A strong cold front swept through central Illinois during the morning of October 26th. A line of fast-moving severe thunderstorms accompanied the front, producing 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 strong cold front swept through central Illinois during the morning of October 26th. A line of fast-moving severe thunderstorms accompanied the front, producing widespread wind damage. Numerous trees and powerlines were blown down, and a few semi trucks were knocked over on local interstate highways. Once the storms exited the region, 40 to 50 mph gradient winds continued to produce damage through the afternoon.
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 Oct 26, 1:32 AM CST, 2 hours 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 232 AM CDT TUE OCT 26 2010 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 230 AM CDT TUE OCT 26 2010 MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGES TODAY INVOLVE SEVERE WEATHER THIS MORNING...AND STRONG WINDS THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS. LONG ADVERTISED MAJOR CYCLOGENESIS CONTINUES TO UNFOLD ON SCHEDULE. LATEST SURFACE MAP SHOWING 976 MB LOW CENTERED NEAR MINNEAPOLIS WITH COLD FRONT EXTENDING SOUTHWARD ACROSS CENTRAL IOWA AND WESTERN MISSOURI. DESPITE THE DISTANCE FROM THE LOW... PEORIA AND SPRINGFIELD HAVE ESTABLISHED OCTOBER LOW BAROMETRIC PRESSURE RECORDS. PRESSURE FALLS ON THE ORDER OF 5 MB IN THE LAST 3 HOURS HAVE BEEN NOTED WEST OF I-55...WHICH HAS HELPED WINDS ALREADY GUST FROM 40-45 MPH IN A FEW AREAS. ASSOCIATED UPPER LOW CENTERED OVER THE MINNESOTA ARROWHEAD. SPECIAL 06Z ILX SOUNDING AND WINCHESTER PROFILER SHOWING 40-45 KNOTS JUST OFF THE DECK AND 60-65 KNOTS AT 850 MB. CORE OF UPPER JET SPREADING INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS WITH 120+ KNOT WINDS...WHICH WILL PUSH INTO THE MIDWEST OVER THE NEXT 12-18 HOURS. SOME INITIAL STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS JUST WEST OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER AT 2 AM...WITH MAIN SQUALL LINE FROM NEAR QUINCY SOUTHWEST INTO SOUTH CENTRAL MISSOURI...JUST AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THIS IS EXPECTED TO RACE ACROSS THE CWA THROUGH MID MORNING. SIGNIFICANT WIND DAMAGE THREAT WITH THIS LINE OF STORMS...WHICH SHOULD EXIT THE CWA BY AROUND 11 AM. 00Z MODELS INDICATE THE CYCLONE SHOULD STRENGTHEN ANOTHER 15 MB BY LATE EVENING...ACROSS FAR NORTHERN MINNESOTA. VERY TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT...ALONG WITH 50-60 KNOTS OF WIND MIXING DOWN TO THE SURFACE BEHIND THE FRONT...INDICATES THAT WE MAY BE CLOSE TO WIND WARNING CRITERIA TODAY ACROSS THE NORTHEAST QUARTER OF THE CWA. FEEL THIS IS CLOSE ENOUGH TO ISSUE A WARNING FROM GALESBURG TO PARIS NORTHWARD...AND WILL BUMP UP THE WINDS TO THE SOUTH WHILE KEEPING THE ADVISORY OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE CWA. AFTER A LULL OVERNIGHT...PLENTY OF SUNSHINE WEDNESDAY SHOULD HELP MIX SIMILAR WINDS DOWN TO THE SURFACE. WILL MONITOR THIS FOR ANOTHER MODEL CYCLE...BUT ADVISORIES AT A MINIMUM WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED ON WEDNESDAY AS WELL. DUE TO THE ACTIVE WEATHER THIS MORNING...NO CHANGES ARE BEING MADE TO THE FORECAST BEYOND THURSDAY AFTERNOON. GEELHART && .AVIATION... ISSUED 1105 PM CDT MON OCT 25 2010 LITTLE CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...TIMING OF SQUALL LINE INTO OUR TAF SITES AND STRONG GRADIENT WINDS THE MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS THIS PERIOD. COLD FRONT WAS STARTING TO PUSH ACRS WRN IA LATE THIS EVENING WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING WELL AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE WITH THE LINE OF STORMS WHICH IS STILL EXPECTED TO PUSH IN AFTER 07Z ACRS OUR WEST AND APPRCHG OUR EASTERN AREAS BY DAWN TUESDAY. POCKETS OF MVFR CIGS HAVE MOVED INTO THE AREA DURING THIS EVENING AND EXPECT THAT TO BE THE STORY OVERNIGHT. LOOK FOR THE POTENTIAL FOR SFC WIND GUSTS APPRCHG 60 MPH WITH THE SQUALL LINE. WINDS JUST OFF THE SFC WERE 