An area of low pressure and an assoicated cold front triggered widespread thunderstorms across central Illinois during the afternoon and evening of June 12th. Many of the storms tapped into enhanced wind energy aloft and produced damaging wind gusts at the surface.
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.
An area of low pressure and an assoicated cold front triggered widespread thunderstorms across central Illinois during the afternoon and evening of June 12th. Many of the storms tapped into enhanced wind energy aloft and produced damaging wind gusts at the surface. In addition, due to an extremely moist airmass in place across the region, locally heavy rainfall and flash flooding were common.
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 12, 11:45 AM CST, 1 hour 5 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 1245 PM CDT SAT JUN 12 2010 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 1015 AM CDT SAT JUN 12 2010 FORECAST WAS UPDATED TWICE THIS MORNING TO ADDRESS LIKELY CHANCES OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS INTO MIDDAY FROM THE IL RIVER NW. HAVE 40% CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON SE OF THE IL RIVER. HOT AND HUMID AGAIN WITH HIGHS AROUND 90F OR EVEN LOWER 90S IN SOME AREAS SE OF THE IL RIVER WITH AFTERNOON HEAT INDEX READINGS PEAKING FROM 95 TO 100F WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE LOW TO MID 70S. A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN RACING ENE AT 40 TO 50 MPH ACROSS NORTHERN IL THIS MORNING PASSING JUST NORTH OF KNOX...STARK AND MARSHALL COUNTIES. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS CURRENTLY OVER FULTON COUNTY. MCS OVER IA...SW MN AND NW MO HAS A MUCH LARGER AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH ITS STRONGEST LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM SOUTH CENTRAL IA INTO NW MO AND MOVING ENE TOWARD CENTRAL AND NORTHERN IL. LATE MORNING SURFACE MAP SHOWS WEAK 1012 MB LOW PRESSURE OVER SOUTHERN LAKE HURON WITH A FRONTAL BOUNDARY OVER NORTHERN IL NEAR I-80 INTO SE IA AND NW MO. CENTRAL AND SE IL REMAINS IN THE WARM SECTOR OF A TROPICAL AIR MASS. TEMPS ALREADY IN THE LOW TO MID 80S EXCEPT COOLER 75F AT GALESBURG...WHILE MUGGY DEWPOINTS IN THE LOW TO MID 70S WITH SW WINDS 5 TO 15 MPH. ALOFT A STRONG SUBTROPICAL 595 500 MB RIDGE WAS OVER THE GULF COAST STATES AND RIDGING INTO IL WHILE STRONG 563 DM 500 MB LOW WAS OVER SOUTHERN CA. SHORT WAVE WAS OVER EASTERN NEBRASKA WITH MCS AHEAD OF IT OVER IA. SHORT RANGE MODELS KEEP FRONTAL BOUNDARY NORTH OF CENTRAL IL THROUGH SUNDAY AS 500 MB HEIGHT STAY HIGH FROM 588 TO 591 DM. THIS TO KEEP UNSTABLE TROPICAL AIR MASS IN PLACE WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE LOW TO MID 70S AND AFTERNOON TEMPS IN THE UPPER 80S AND LOWER 90S AND HEAT INDEX READINGS PEAKING FROM 95 TO 100F...HIGHEST IN SE IL NEAR THE WABASH RIVER. SPC CONTINUES A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS MUCH OF IL DUE TO CONVECTION FROM MCS MOVING EAST INTO CENTRAL AND NORTHERN IL THIS AFTERNOON. ALSO CONVECTION TO FIRE UP ON OUTFLOW BOUNDARY AHEAD OF MCS APPROACHING THE IL RIVER. VERY UNSTABLE AGAIN WITH LIFTED INDEX MINUS 8C AND CAPES PEAKING FROM 3000 TO 4000 J/KG. SPC HAS 15% RISK OF LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND THINK WET MICROBURSTS WILL DAMAGING WIND GUSTS MORE LIKELY THAN LARGE HAIL DUE TO VERY HIGH FREEZING LEVEL ABOVE 15K FT...SIMILAR TO YESTERDAY. VERY HIGH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES OF 2 TO 2.25 INCHES ALSO TO BRING VERY HEAVY RAINS...THOUGH AT LEAST CONVECTION IS MOVING ALONG TO THE ENE. JUST HAVE TO WATCH FOR TRAINING OF CONVECTION OVER THE IL RIVER VALLEY THIS AFTERNOON. HUETTL && .AVIATION... ISSUED 1245 PM CDT SAT JUN 12 2010 TIMING A STRONG TO POTENTIALLY SEVERE LINE OF CONVECTION ON LEADING EDGE OF MCS OVER SW IA...NW MO AND MOVING INTO WESTERN IL MOVING EAST TO PIA BY 20Z...I-55 AT BMI AND SPI BY 21Z...DEC BY 22Z