES HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND. WE WILL ALSO BE AT GREATER RISK OF IMPULSES RIDING THE TOP OF THE RIDGE AND BRINGING US PRECIPITATION CHANCE HEADING INTO THE END OF THE WEEK. THE DETAILS ON THE PRECIPITATION RISK IS STILL TRICKY...SO WILL NOT GO ABOVE A SLIGHT CHANCE MENTION AT THIS TIME FRIDAY INTO SUNDAY. BAK && .AVIATION... ISSUED 1250 PM CDT SUN JUN 15 2008 STRONG TO SEVERE SQUALL LINE OVER SE IA AND NW MO FROM SW OF THE QUAD CITIES TO KC TO RACE EAST ACROSS THE CENTRAL IL TAF SITES DURING THIS AFTERNOON. STORMS TO AFFECT PIA/SPI BY 20Z...DEC AND SPI BY 21Z AND CMI BY 22Z. HAVE WIND GUSTS OF 45 KTS WITH 1 MILE VSBY FROM HEAVY RAIN AND CEILINGS OF 2500 FT. AFTER A ONE TO TWO HOUR PERIOD OF THE SQUALL LINE...HAVE A COUPLE HOUR PERIOD OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EARLY THIS EVENING TIL 00Z TO 02Z. THEN VFR CONDITIONS TO PREVAIL AGAIN REST OF TONIGHT AND MON MORNING. SW WINDS AROUND 10 TO 12 KTS TO TURN NW AS THE COLD FRONT OVER SE WI/IA INTO NW MO TO PASS SE THRU CENTRAL IL THIS EVENING. QUIETER WX EXPECTED MON WITH SCATTERED TO BROKEN CLOUDS ABOVE 3K FT AS HIGH PRESSURE OVER MT SETTLES INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. HUETTL && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 1039 AM CDT SUN JUN 15 2008 ILZ027>031-036>038-040>043-047>051-161100- CASS-DE WITT-FULTON-KNOX-LOGAN-MARSHALL-MASON-MCLEAN-MENARD- MORGAN-PEORIA-SANGAMON-SCHUYLER-SCOTT-STARK-TAZEWELL-WOODFORD- 1039 AM CDT SUN JUN 15 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ...THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY... THERE IS A MODERATE RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM MID AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY EVENING WITH THE PRIMARY THREAT BEING STRAIGHT LINE WIND DAMAGE AND LARGE HAIL. THE THUNDERSTORM THREAT WILL GRADUALLY SHIFT TO THE SOUTHEAST THIS EVENING AS THE COLD FRONT SWEEPS THROUGH. INTERESTS ALONG THE ILLINOIS RIVER FROM HAVANA TO BEARDSTOWN WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. IN ADDITION...ALONG THE SANGAMON RIVER...AREAS AROUND CHANDLERVILLE WILL BE SEEING SOME MINOR FLOODING THROUGH LATE TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED...MAINLY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. PRESENT INDICATIONS SUGGEST THE PRIMARY TIME FRAME WOULD BE FROM 2 PM UNTIL 10 PM CDT. A CONFERENCE CALL FOR EMERGENCY MANAGERS WILL BE CONDUCTED AT 11 AM CDT. ILZ044>046-052>057-061-161100- CHAMPAIGN-CHRISTIAN-COLES-DOUGLAS-EDGAR-MACON-MOULTRIE-PIATT- SHELBY-VERMILION- 1039 AM CDT SUN JUN 15 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ...THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY... THERE IS A MODERATE RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM MID AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY EVENING WITH THE PRIMARY THREAT BEING STRAIGHT LINE WIND DAMAGE AND LARGE HAIL. THE THUNDERSTORM THREAT WILL GRADUALLY SHIFT TO THE SOUTHEAST LATE THIS EVENING OR DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF MONDAY AS THE COLD FRONT SWEEPS THROUGH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED...MAINLY DURING THE AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE EVENING HOURS. PRESENT INDICATIONS SUGGEST THE PRIMARY TIME FRAME WOULD BE FROM 4 PM UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT. A CONFERENCE CALL FOR EMERGENCY MANAGERS WILL BE CONDUCTED AT 11 AM CDT. ILZ062-063-066>068-071>073-161100- CLARK-CLAY-CRAWFORD-CUMBERLAND-EFFINGHAM-JASPER-LAWRENCE-RICHLAND- 1039 AM CDT SUN JUN 15 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING... A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE TOWARDS CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS LATE TODAY BRINGING AN INCREASING THREAT FOR THUNDERSTORMS TO THE AREA. SOME OF THE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS AND LARGE HAIL THIS EVENING. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL GRADUALLY WEAKEN AND EDGE OUT OF OUR AREA AFTER MIDNIGHT AS THE COLD FRONT SWEEPS ACROSS THE AREA. EXTENSIVE RUNOFF FLOODING FROM PREVIOUS RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE OVER MANY AREAS OF EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. IN ADDITION...SEVERAL RIVERS AND STREAMS WILL CONTINUE OUT OF THEIR BANKS INCLUDING THE WABASH...LITTLE WABASH...AND EMBARRAS RIVERS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS EARLY MONDAY MORNING BUT IT APPEARS THE THREAT FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE JUST TO THE EAST AND SOUTH OF THE AREA. FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND ESPECIALLY THIS EVENING. PRESENT INDICATIONS SUGGEST THE PRIMARY TIME FRAME FOR ACTIVATION WILL BE FROM 5 PM UNTIL 1 AM CDT. KH
The Lincoln radar (KILX), 86 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:43 UTC.
20 thunderstorm wind, 8 hail, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Numerous trees and power lines were blown down between Ipava and Canton. Other impacted communities included Cuba, Fiatt and Smithfield.
A few trees were blown down in Manito.
A large tree was uprooted near the intersection of Route 150 and Route 6.
Numerous trees, large tree limbs and power lines were blown down. In addition, an A frame house was destroyed when 2 large trees fell on it.
Numerous trees were blown down along Route 29.
Several trees and power lines were blown down.
Numerous large tree limbs were blown down.
Numerous trees and tree limbs were blown down.
Numerous tree limbs and power lines were blown down.
A few large trees were blown down.
Numerous tree limbs were blown down. One tree limb fell on a person causing a minor head injury.
Numerous trees and tree limbs were blown down. In addition, a house near El Paso had part of its roof blown off.
The tornado formed in an open field northwest of Colfax and tracked to the southeast. The tornado ripped off one fourth of the roof of a home on the northwest side of Colfax and damaged several trees. As the tornado continued southeast into Colfax, it caused minor damage to the roofs of three more homes and one business, as well as several trees. The tornado dissipated within the town of Colfax. The wind speeds with the tornado were estimated as high as 85 MPH.
Several large tree limbs were blown down.
Numerous large tree limbs and a power pole were blown down.
Several tree limbs were blown down.
Numerous trees and power lines were blown down.
Numerous large tree limbs were blown down.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Illinois, 2008Warnings in Illinois, June 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: 114686, 114687, 114689, 114690, 114692, 114694, 114696, 114699, 114711, 114713, 114715, 114717, 114721, 114722, 114724, 114725, 114726, 114727, 114728, 114422, 114729, 114730, 114731, 114737, 114732, 114733, 114734, 114735, 114736.