50-60 KTS ALREADY THIS EVENING AND ANY ORGANIZED CELL WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BRING DOWN GUSTY WINDS. SFC WIND GUSTS HAVE HELD UP THIS EVENING AND WITH THE CONVECTION INCRG TO OUR WEST WILL TAKE OUT THE LLWS. EXPECT SFC WIND GUSTS TO BE UP TO 40 MPH IN A FEW AREAS...OUTSIDE OF ANY CONVECTION. THE SQUALL LINE AND COLD FRONT WILL RACE TO THE EAST OF THE TAF SITES BY NO LATER THAN 15Z TUESDAY...WITH STRONG GRADIENT WINDS PREVAILING THRU THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD. ANY MVFR CIGS SHOULD LIFT OFF TO OUR NORTH AND EAST BY LATE MRNG OR EARLY AFTN. SFC WINDS TNT WL CONTINUE FROM A SSE (150-180 DEGREES) DIRECTION...AND THEN VEER MORE INTO A SSW (210-240) DIRECTION TUE MRNG WITH A FEW GUSTS APPRCHG 45 KTS...ESP ACRS THE NORTH. SMITH && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR ILZ036-040>042-047>054-056-061>063-066>068-071>073. HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR ILZ027>031-037-038-043>046-055-057. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 832 PM CDT MON OCT 25 2010 ILZ027>031-036>038-040>044-047>054-061-261100- CASS-CHRISTIAN-DE WITT-FULTON-KNOX-LOGAN-MACON-MARSHALL-MASON- MCLEAN-MENARD-MORGAN-MOULTRIE-PEORIA-PIATT-SANGAMON-SCHUYLER- SCOTT-SHELBY-STARK-TAZEWELL-WOODFORD- 832 PM CDT MON OCT 25 2010 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM TO 7 PM CDT TUESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS...AS FAR EAST AS THE I-57 CORRIDOR. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER OVERNIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP AHEAD OF A STRONG AND FAST MOVING COLD FRONT. WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS OF 60 TO 80 MPH WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT THREAT...ALONG WITH ISOLATED TORNADOES. OUTSIDE OF THE STORMS...WIND GUSTS AS HIGH AS 40 MPH ARE LIKELY AFTER MIDNIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAY STILL BE IN THE AREA AT SUNRISE TUESDAY... MAINLY FROM FROM HIGHWAY 51 EAST...BEFORE THE COLD FRONT MOVES INTO INDIANA BY LATE MORNING. THE STORMS THEMSELVES WILL STILL BE AT RISK OF PRODUCING WIND DAMAGE. ONCE THE FRONT CLEARS THE AREA...VERY WINDY CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP. SUSTAINED WINDS IN THE 25 TO 35 MPH RANGE WILL BE COMMON...WITH GUSTS OF 40 TO 45 MPH AT TIMES. AFTER A BRIEF LULL TUESDAY NIGHT...WINDY CONDITIONS ARE AGAIN LIKELY ON WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY LATE TONIGHT AND TUESDAY MORNING... BETWEEN 3 AM AND 9 AM. ILZ045-046-055>057-062-063-066>068-071>073-261100- CHAMPAIGN-CLARK-CLAY-COLES-CRAWFORD-CUMBERLAND-DOUGLAS-EDGAR- EFFINGHAM-JASPER-LAWRENCE-RICHLAND-VERMILION- 832 PM CDT MON OCT 25 2010 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM TO 7 PM CDT TUESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS...FROM I-57 EASTWARD. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LATE TONIGHT. A LINE OF STORMS WILL BE APPROACHING THE AREA TOWARD SUNRISE. THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THE AREA. AHEAD OF THE STORMS...WIND GUSTS MAY APPROACH 40 MPH AFTER MIDNIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE STORMS EXISTS FOR TUESDAY MORNING... ESPECIALLY CLOSE TO THE INDIANA BORDER. THE LINE OF STORMS WILL RACE ACROSS THE AREA...AND WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS. ONCE THE FRONT CLEARS THE AREA...VERY WINDY CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP. SUSTAINED WINDS IN THE 25 TO 35 MPH RANGE WILL BE COMMON...WITH GUSTS OF 40 TO 45 MPH AT TIMES. AFTER A LULL TUESDAY NIGHT...WINDY CONDITIONS ARE AGAIN EXPECTED ON WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY TUESDAY MORNING...GENERALLY BETWEEN 5 AM AND 10 AM. && THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER...HYDROLOGIC AND CLIMATE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEB AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/LINCOLN. THIS ADDRESS IS ALL IN LOWER CASE. GEELHART
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