AND CMI BY 23Z AND LAST 2-3 HOURS. HAVE IFR TO MFR VISIBILITIES AND CEILINGS POSSIBLE WITH WSW WINDS 15 TO 20 KTS AND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 KTS AND POTENTIALLY STRONGER THIS AFTERNOON WITH PASSAGE OF DEVELOPING SQUALL LINE. QUIETER WX CONDITIONS EXPECTED AFTER SUNSET TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. HAVE MVFR VISIBILITIES FROM LIGHT FOG/HAZE AGAIN LATER TONIGHT AND EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. SCATTERED CONVECTION TO DEVELOP AGAIN IN TROPICAL AIR MASS SUNDAY AFTERNOON AFTER 18Z/1 PM SUNDAY. HUETTL && .PREV DISCUSSION... ISSUED 249 AM CDT SAT JUN 12 2010 MAIN CONCERN WITH THIS FORECAST PACKAGE WILL BE HEAVY RAIN THREAT OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS...AS PERSISTENT FRONTAL BOUNDARY REMAINS IN THE VICINITY. 06Z SURFACE MAP SHOWS STATIONARY FRONT EXTENDING FROM THE GREAT LAKES SOUTHWESTWARD INTO THE PLAINS. WARM AND VERY HUMID AIRMASS IS IN PLACE SOUTH OF THE BOUNDARY...WITH WIDESPREAD DEWPOINTS IN THE 70S FROM SOUTHERN WISCONSIN TO THE GULF COAST. LATEST SATELLITE/RADAR IMAGERY INDICATES TWO MAIN AREAS OF CONVECTION...A LARGE MCS OVER NEBRASKA AND SCATTERED SHOWERS/STORMS OVER THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY IN ASSOCIATION WITH A DEPARTING WAVE. SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH MONDAY HOT AND HUMID WEATHER WILL BE THE MAIN WEATHER STORY ACROSS CENTRAL ILLINOIS TODAY...THANKS TO AN UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE CENTERED OVER THE GULF COAST. CONVECTION SHOULD BE AT A MINIMUM...AS ATMOSPHERE REMAINS WEAKLY CAPPED AND LOW-LEVEL FORCING IS LARGELY ABSENT. NEBRASKA MCS WILL LIKELY TRACK NORTHEASTWARD INTO IOWA AND DISSIPATE LATER THIS MORNING...LAYING OUT AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY SOMEWHERE ACROSS EASTERN IOWA/NORTHWEST ILLINOIS. THIS MAY ACT AS A FOCUS FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...PARTICULARLY ACROSS THE NW KILX CWA. ELSEWHERE AROUND THE AREA...NOT MUCH EXISTS TO TRIGGER WIDESPREAD CONVECTION EXCEPT PERHAPS FOR A FEW MESOSCALE BOUNDARIES LEFT BEHIND BY SCATTERED STORMS LAST EVENING. WILL THEREFORE ONLY CARRY 30 POPS ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA...WITH 40S ACROSS THE NW. PARTIAL SUNSHINE AND A CONTINUED SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL BOOST HIGH TEMPS A DEGREE OR TWO WARMER THAN YESTERDAY...WITH MOST LOCATIONS TOPPING OUT AOA THE 90 DEGREE MARK. TEMPS IN THE UPPER 80S/LOWER 90S...COMBINED WITH DEWPOINTS HOVERING IN THE LOWER 70S...WILL PRODUCE HEAT INDEX READINGS AS HIGH AS 95 TO 100 DEGREES THIS AFTERNOON. WITH LOW-LEVEL JET ONCE AGAIN FOCUSING ACROSS THE PLAINS...ANOTHER MCS WILL LIKELY DEVELOP ALONG THE STATIONARY FRONTAL BOUNDARY ACROSS KANSAS TONIGHT. FURTHER EAST...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS CENTRAL ILLINOIS AS WELL...AS THE FRONT SLOWLY SAGS SOUTHWARD. MCS MAY TEND TO PROPAGATE E/NE ALONG THE BOUNDARY LATE TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY...ENHANCING RAIN CHANCES ACROSS THE AREA ON SUNDAY. WILL THEREFORE CARRY 40 POPS ACROSS THE BOARD. UPPER PATTERN WILL CONTINUE TO FEATURE STRONG RIDGING ACROSS THE GULF COAST INTO MONDAY...WITH A WAVE MOVING THROUGH THE DAKOTAS TRYING TO FLATTEN THE MEAN RIDGE AXIS ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES/MIDWEST. MAIN BAROCLINIC ZONE WILL MAKE ONLY VERY SLOW PROGRESS SOUTHWARD...WITH MODEL CONSENSUS PUSHING IT TOWARD THE I-70 CORRIDOR BY MONDAY AFTERNOON. HAVE THEREFORE CONTINUED THE 40 POPS FOR SHOWERS/STORMS SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. GIVEN PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES OF AROUND 2.00 AND WEAK STEERING CURRENTS ALOFT...ANY STORMS THAT OCCUR TODAY THROUGH MONDAY WILL BE EFFICIENT RAIN-PRODUCERS AND WILL BE SLOW-MOVING IN NATURE. AS A RESULT...