Scattered thunderstorms during the early morning hours of April 25th created lightning which damaged the water treatment plant in Petersburg.
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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.
Scattered thunderstorms during the early morning hours of April 25th created lightning which damaged the water treatment plant in Petersburg.
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 25, 1:16 AM CST, 3 hours 54 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 216 AM CDT SAT APR 25 2009 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 216 AM CDT SAT APR 25 2009 SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW PATTERN WILL BRING WARM AND WET WEATHER TO CENTRAL ILLINOIS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. 06Z SURFACE CHART SHOWS SPRAWLING RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE JUST OFF THE EAST COAST...PROVIDING A WARM AND INCREASINGLY HUMID FLOW TO MUCH OF THE EASTERN CONUS. MEANWHILE...A SLOW-MOVING FRONTAL BOUNDARY REMAINS DRAPED FROM THE NORTHERN GREAT LAKES SOUTHWESTWARD INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. SCATTERED SHOWERS/STORMS ARE ONGOING IN THE VICINITY OF THIS FRONT...WITH THE CLOSEST CONVECTION TO THE KILX CWA CURRENTLY OCCURRING ALONG THE IOWA/MISSOURI BORDER. ALOFT...RIDGING PREVAILS ALONG THE EAST COAST....WITH TROUGHING ACROSS THE NORTHERN ROCKIES AND WEST COAST. IN BETWEEN THESE TWO FEATURES...BROAD SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW IS IN PLACE ACROSS THE MIDWEST. SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH MONDAY NORTHERN STREAM WAVE TRACKING ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS/UPPER MIDWEST WILL HELP PUSH COLD FRONT SOUTHWARD TOWARD ILLINOIS TODAY. MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THIS PROCESS...BRINGING FRONT ACROSS NORTH-CENTRAL ILLINOIS BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING. WITH SURFACE DEWPOINTS RISING WELL INTO THE 50S AND PERHAPS REACHING 60 DEGREES TO THE SOUTH OF THE BOUNDARY...ATMOSPHERE IS EXPECTED TO BECOME MODERATELY UNSTABLE...WITH NAM-WRF INDICATING CAPE VALUES OF BETWEEN 1000 AND 1500J/KG. DESPITE LACK OF VIGOROUS UPPER DYNAMICS...CONVERGENCE ALONG FRONT AND INSTABILITY WILL BE ENOUGH TO TRIGGER SCATTERED STORMS ACROSS MAINLY THE NORTHERN TWO-THIRDS OF THE CWA. ANY STORMS THAT FIRE WILL DEVELOP STRONG ENOUGH UPDRAFTS TO SUPPORT MARGINALLY SEVERE HAIL AND/OR WIND GUSTS...PARTICULARLY GIVEN THE STRONG 60KT 925MB JET CURRENTLY IN PLACE ACROSS THE REGION. WILL HIT POPS HARDEST ACROSS THE NORTH IN CLOSEST PROXIMITY TO THE BOUNDARY...TAPERING DOWN TO A DRY FORECAST ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-70. TEMPS WILL ONCE AGAIN BE WELL ABOVE NORMAL...BUT WILL BE TEMPERED SOMEWHAT BY ADDITIONAL CLOUD COVER AND PRECIP. HIGHS WILL RANGE FROM THE UPPER 70S IN THE ILLINOIS RIVER VALLEY TO THE MIDDLE 80S ACROSS EAST-CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. FRONT WILL BECOME STATIONARY ACROSS THE FAR NORTHERN CWA THIS EVENING...THEN WILL BEGIN LIFTING BACK NORTHWARD AS AN APPROACHING UPPER WAVE CAUSES RIDGING TO ONCE AGAIN AMPLIFY ACROSS THE REGION. MODELS SUPPORT BULK OF PRECIP ALONG AND NORTH OF FRONT OVERNIGHT...AS LOW-LEVEL JET FEEDS CONVECTION ACROSS IOWA/NORTHERN ILLINOIS. FURTHER SOUTH...SCATTERED SHOWERS/STORMS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE NORTHERN TWO-THIRDS OF THE CWA. MODEL CONSENSUS TAKES FRONT FURTHER NORTH INTO THE SOUTHERN GREAT LAKES ON SUNDAY...LEAVING CENTRAL ILLINOIS FIRMLY IN THE WARM SECTOR. WILL MENTION LOW CHANCE POPS ACROSS THE NORTH DURING THE MORNING IN CASE WIDESPREAD CONVECTION ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS OVERNIGHT IMPEDES NORTHWARD PROGRESSION OF BOUNDARY. THE REST OF THE DAY WILL BE DRY EVERYWHERE...WITH HIGHS REACHING THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 80S. NEXT SIGNIFICANT WAVE WILL BEGIN TO PUSH FRONT BACK INTO ILLINOIS BY SUNDAY NIGHT...ALTHOUGH MODELS GENERALLY KEEP IT WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER THROUGH 12Z MON. WILL ONLY MENTION LOW CHANCE POPS AFTER MIDNIGHT ACROSS THE ILLINOIS RIVER VALLEY...WITH DRY CONDITIONS ELSEWHERE. MAIN RAIN EVENT LOOKS TO BE UNFOLDING MONDAY/MONDAY NIGHT...WHEN SLOW-MOVING UPPER TROUGH AND ASSOCIATED FRONT EDGE EASTWARD. WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP IN THE VERY HUMID AIRMASS IN PLACE ACROSS THE REGION...PRODUCING LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. MOST LOCATIONS WILL PICK UP BETWEEN ONE AND TWO INCHES OF RAIN THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT...WITH SOME SPOTS ACROSS THE ILLINOIS RIVER VALLEY POTENTIALLY GETTING IN EXCESS OF 2 INCHES. LONG TERM...TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FRONT WILL SLOWLY PUSH EASTWARD INTO THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY ON TUESDAY AND EVENTUALLY STALL OUT PARALLEL TO THE UPPER FLOW. WILL MAINTAIN CHANCE POPS ALONG AND EAST OF I-55 ON TUESDAY...MAINLY FOR THE MORNING HOURS...BUT WILL THEN SHIFT EMPHASIS FOR PRECIP SOUTH OF THE AREA FOR TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY. FRONT WILL GRADUALLY RETURN NORTHWARD BY THE END OF THE WEEK...HOWEVER MUCH UNCERTAINTY EXISTS CONCERNING TIMING OF THIS PROCESS...SO WILL MAINTAIN DRY FORECAST UNTIL THURSDAY NIGHT/FRIDAY. AFTER THE VERY WARM CONDITIONS IN THE SHORT-TERM...TEMPS WILL RETURN TO NEAR NORMAL IN THE UPPER 60S/LOWER 70S THROUGHOUT THE EXTENDED. BARNES && .AVIATION... ISSUED 1145 PM CDT FRI APR 24 2009 ALTHOUGH SURFACE WINDS ARE SUBSIDING SOMEWHAT AND ARE NOT AS GUSTY AS DURING THE DAY...A LOW LEVEL JET OF 50 TO 55 KNOTS IS JUST A FEW THOUSAND FEET OFF THE GROUND...AS INDICATED FROM AREA WSR-88DS AND WIND PROFILERS...AS WELL AS ACARS SOUNDINGS. BASED ON THIS AND FORECAST SOUNDINGS FROM THE 00Z MODEL RUN...LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR WILL BE CONTINUED IN ALL TAFS UNTIL ABOUT MID MORNING...WHEN THE WINDS ALOFT SUBSIDE A BIT AND GUSTY WINDS RETURN AT THE SURFACE. LATEST MODEL RUNS CONTINUE TO INDICATE GUSTS IN THE 30 KNOT VICINITY LATE MORNING INTO ABOUT MID- AFTERNOON...WITH WINDS ESPECIALLY LOWERING BY SUNSET AS A FRONTAL BOUNDARY GETS HUNG UP JUST NORTH OF KPIA/KBMI. CEILINGS THROUGH MUCH OF SATURDAY MORNING WILL BE OF THE MID AND HIGH LEVEL VARIETY OF 10000 FEET OR HIGHER. AFTER THAT...INSTABILITY WILL HELP LEAD TO SOME LOWER CEILINGS AROUND 5000 FEET AS SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP. THESE MAY START IN AREAS AROUND KPIA/KSPI BY NOON...BUT MOST WILL BE DURING THE EARLY AND MID AFTERNOON BEFORE DIMINISHING. GEELHART && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 515 AM CDT SAT APR 25 2009 ILZ027>031-036-037-040-041-047-261100- CASS-FULTON-KNOX-MARSHALL-MASON-PEORIA-SCHUYLER-STARK-TAZEWELL- WOODFORD- 515 AM CDT SAT APR 25 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL TRACK ACROSS PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS THIS MORNING. NO SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED WITH THE STORMS THIS MORNING. THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL INCREASE AGAIN LATE THIS AFTERNOON OR EVENING AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. SOME OF THE STORMS LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. THE SEVERE THREAT SHOULD BEGIN TO DIMINISH BY MIDNIGHT. IN ADDITION TO THE SEVERE THREAT...THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. FOR INTERESTS ALONG THE ILLINOIS RIVER...FLOODING WILL CONTINUE FROM PEORIA TO BEARDSTOWN THROUGH THE WEEKEND. