Strong thunderstorms developed along an advancing warm front between 2 AM and 9 AM on May 25th. Some of the storms became severe, producing scattered wind damage from Morgan County northeastward to Tazewell County.
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 developed along an advancing warm front between 2 AM and 9 AM on May 25th. Some of the storms became severe, producing scattered wind damage from Morgan County northeastward to Tazewell County. Other damage was noted across Champaign, Vermilion, and Douglas counties. In addition, two brief tornadoes touched down in eastern Macon County.
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 25, 2:30 AM CST, 1 hour 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 330 AM CDT WED MAY 25 2011 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 330 AM CDT WED MAY 25 2011 FORECAST CONERN IS MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE STORMS TODAY AND THIS EVENING SOUTHEAST OF A QUINCY TO PEORIA TO PONTIAC LINE (SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS NW OF THIS LINE) AND ALSO HEAVY RAINS LIKELY TODAY. 00Z SHORT RANGE MODELS ARE IN FAIR AGREEMENT NEXT FEW DAYS AND USED A BLEND. MET AND MAV GUIDANCE TEMPS HAVE TRENDED COOLER FROM TONIGHT THROUGH THU NIGHT...AND TRENDED FORECAST IN THAT DIRECTION... THOUGH NOT QUITE AS COOL ESPECIALLY FOR THU HIGHS. SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY. SPC ISSUED TORNADO WATCH FROM LINCOLN SW EARLY THIS MORNING FROM 1 TO 8 AM CDT. RADAR MOSAIC SHOWS A LING OF STRONG TO POTENTIALLY SEVERE STORMS WITH HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS RACING NE AT 45 MPH FROM A QUINCY TO LITCHFIELD LINE. EARLY MORNING SURFACE MAP SHOWS DEEPENING 995 MB LOW PRESSURE OVER CENTRAL KS WITH A FRONTAL BOUNDARY OVER NORTHERN MO INTO CENTRAL IL/IN NEAR I-72 AND I-74. TEMPS HAVE SLIPPED INTO THE MID 50S NORTH OF THE FRONT FROM GALESBURG...PEORIA AND BLOOMINGTON NORTH WHILE UPPER 60S TO AROUND 70F FROM I-72 SOUTH WHERE DEWPOINTS IN WARM SECTOR IN THE MID 60S. DEEPENING 556 DM 500 MB LOW WAS OVER CENTRAL KS WITH WIDESPREAD CONVECTION AHEAD OF IT OVER IA...MO INTO WESTERN IL. MODELS TAKE SURFACE AND UPPER LEVEL LOW FROM CENTRAL KS INTO CENTRAL MO BY SUNSET AND INTO CENTRAL IL BY THU MORNING. WIDESPREAD CONVECTION EXPECTED NEAR AND AHEAD OF THIS FEATURE OVER CENTRAL/SE IL THROUGH THU. ATMOSPHERE BECOME VERY UNSTABLE BY THIS AFTERNOON ESPECIALLY WITH CAPES RISING TO 2000-3500 J/KG AND HIGHEST SE OF THE IL RIVER WHERE MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE STORMS LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ALSO HEAVY RAINS LOOK LIKELY TODAY AND THIS EVENING. THOUGH FLASH FLOOD GUIDANCE VALUES FAIRLY HIGH AROUND 3 INCHES IN 3 HOURS SO DID NOT ISSUE ANY FLOOD WATCHES TODAY. ONE MORE DAY WITH HIGHS IN THE LOW TO MID 80S AND DEWPOINTS IN THE 60S. PER SPC DAY 1 OUTLOOK...A BROAD ZONE OF POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER INCLUDING VERY LARGE HAIL 2 INCH DIAMETER OR LARGER...WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS...AND SCATTERED STRONG/DAMAGING TORNADOES IS FORECAST ACROSS A REGION CENTERED OVER THE MID MS/OH VALLEYS TODAY. AS CONVECTION OVER MO...EASTERN IA AND WESTERN IL MOVES NE INTO THE SOUTHERN GREAT LAKES REGION AND ACROSS THE OH VALLEY THROUGH MIDDAY...HEATING/DESTABILIZATION OF THE PRE-CONVECTIVE AIRMASS SHOULD PERMIT REINTENSIFICATION/EXPANSION OF STORMS ACROSS THIS REGION. MEANWHILE...STORM DEVELOPMENT IS FORECAST TO OCCUR BY EARLY AFTERNOON IN A SECOND BAND FARTHER WEST...DEVELOPING