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE LIKELY. LONG TERM...TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY MODELS GRADUALLY SHIFT THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY INTO THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY EARLY NEXT WEEK...ALLOWING A SLIGHTLY COOLER/DRIER AIRMASS TO WORK SOUTHWARD INTO THE AREA BY WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. DUE TO THE STRENGTH OF THE GULF COAST UPPER RIDGE AND THE MODEL TREND FROM THE PAST SEVERAL RUNS TO SLOW THE SOUTHWARD PROGRESSION OF THE BOUNDARY...HAVE HELD ON TO LOW POPS INTO TUESDAY. AFTER THAT...FRONT WILL DISSIPATE AND VERY WARM/HUMID CONDITIONS WILL QUICKLY RETURN TO CENTRAL ILLINOIS FOR THE END OF THE WEEK. BARNES && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR ILZ066>068-071>073. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 1033 AM CDT SAT JUN 12 2010 ILZ036-040-041-047-049-050-131200- CASS-FULTON-MASON-MORGAN-SCHUYLER-SCOTT- 1033 AM CDT SAT JUN 12 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER CENTRAL ILLINOIS TODAY AND CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING. SOME OF THE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE. THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS WITH LOCALLY TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS AND FREQUENT INTENSE LIGHTNING. SOME HAIL IS ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. MOST OF THE ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN BEFORE MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER 80S AND LOWER 90S WILL COMBINE WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE LOW TO MID 70S TO PRODUCE HEAT INDEX VALUES FROM 95 TO 100 DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. THE ILLINOIS RIVER REMAINS IN FLOOD FROM HAVANA DOWNSTREAM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY A SIMILAR THREAT FOR SCATTERED AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXIST FROM SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. HEAVY RAINFALL...STRONG WINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND HAIL WILL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. ILZ027>031-037-038-042>046-048-051>057-061-131200- CHAMPAIGN-CHRISTIAN-COLES-DE WITT-DOUGLAS-EDGAR-KNOX-LOGAN-MACON- MARSHALL-MCLEAN-MENARD-MOULTRIE-PEORIA-PIATT-SANGAMON-SHELBY- STARK-TAZEWELL-VERMILION-WOODFORD- 1033 AM CDT SAT JUN 12 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER CENTRAL ILLINOIS TODAY AND CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING. SOME OF THE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE. THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS ...LOCALLY TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS AND FREQUENT INTENSE LIGHTNING. SOME HAIL IS ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. MOST OF THE ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN BEFORE MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE LOWER 90S WILL COMBINE WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE LOW TO MID 70S TO PRODUCE HEAT INDEX VALUES FROM 95 TO 100 DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY A SIMILAR THREAT FOR SCATTERED AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXIST FROM SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. HEAVY RAINFALL...STRONG WINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND HAIL WILL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. ILZ062-063-066>068-071>073-131200- CLARK-CLAY-CRAWFORD-CUMBERLAND-EFFINGHAM-JASPER-LAWRENCE-RICHLAND- 1033 AM CDT SAT JUN 12 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS TODAY AND CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING. SOME OF THE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE. SINCE THERE WILL BE NO FRONTS OR OTHER BOUNDARIES TO FOCUS DEVELOPMENT...STORMS COULD OCCUR MOST ANYWHERE. ONCE STORMS GET UNDERWAY...THEY WILL MOVE SLOWLY. THEREFORE...THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL BE LOCALLY TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS AND FREQUENT