A strong cold front moving through Illinois late in the evening of April 15th into the early morning of April 16th produced a broken line of strong thunderstorms. 00 inch of rain and wind gusts of 45 to 55 mph.
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 moving through Illinois late in the evening of April 15th into the early morning of April 16th produced a broken line of strong thunderstorms. Many of the thunderstorms produced more than 1.00 inch of rain and wind gusts of 45 to 55 mph. One thunderstorm produced a severe wind gust in eastern Crawford County, but no damage was reported.
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 15, 11:14 PM CST, 41 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 1214 AM CDT MON APR 16 2012 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 900 PM CDT SUN APR 15 2012 HAVE CANCELLED THE TORNADO WATCH AND WIND ADVISORY FOR REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT. STORMS ARE VERY ISOLATED AND BORDER LINE SEVERE. STORMS HAVE ALSO MOVED OUT OF THE WATCH AREA AND HAVE DECIDED NOT TO EXPAND THE WATCH EASTWARD INTO MORE OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. UPDATE WILL BE FORTH COMING. AUTEN && .AVIATION... ISSUED 1214 AM CDT MON APR 16 2012 PCPN WILL GRADUALLY BE ENDING ACROSS ALL SITES WITH PIA...SPI STARTING WITH NO PCPN AND CIGS ABOVE 10KFT. DEC/BMI/CMI WILL ALSO SEE END OF PCPN AND CIGS RISING TO AROUND 10KFT. AFTER A BRIEF PERIOD OF BKN MID CLOUDS...LOWER CLOUDS RETURN IN THE WRAP AROUND TOMORROW. PIA/BMI WILL SEE CLOUDS AT MVFR LEVELS WILE THE OTHER SITES WILL BE VFR. CIGS WILL CLEAR IN THE AFTERNOON...AS EARLY AS 20Z AT SPI AND DEC...THEN 21Z AT PIA/BMI/CMI. WINDS WILL REMAIN VERY GUSTY OVERNIGHT...PREVENTING ANY FOG FORMATION IN THE MORNING...AND THEN INCREASE AGAIN DURING THE MORNING. WINDS WILL BE SOUTH TO SOUTHWESTERLY OVERNIGHT AND BECOME WESTERLY TOMORROW. AUTEN && .PREV DISCUSSION... ISSUED 221 PM CDT SUN APR 15 2012 LATEST SURFACE ANALYSIS HAD STRONG LOW PRESSURE CENTERED OVER EASTERN NEBRASKA. THE ASSOCIATED WARM FRONT EXTENDED NORTHEAST ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT EXTENDED SOUTH THROUGH THE PLAINS. MAIN FORECAST PROBLEM TODAY REVOLVES AROUND THE RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE COLD FRONT TONIGHT/EARLY MONDAY. ADDITIONAL CONCERNS REVOLVE AROUND PERIODIC PRECIPITATION CHANCES WITH ADDITIONAL SYSTEMS..GENERALLY MUCH WEAKER THAN THE ONE CURRENTLY TO OUR WEST. 12Z MODELS GENERALLY IN GOOD AGREEMENT THE NEXT FEW DAYS...BUT AGREEMENT AND RUN-TO-RUN CONSISTENCY FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE WEEK HAS DEGRADED THE PAST FEW RUNS. HAVE FOLLOWED A BLEND OF SOLUTIONS FOR THE END OF THE WEEK...BUT FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS NOT AS GOOD AS IT WAS. SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY...THE PLAINS UPPER LEVEL WAVE/SURFACE LOW WILL SHEAR OUT/FILL RESPECTIVELY AS THEY LIFT INTO THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES BY MONDAY AFTERNOON. THE PASSAGE OF THIS SYSTEM TO OUR NORTH WILL DRAG THE TRAILING COLD FRONT THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL ANTICIPATED ALONG/AHEAD OF THE FRONT TONIGHT. HOWEVER...THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT APPEARS TO HAVE DIMINISHED FROM PREVIOUS FORECASTS. THE PRE FRONTAL WARM SECTOR OF THE SYSTEM HAS STAYED PRETTY CLOUDY TODAY AND KEPT TEMPERATURES BELOW FORECAST HIGHS. IN