ACROSS MO JUST AHEAD OF THE UPPER SYSTEM...AND THEN EXPANDING SWD ALONG THE SURFACE FRONT. WITH A VERY MOIST WARM SECTOR AIRMASS...STRONG INSTABILITY IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP BY THIS AFTERNOON. WITH 70 KT MID LEVEL SWLY JET ACROSS THE MID MS/LOWER OH VALLEY REGION ON SE FRINGE OF THE ASSOCIATED LOW... SHEAR/INSTABILITY COMBINATION WILL FAVOR RAPID INTENSIFICATION OF STORMS...WITH STORM MODE TO INCLUDE BOTH SUPERCELLS...AND RAPIDLY MOVING/BOWING CLUSTERS. IN ADDITION TO STRONG MID LEVEL MESOCYCLONES... LOW TROPOSPHERIC SHEAR WILL ALSO SUPPORT LOW LEVEL ROTATION...AND THEREFORE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR SEVERAL LARGE/STRONG TORNADOES. DAMAGING WINDS ARE LIKEWISE EXPECTED -- PARTICULARLY NEAR BOWING STORM CLUSTERS...AND LARGE HAIL IS ALSO LIKELY ACROSS THIS REGION. THE SECOND/FRONTAL BAND OF STORMS SHOULD CROSS THE MS VALLEY INTO EARLY EVENING... WITH SEVERE POTENTIAL ADVANCING EASTWARD ACROSS THE OH VALLEY REGION THROUGH LATE EVENING. SPC HAS MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE STORMS LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING SE OF THE IL RIVER WITH SLIGHT RISK NW OF THE IL RIVER. MODERATE RISK HAS 45% RISK OF LARGE HAIL (10% RISK OF 2 INCH OR LARGER HAIL WITHIN 25 MILES OF A POINT)...15% RISK OF TORNADOES (10% RISK OF STRONG TORNADOES EF2 OR STRONGER WITHIN 25 MILES OF A POINT). ALSO HAVE 30% RISK OF DAMAGING WIND GUSTS ACROSS MUCH OF IL. OCCASIONAL SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED YET ON THU AND MUCH COOLER HIGHS IN THE 60S. SPC HAS SLIGHT CHANCE OF SEVERE STORMS EAST OF INDIANA ON THU. SHOWERS DIMINISH FROM WEST TO EAST DURING THU NIGHT AS UPPER LEVEL LOW WEAKENS AND PULLS AWAY FROM IL WITH DRY CONDITIONS PREVAILING FRI. BUT NEXT NORTHERN STREAM UPPER LEVEL LOW DIGS INTO THE MIDWEST FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SAT BRINGING NEXT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. LONG TERM...SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY. FEW CHANGES MADE TO THE FORECAST EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH A VERY WARM AND HUMID SUMMERLIKE WEATHER PATTERN SETTING UP ACROSS CENTRAL AND SE IL EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS DUE TO STRONG UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BUILDING NORTHWARD ACROSS THE EASTERN STATES WITH EXTENDING MODELS LIKE 00Z ECMWF...UKMET AND GFS SHOWING A 595 DM 500 MB HIGH OVER KY BY SUNSET MON. HIGHS IN THE MID TO UPPER 80S SUNDAY AND UPPER 80S AND LOWER 90S MON-WED. HAVE SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FROM PEORIA AND BLOOMINGTON NORTH SAT NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT (30% CHANCE FROM GALESBURG TO LACON NORTH SAT NIGHT) DUE TO UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE RIDING OVER THE TOP OF THE RIDGE...BUT BEST CHANCES OF CONVECTION APPEAR TO BE OVER NORTHERN IL UP NORTH INTO IA AND WI. HUETTL && .AVIATION... ISSUED 1132 PM CDT TUE MAY 24 2011 A STORM COMPLEX IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP LATER TONIGHT...LIFTING TOWARD THE TERMINALS AROUND DAYBREAK. THEN...A BREAK IS ANTICIPATED BEFORE THUNDERSTORM CHANCES RETURN WITH DIURNAL HEATING WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING. MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS ARE ANTICIPATED TONIGHT OUTSIDE OF PRECIPITATION AREAS...WITH MVFR CONDITIONS ANTICIPATED WITH THE NEXT WAVE OF STORMS. THESE MVFR CONDITIONS MAY LINGER THROUGH THE DURATION OF THE 06Z TAF VALID TIME. VARIABLE