INTENSE LIGHTNING. THE STRONGER STORMS WILL ALSO BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS AND PERHAPS HAIL. MOST OF THE ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN BEFORE MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE LOWER 90S WILL COMBINE WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE LOW TO MID 70S TO PRODUCE HEAT INDEX VALUES NEAR 100 DEGREES DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY A SIMILAR THREAT FOR SCATTERED AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXIST FROM SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. HEAVY RAINFALL...STRONG WINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND HAIL WILL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. KH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 1222 PM CDT SAT JUN 12 2010 ILZ031-037-038-041>057-061>063-122200- WOODFORD-TAZEWELL-MCLEAN-MASON-LOGAN-DE WITT-PIATT-CHAMPAIGN- VERMILION-CASS-MENARD-SCOTT-MORGAN-SANGAMON-CHRISTIAN-MACON- MOULTRIE-DOUGLAS-COLES-EDGAR-SHELBY-CUMBERLAND-CLARK- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BLOOMINGTON...NORMAL...HAVANA... LINCOLN...CHAMPAIGN...URBANA...DANVILLE...JACKSONVILLE... SPRINGFIELD...TAYLORVILLE...DECATUR...CHARLESTON...MATTOON... SHELBYVILLE 1222 PM CDT SAT JUN 12 2010 ...HEAT INDEX VALUES NEAR 100 DEGREES AT TIMES THIS AFTERNOON... A HOT AND HUMID AIR MASS OVER CENTRAL ILLINOIS WILL RESULT IN HEAT INDEX VALUES OF 95 TO 100 DEGREES...MUCH OF THIS AFTERNOON. SOME LOCALLY HIGHER VALUES WILL BE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY WHERE MORE SUNSHINE OCCURS. IF YOU WILL BE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME OUTSIDE THIS AFTERNOON...BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVEREXERT YOURSELF...AND DRINK PLENTY OF WATER. SOME RELIEF WILL BEGIN SPREADING IN FROM THE WEST AS THE AFTERNOON PROGRESSES...DUE TO AN INCREASE IN CLOUD COVER...AS WELL AS THE ARRIVAL OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. GEELHART
The Lincoln radar (KILX), 78 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:48 UTC.
11 thunderstorm wind, 4 flash flood, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A 2-foot diameter tree was blown down.
Power lines were blown down in Chillicothe.
Numerous tree limbs and power lines were blown down near the Peoria Airport. Siding and shingles were stripped off several houses east of the airport.
Power poles were blown down at 900E and 1200N.
Numerous trees were blown down.
A camper and barn were damaged due to strong winds. A few trees were blown down as well.
Heavy rain of 2.50 in two hours produced flash flooding in central Logan County, including the city of Lincoln. Numerous roads were inundated with more than a foot of flowing water.
A narrow, but concentrated band of heavy rain in west central McLean County produced a few areas of flash flooding. Several rural roads were impassable and streets in the city of Normal were flooded.
More than 1.50 of rain was observed in one hour in and around Decatur. This resulted in rapid flooding of numerous streets in the city of Decatur, and in the rural roads north and west of the city. Several cars were stranded in the floodwaters near the intersection of Illinois Route 121 and Interstate 72.
Several trees and power lines were blown down in Paris.
Power lines were blown down in Chrisman.
An oak tree split in half and fell on a house. Numerous tree brances were blown down around town.
Two railroad crossing arms were blown off.
Power lines were blown down in Teutopolis.
More than 2.50 of rain was estimated between 1600 and 1730 CST in a small part of northern Edgar County. This made many rural roads impassable during the early evening.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, June 2010
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: 236628, 236633, 236631, 236637, 236639, 236626, 236647, 246379, 246380, 246387, 236651, 236654, 236658, 236663, 236662, 246395.