Strong thunderstorms with heavy rain moved across north central Illinois along and ahead of a slow moving warm front during the morning of May 13th. Rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour were common.
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.
Strong thunderstorms with heavy rain moved across north central Illinois along and ahead of a slow moving warm front during the morning of May 13th. Rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour were common. In addition, an isolated thunderstorm in central Illinois produced high wind and minor damage.
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 May 13, 1:21 AM CST, 2 hours 9 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 221 AM CDT THU MAY 13 2010 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 220 AM CDT THU MAY 13 2010 LATEST SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWED LOW PRESSURE CENTERED JUST SOUTH OF DES MOINES IA. ASSOCIATED WARM FRONT WAS CLOSE TO THE I-74 CORRIDOR IN OUR CWA AND CONTINUED TO PUSH NORTHWARD. MCS CLUSTERS LINED UP FROM SOUTHERN WISCONSIN SOUTHWEST INTO KANSAS EARLY THIS MORNING...WITH SEVERAL BANDS OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS RIDING NORTHEAST. MAIN FOCUS OF THIS FORECAST PACKAGE WILL BE THE PRECIPITATION OVER THE NEXT 24 TO 36 HOURS. DUE TO THIS ACTIVITY... LITTLE CHANGE WAS MADE TO THE FORECAST BEYOND FRIDAY...ASIDE FROM SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO PRECIPITATION TIMING LATER THIS WEEKEND. MAIN SURFACE LOW TO MOVE NORTHEAST INTO WISCONSIN TODAY...WITH TRAILING COLD FRONT TO PUSH ACROSS THE CWA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. NOT A LOT OF DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE MODELS ON THE TIMING OF THIS...BUT LEANED A BIT MORE TOWARD THE SREF SOLUTION. MAIN SEVERE ACTIVITY EXPECTED TO BE WEST OF I-55 THIS MORNING...FROM THE ONGOING MCS SYSTEMS. ALONG AND EAST OF I-55...THIS AREA WILL BE FIRMLY IN THE WARM SECTOR TODAY AND LARGELY OUT OF THE MCS CLOUD DEBRIS...WITH ATMOSPHERE RAPIDLY DESTABILIZING BY THIS AFTERNOON. SUPERCELL TYPE STORMS SHOULD EVOLVE INTO LINES OF STORMS AND MORE OF A WIND THREAT. PRECIPITATION SHOULD QUICKLY END BEHIND THE MAIN LINE OF STORMS THIS EVENING...BUT WILL LINGER OVERNIGHT AND EARLY FRIDAY ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST CWA. AS FOR THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH...WILL CONTINUE THIS AS PRECIPITABLE WATERS CURRENTLY AROUND 1.75 INCHES AND SHOULD REMAIN IN THAT GENERAL RANGE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. EXTENSIVE FLOODING ONGOING FURTHER WEST ACROSS MISSOURI...AND CONTINUED TRAINING OF ECHOES IS FAVORED AS THE MCS-RELATED STORMS MOVE INTO THE CWA. HIGH PRESSURE TO KEEP THINGS QUIET OVER THE CWA FOR THE FIRST PART OF THE WEEKEND. LONGER RANGE MODELS INDICATING A SHORTWAVE MOVING NORTHEAST INTO THE AREA LATER IN THE WEEKEND. GFS APPEARS TO BE SUFFERING FEEDBACK ISSUES AGAIN AND BRINGS A STRENGTHENING LOW RIGHT OVER CENTRAL ILLINOIS BY 12Z MONDAY...WHILE THE ECMWF TRACKS IT ACROSS THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. ECMWF SOLUTION WOULD SUGGEST SOME PRECIPITATION SPREADING INTO THE SOUTHWEST CWA AS EARLY AS SATURDAY NIGHT. WILL GO WITH SLIGHT CHANCES THROUGH SUNDAY AT THIS TIME...THEN SPREAD CHANCE POPS ACROSS THE ENTIRE CWA SUNDAY NIGHT AS THE UPPER TROUGH SWINGS MORE INTO THE REGION. GEELHART && .AVIATION... ISSUED 1153 PM CDT WED MAY 12 2010 WARM FRONT REMAINS NEAR OR JUST NORTH I-72. CONVECTION CONTINUES TO DEVELOP JUST NORTH OF THAT AND CONTINUES TO MOVE NORTHEAST NEAR BMI. SO WILL KEEP VCSH AND A SHORT TEMPO FOR SHRA WITH LOWER CIGS AND VIS FOR NEXT 1-2 HRS. PIA SITES APPEARS TO BE IN BREAK BUT AM EXPECTING THINGS TO RETURN TOWARD MORNING. SPI-CMI NOT SEEING ANYTHING AT THIS TIME...BUT AM ALSO EXPECTING CONVECTION TO ENTER TOWARD THE SITES TOWARD MORNING...AS BOWECHO IN WESTERN MO IS FORECAST TO ARRIVE AT SPI AND PIA AROUND 10Z...11Z AT DEC AND BMI...AND 12Z FOR CMI. AM ALSO EXPECTING ADDITIONAL CONVECTION AS THE MAIN FRONT MOVES INTO THE AREA TOMORROW AFTERNOON AND EVENING. AFTER THIS...JUST EXPECTING MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES...WITH PCPN WELL OFF TO EAST OF THE AREA. EASTERLY WINDS EXPECTED AROUND THE FRONT AT ALL SITES OVERNIGHT...BUT AM EXPECTING A SHIFT TO THE SOUTHEAST TOWARD MORNING...THEN BECOMING SOUTHWEST BY AFTERNOON AHEAD OF THE FRONT. FROPA APPEARS TO BE AROUND 00Z AT ALL SITES. GUSTY WINDS ALSO EXPECTED AT PIA AND BMI OVERNIGHT AND THEN AT ALL LOCATIONS TOMORROW UNTIL FRONT COMES THROUGH. AUTEN && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR ILZ027>031-036>038- 040>042-047>051. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 321 PM CDT WED MAY 12 2010 ILZ027>031-036>038-040>042-047>051-131200- CASS-FULTON-KNOX-LOGAN-MARSHALL-MASON-MCLEAN-MENARD-MORGAN-PEORIA- SANGAMON-SCHUYLER-SCOTT-STARK-TAZEWELL-WOODFORD- 321 PM CDT WED MAY 12 2010 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD TONIGHT. HEAVY RAINFALL OF 1 TO 2 INCHES IS LIKELY TONIGHT NORTHWEST OF I-55....OVER AREAS THAT HAVE ALREADY SEEN 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN THIS PAST MONDAY NIGHT. IN ADDITION TO THE FLOODING THREAT AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING...THE STRONGER STORMS WILL ALSO BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS FROM LEWISTOWN AND JACKSONVILLE WEST WHERE THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THE NEXT ROUND OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED FROM MIDDAY THURSDAY INTO THURSDAY EVENING AS A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE AREA. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE FROM THESE STORMS. THERE IS ANOTHER CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED AFTER SUNSET TONIGHT. ILZ062-063-066>068-071>073-131200- CLARK-CLAY-CRAWFORD-CUMBERLAND-EFFINGHAM-JASPER-LAWRENCE-RICHLAND- 321 PM CDT WED MAY 12 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP DURING THE AFTERNOON AND BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD TONIGHT. A FEW STORMS COULD BECOME STRONG WITH SMALL HAIL...GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY RAINS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING AFTER 10 PM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE AREA. THE MOST FAVORED TIME FOR SEVERE STORMS WILL BE AFTER 3 PM AND CONTINUE INTO THURSDAY NIGHT. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER THREATS. THERE IS ANOTHER CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS FRIDAY IN SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS AND LATER SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED OVERNIGHT. ILZ043>046-052>057-061-131200- CHAMPAIGN-CHRISTIAN-COLES-DE WITT-DOUGLAS-EDGAR-MACON-MOULTRIE- PIATT-SHELBY-VERMILION- 321 PM CDT WED MAY 12 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP DURING THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AND BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD BY OVERNIGHT. A FEW STORMS COULD BECOME STRONG WITH SMALL HAIL...GUSTY WINDS... HEAVY RAINS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING AFTER 10 PM TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT THAT WILL BE MOVING THROUGH ILLINOIS. THE MOST LIKELY TIME FRAME FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE BETWEEN 3 PM AND 9 PM. LARGE HAIL WILL BE THE PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER THREAT...ALONG WITH STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY RAINFALL. THERE IS ANOTHER CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS LATER SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED OVERNIGHT. KH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
1228 AM CDT THU MAY 13 2010
ILZ027-130615-
KNOX-
1228 AM CDT THU MAY 13 2010
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR NORTHWESTERN KNOX COUNTY UNTIL 115
AM CDT...
AT 1224 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR MONMOUTH...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.
PENNY SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS AROUND 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
RIO...
ONEIDA...
ALTONA...
PEOPLE NEAR THESE LOCATIONS SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION
CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS...AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE
APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN.
LAT...LON 4116 9009 4115 9006 4094 9044 4094 9045
4109 9045 4115 9045 4116 9044
TIME...MOT...LOC 0528Z 228DEG 46KT 4095 9065
AUTENSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
136 AM CDT THU MAY 13 2010
ILZ027-028-130730-
KNOX-STARK-
136 AM CDT THU MAY 13 2010
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR NORTHERN KNOX AND STARK COUNTIES
UNTIL 230 AM CDT...
AT 133 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR KIRKWOOD...OR 7 MILES SOUTH OF MONMOUTH...
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.
WINDS AROUND 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
GALESBURG...
RIO...
KNOXVILLE...
WATAGA...
ONEIDA...
VICTORIA...
ALTONA...
OTHER LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...HENDERSON...DAHINDA AND SNAKE DEN
HOLLOW.
PEOPLE NEAR THESE LOCATIONS SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION
CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS...AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE
APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN.
LAT...LON 4112 8965 4081 9045 4109 9045 4115 9044
4116 9039 4116 8989 4124 8987 4124 8971
TIME...MOT...LOC 0636Z 242DEG 43KT 4083 9065
AUTENThe Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 53 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 09:30 UTC.
4 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Rainfall rates of 2.00 to 2.5 in a two hour period resulted in areas of flash flooding in Knox County. The heavy rain also resulted in the overflowing of small streams near the town of Altona.
Heavy rain, with rainfall rates of 2.00 to 2.50 inches in less than two hours, produced widespread flash flooding in Stark County. Water covered many roads across the county. The worst flooding was near the town of Bradford where Illinois Route 40 was under water for several hours during the morning.
Rainfall rates of 2.00 to 2.50 inches in less than two hours produced flash flooding in the northwest part of Fulton County. Numerous rural roads and small streams were inundated by the flooding.
Rainfall rates of 2.00 to 2.50 inches in less than two hours produced flash flooding in northwest Peoria County. Numerous rural roads and small streams were inundated by the flooding.
An estimated 60 mph wind produced a few broken tree limbs.
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, May 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: 237219, 237294, 237454, 237456, 237215.