WINDS TONIGHT WILL TURN SOUTHEAST LATER TONIGHT AND SOUTHERLY BY MIDDAY WEDNESDAY AS AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE MOVES INTO THE AREA. BAK && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 320 PM CDT TUE MAY 24 2011 ILZ027>031-037-038-042-043-048-051-251100- DE WITT-KNOX-LOGAN-MARSHALL-MCLEAN-MENARD-PEORIA-SANGAMON-STARK- TAZEWELL-WOODFORD- 320 PM CDT TUE MAY 24 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...AS A FRONTAL BOUNDARY LINGERS ACROSS CENTRAL ILLINOIS. SOME OF THE STORMS MAY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS...ALONG WITH FREQUENT LIGHTNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY THERE IS A THREAT OF THUNDERSTORMS WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...WITH THE BEST CHANCES OF THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS A WEATHER DISTURBANCE MOVES NORTHEAST ALONG A STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY. SOME OF THESE STORMS COULD ALSO PRODUCE HEAVY RAINS AND LOCALIZED FLOODING. STORMS ARE ALSO EXPECTED AGAIN ON FRIDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS EXPECTED BETWEEN 3 PM AND 9 PM. ILZ036-040-041-047-049-050-251100- CASS-FULTON-MASON-MORGAN-SCHUYLER-SCOTT- 320 PM CDT TUE MAY 24 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SOME OF THE STORMS MAY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS...ALONG WITH FREQUENT LIGHTNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY THERE IS A THREAT OF THUNDERSTORMS WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...WITH THE BEST CHANCES OF THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS A WEATHER DISTURBANCE MOVES NORTHEAST ALONG A STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY. SOME OF THESE STORMS COULD ALSO PRODUCE HEAVY RAINS AND LOCALIZED FLOODING. STORMS ARE ALSO EXPECTED AGAIN ON FRIDAY NIGHT. WATER LEVELS ON THE ILLINOIS RIVER WILL CONTINUE TO SLOWLY FALL... ALTHOUGH IT WILL REMAIN ABOVE FLOOD STAGE THROUGH THE WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED BETWEEN 3 PM AND 10 PM. ILZ044>046-052>057-061>063-066>068-071>073-251100- CHAMPAIGN-CHRISTIAN-CLARK-CLAY-COLES-CRAWFORD-CUMBERLAND-DOUGLAS- EDGAR-EFFINGHAM-JASPER-LAWRENCE-MACON-MOULTRIE-PIATT-RICHLAND- SHELBY-VERMILION- 320 PM CDT TUE MAY 24 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS...EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SOME OF THE STORMS MAY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS...ALONG WITH FREQUENT LIGHTNING. A COMPLEX OF SEVERE STORMS MAY MOVE BACK INTO SOUTHEASTERN ILLINOIS LATE TONIGHT...WITH LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND EVEN AN ISOLATED TORNADO POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE STORMS ON WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR STRONG TORNADOES AND HAIL 2 INCHES OR LARGER...ALONG WITH WIDESPREAD WIND DAMAGE. THE MODERATE RISK AREA IS ROUGHLY SOUTH OF A LINE FROM SPRINGFIELD...TO CHAMPAIGN...TO DANVILLE. STORM CHANCES WILL LINGER ON THURSDAY...BUT NO SEVERE STORMS ARE EXPECTED THEN. SOME OF THE STORMS WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT MAY ALSO PRODUCE HEAVY RAINS AND LOCALIZED FLOODING. STORMS ARE ALSO EXPECTED AGAIN ON FRIDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED BETWEEN 3 PM AND 11 PM. HJS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
225 AM CDT WED MAY 25 2011
ILZ049-050-250830-
MORGAN-SCOTT-
225 AM CDT WED MAY 25 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SCOTT AND WESTERN MORGAN COUNTIES
UNTIL 330 AM CDT...