ADDITION...STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW ALOFT HAS PRODUCED SIGNIFICANT MID LEVEL WARMING/CAPPING PER 18Z KILX/KDVN SPECIAL UPPER AIR LAUNCHES. THE TRACK OF THE UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM DOES NOT SUPPORT MUCH IN THE WAY OF MID LEVEL COOLING UNTIL MUCH LATER TONIGHT. SO...IT IS LOOKING INCREASINGLY LIKELY THAT LIMITED INSTABILITY AND/OR MID LEVEL CAPPING MAY PRECLUDE SIGNIFICANT THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT DESPITE IMPRESSIVE DEEP LAYER SHEAR. HOWEVER...DO NOT WANT TO WRITE OFF SEVERE STORMS COMPLETELY AT THIS POINT GIVEN SHEAR/WIND PROFILES. THE MORE SHALLOW MIXING DUE TO THE WEAK SURFACE WARMING/STRONG MID LEVEL WARMING HAS KEPT WINDS BELOW ADVISORY CRITERIA FOR THE MOST PART AS WELL. WILL KEEP AN EYE ON WIND TRENDS THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS...BUT MAY CANCEL AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE WIND ADVISORY EARLY. COOLER...BUT SEASONABLE...AND MOSTLY QUIET WEATHER ANTICIPATED LATER MONDAY INTO TUESDAY IN THE WAKE OF THE COLD FRONT. THIS QUIETER WEATHER IS SUPPORTED BY MORE ZONAL FLOW ALOFT AND HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE. LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...A COUPLE WEAK IMPULSES IN THE ZONAL FLOW PATTERN SUPPORT AT LEAST A LOW CHANCE OF SHOWER/STORMS WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY. WHILE MOISTURE WILL BE LACKING AND THE BEST FORCING IS PROGGED TO OUR NORTH...THE MODELS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT ENOUGH WITH THESE FEATURES TO INCLUDE MENTIONABLE POPS FOR MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA. A COUPLE STRONGER WAVES WILL HELP AMPLIFY THE FLOW ONCE AGAIN AND DIG AN EASTERN U.S. TROF FOR THE END OF THE WEEK. THIS SHOULD PROVIDE A MORE WIDESPREAD/FOCUSED RISK OF PRECIPITATION. HOWEVER...THE MODEL SPREAD IN HOW THIS PATTERN SHIFT EVOLVES HAS INCREASED AND THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF UNCERTAINTY IN THE DETAILS. NEAR OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES FOR MIDWEEK WILL TREND BELOW NORMAL FOR THE WEEKEND AS THE EASTERN U.S. TROFFING DEEPENS. BAK && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 314 PM CDT SUN APR 15 2012 ILZ027>031-036>038-040>043-047>053-161100- CASS-CHRISTIAN-DE WITT-FULTON-KNOX-LOGAN-MACON-MARSHALL-MASON- MCLEAN-MENARD-MORGAN-PEORIA-SANGAMON-SCHUYLER-SCOTT-STARK- TAZEWELL-WOODFORD- 314 PM CDT SUN APR 15 2012 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT DEEP LOW PRESSURE OVER NORTHEAST NEBRASKA WILL TRACK NORTHEAST INTO NORTHERN WISCONSIN BY MIDNIGHT. THE TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE STORM SYSTEM WILL PRODUCE STRONG WINDS OVER PARTS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS OF 35 TO 45 MPH WILL BE COMMON OVER THE AREA INTO MID EVENING. A COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO SWEEP ACROSS THE AREA LATER THIS EVENING BRINGING WITH IT ANOTHER ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS TO PARTS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. THE COMBINATION OF INSTABILITY AND STRONG DEEP LAYERED SHEAR WILL PROVIDE A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. PRESENT INDICATIONS SUGGEST THE PRIMARY TIME FRAME FOR THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE FROM 5 PM UNTIL 9 PM THIS EVENING. THE MAIN THREAT FROM THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL...WITH