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEKEND AND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. KEEP ABREAST OF LATER FORECASTS AS THE TIMING AND LOCATION OF THE GREATEST THREAT FOR ANY ADDITIONAL SEVERE WEATHER BECOMES BETTER DEFINED...ESPECIALLY IN THE MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT TIME FRAME. DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY EARLY NEXT WEEK...HEAVY RAINFALL MAY ALSO OCCUR WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING HOURS. PRESENT INDICATIONS SUGGEST THE PRIMARY TIME FRAME FOR ANY SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE FROM 300 PM THIS AFTERNOON UNTIL 10 PM THIS EVENING. ILZ038-042>046-048>053-261100- CHAMPAIGN-CHRISTIAN-DE WITT-LOGAN-MACON-MCLEAN-MENARD-MORGAN- PIATT-SANGAMON-SCOTT-VERMILION- 515 AM CDT SAT APR 25 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL TRACK ACROSS PARTS OF CENTRAL AND WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS THIS MORNING. NO SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED WITH THE STORMS THIS MORNING. THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL INCREASE AGAIN LATE THIS AFTERNOON OR EVENING AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. SOME OF THE STORMS LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. THE SEVERE THREAT SHOULD BEGIN TO DIMINISH BY MIDNIGHT. IN ADDITION TO THE SEVERE THREAT...SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEKEND AND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. KEEP ABREAST OF LATER FORECASTS AS THE TIMING AND LOCATION OF THE GREATEST THREAT FOR ANY ADDITIONAL SEVERE WEATHER BECOMES BETTER DEFINED...ESPECIALLY IN THE MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT TIME FRAME. DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY EARLY NEXT WEEK...HEAVY RAINFALL MAY ALSO OCCUR WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. PRESENT INDICATIONS SUGGEST THE PRIMARY TIME FRAME WOULD BE FROM 400 PM THIS AFTERNOON UNTIL 10 PM THIS EVENING. ILZ054>057-061>063-066>068-071>073-261100- CLARK-CLAY-COLES-CRAWFORD-CUMBERLAND-DOUGLAS-EDGAR-EFFINGHAM- JASPER-LAWRENCE-MOULTRIE-RICHLAND-SHELBY- 515 AM CDT SAT APR 25 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS...EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS THIS MORNING AND AGAIN LATER THIS AFTERNOON...PRIMARILY NORTH OF INTERSTATE 70. NO SEVERE WEATHER IS ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL INCREASE ACROSS THE AREA ON MONDAY AS A FRONTAL BOUNDARY SHIFTS SOUTHEAST. KEEP ABREAST OF LATER FORECASTS AS THE TIMING AND LOCATION OF THE GREATEST THREAT FOR ANY ADDITIONAL SEVERE WEATHER BECOMES BETTER DEFINED...ESPECIALLY IN THE MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT TIME FRAME. IN ADDITION...HEAVY RAINFALL IS ALSO A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY EARLY NEXT WEEK AS THE SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT PUSHES ACROSS SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. SMITH
The Lincoln radar (KILX), 46 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:09 UTC.
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Lightning struck the water treatment plant in Petersburg. The lightning damaged the automatic control system and security system. There were no injuries and water service was not disrupted.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, April 2009
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: 166583.