AT 221 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR WHITE HALL...MOVING NORTH AT 45 MPH.
NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS AROUND 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
ALSEY...
MANCHESTER...
MURRAYVILLE...
WINCHESTER...
WOODSON...
EXETER...
OTHER LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...GLASGOW...RIGGSTON...LYNNVILLE...
MERRITT AND CONCORD.
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 3971 9065 3973 9063 3978 9061 3982 9058
3987 9059 3986 9011 3952 9021 3952 9058
3954 9058 3964 9062 3967 9064
TIME...MOT...LOC 0725Z 188DEG 37KT 3944 9043
SHIMONThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
23 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado, 1 hail, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Several large tree limbs were blown down in Jacksonville.
Several large tree limbs were blown down causing roof damage to a barn. In addition, a TV antenna was toppled.
The tops of several 8 to 10-inch diameter trees were snapped off near 67 and Old 36 just west of Jacksonville.
Several large tree limbs and a HAM radio tower were blown down in Virginia.
A shed was blown down 1 mile east of Virginia.
Several trees were uprooted and a few powerlines were knocked down in Kilbourne.
Several power poles were blown down along Route 104 between Auburn and I-55.
Several large tree limbs were blown down.
Windows were broken at a house and a metal shed was blown onto a road about 1 mile east of Delavan.
Part of the roof was blown off the high school. Power was knocked out to the south side of Delavan.
A thunderstorm shortly after daybreak created a lightning strike which started a house fire in rural western Marshall County. The house and its contents were a total loss. There were no injuries reported.
A tornado touched down in eastern Macon County about 6 miles east-northeast of Decatur at 7:35 AM CDT. The tornado travelled 1 mile to the northeast, damaging grain bins and outbuildings before lifting at 7:37 AM CDT.
A tornado touched down in eastern Macon County about 1.7 miles east of Oakley at 7:39 AM CDT. The tornado travelled 1.5 miles to the northeast, damaging grain bins and outbuildings before lifting at 7:42 AM CDT.
Several farm outbuildings were destroyed.
A tree was blown down onto the railroad tracks 1 mile south of Tuscola.
Trees were blown down in Sadorus.
A semi truck was blown over on I-57 near mile marker 220. One person was injured.
The roof of an old barn was blown off in Pesotum.
Several powerlines and power poles were blown down in Urbana.
Several powerlines were blown down.
Seven power poles were knocked down.
Two semi trucks were blown over on I-74 between mile markers 194 and 195.
Numerous trees and powerlines were blown down in Rankin.
Several trees were blown down and a house lost part of its siding 1 mile west of Fithian.
Several trees and powerlines were blown down near Danville.
Numerous powerlines were blown down on the east side of Danville.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Illinois, 2011Warnings in Illinois, May 2011
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: 305956, 305974, 305977, 305952, 305954, 305957, 305953, 305955, 305951, 305972, 305973, 316506, 306005, 306007, 305978, 305969, 305958, 305963, 305983, 305964, 305965, 305970, 305962, 305971, 305960, 305966, 305967.