430 AM CDT TUE OCT 26 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0419 AM TSTM WND GST FAIRVIEW 40.65N 90.19W
10/26/2010 E60 MPH FULTON IL EMERGENCY MNGR
ESTIMATED WIND
&&
DPKPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
438 AM CDT TUE OCT 26 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0349 AM NON-TSTM WND DMG CANTON 40.56N 90.04W
10/26/2010 FULTON IL EMERGENCY MNGR
2 TO 3 POWER POLES BENT OVER IN CANTON
0418 AM TSTM WND GST JACKSONVILLE 39.73N 90.23W
10/26/2010 M58 MPH MORGAN IL AWOS
TIME ESTIMATED BASED ON RADAR...REPORTED BY IJX AWOS
&&
DPKPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
458 AM CDT TUE OCT 26 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0454 AM TSTM WND GST 2 S PRINCEVILLE 40.90N 89.76W
10/26/2010 M50 MPH PEORIA IL EMERGENCY MNGR
REPORT FROM A TRAINED SPOTTER VIA PEORIA CITY EOC
&&
DPKThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
35 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
An irrigation system was blown over in a field near Manito.
Two semi trucks were blown off I-55 at milepost 113.
Several 18-inch branches were blown down.
A large tree was blown down on Walnut Street on the south side of Pekin.
Several power poles were blown down. In addition, the roof of a shed was damaged and 4 pear trees were toppled.
A tree limb was blown onto powerlines, resulting in a power outage to much of Mackinaw and Heritage Lake.
Power poles were blown down in Morton.
Power poles were blown down in Washington.
A metal chicken coop was destroyed and a large tree branch broke a window in a home.
A tree was blown down onto IL Route 89 north of Varna, resulting in a vehicle accident.
An outbuilding roof was peeled half way off and the west wall of a church was pushed in and damaged at 2954 West Ash Avenue.
A semi truck was blown over on I-72 at mile marker 136.
A pavillion was blown over.
A trailer was blown off its foundation.
A semi truck was blown over on I-39.
A large tree was blown over and a machine shed was damaged.
Numerous powerlines were blown down.
A 6 to 8-inch diameter tree branch was blown onto a power line.
Six power poles were blown down on 100N and 3700E. Two trucks were rolled over and a home suffered minor damage due to a falling tree branch.
A shed was blown down 1 mile east of Tuscola on US 36.
An 18-inch diameter tree was blown onto a trailer.
Several 4 to 8-inch diameter tree limbs were blown down and a 3-foot diameter tree was uprooted.
The roof of the Island Grove School was damaged in Gila. In addition, trees were uprooted and an old barn had some of its metal roofing blown off southwest of town.
Two concrete silos were destroyed and some cattle were injured north of Wheeler.
A large tree was blown down onto powerlines south of Greenup.
Three untility poles were knocked down and numerous tree branches were blown into electrical lines near Charleston.
A power pole was blown down onto County Road 3800N, causing a vehicle accident.
Numerous trees were blown down in Flora. Two of the trees fell on houses and another hit a parked vehicle. A grain trailer was blown 100 yards away from the Cargill building, and the siding was ripped off a garage.
A utility pole was blown down in Louisville.
A roof was blown off a house and several power poles were knocked down around the 3200 block of Edward Hoffman Drive.
Powerlines were blown onto Bradley Avenue west of Duncan Road.
Numerous trees and tree branches were blown down in Paris.
Numerous trees and tree branches were blown down in Robinson.
Part of the roof of the Lawrence Correctional Facility was blown off.
Numerous trees and tree branches were blown down in Lawrenceville.
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, October 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: 263988, 263989, 263990, 264022, 263991, 263992, 263994, 263993, 264004, 263997, 264008, 264009, 264010, 264001, 264005, 264002, 264007, 263996, 264006, 264003, 263998, 263999, 264015, 264016, 264018, 264019, 264024, 263995, 264017, 264011, 264023, 264021, 264012, 264013, 264020.