ISOLATED TORNADOES POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THERE WILL BE ANOTHER CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE REQUIRED FROM 5 PM THROUGH 9 PM THIS EVENING. ILZ044>046-054>057-061>063-066>068-071>073-161100- CHAMPAIGN-CLARK-CLAY-COLES-CRAWFORD-CUMBERLAND-DOUGLAS-EDGAR- EFFINGHAM-JASPER-LAWRENCE-MOULTRIE-PIATT-RICHLAND-SHELBY- VERMILION- 314 PM CDT SUN APR 15 2012 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS...EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT DEEP LOW PRESSURE OVER NORTHEAST NEBRASKA WILL TRACK NORTHEAST INTO NORTHERN WISCONSIN BY MIDNIGHT. THE TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE STORM SYSTEM WILL PRODUCE STRONG WINDS ACROSS THE AREA TODAY. SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS OF 35 TO 45 MPH WILL BE COMMON INTO THIS EVENING. A COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO SWEEP ACROSS THE AREA OVERNIGHT BRINGING WITH IT A ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS. THE COMBINATION OF INSTABILITY AND STRONG DEEP LAYERED SHEAR WILL PROVIDE A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY DURING MID EVENING INTO EARLY OVERNIGHT. PRESENT INDICATIONS SUGGEST THE PRIMARY TIME FRAME FOR THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE FROM 8 PM UNTIL 1 AM. THE MAIN THREAT FROM THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL...WITH ISOLATED TORNADOES POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THERE WILL BE ANOTHER CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE REQUIRED FROM 8 PM UNTIL 1 AM TONIGHT. 07
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
728 PM CDT SUN APR 15 2012
ILZ036-040-160100-
FULTON-SCHUYLER-
728 PM CDT SUN APR 15 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL SCHUYLER AND FULTON
COUNTIES UNTIL 800 PM CDT...
AT 726 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR RUSHVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 80 MPH.
WINDS AROUND 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
VERMONT...
IPAVA...
CUBA...
FAIRVIEW...
LONDON MILLS...
FARMINGTON...
OTHER LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...RAY...TABLE GROVE...BERNADOTTE...
MARIETTA...SMITHFIELD AND ELLISVILLE.
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 4028 9063 4029 9045 4049 9045 4071 9026
4071 8999 4063 8999 4001 9058 4008 9071
4010 9071 4011 9077
TIME...MOT...LOC 0028Z 214DEG 68KT 4016 9059
BAKPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
809 PM CDT SUN APR 15 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1127 AM NON-TSTM WND DMG CLINTON 40.15N 88.96W
04/15/2012 DE WITT IL TRAINED SPOTTER
DELAYED REPORT...8-9 INCH DIAMETER TREE BRANCH SPLIT AWAY
FROM MAIN TREE TRUCK DUE TO NON-THUNDERSTORM WIND GUST.
&&
LAUFENBERGPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
811 PM CDT SUN APR 15 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1127 AM NON-TSTM WND DMG CLINTON 40.15N 88.96W
04/15/2012 DE WITT IL TRAINED SPOTTER
DELAYED REPORT...8-9 INCH DIAMETER TREE BRANCH SPLIT AWAY
FROM MAIN TREE TRUNK DUE TO NON-THUNDERSTORM WIND GUST.
&&
LAUFENBERGSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 834 PM CDT SUN APR 15 2012 ILZ029-036-037-041-160200- FULTON-MASON-PEORIA-TAZEWELL- 834 PM CDT SUN APR 15 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN FULTON...SOUTHERN PEORIA...WESTERN MASON AND WESTERN TAZEWELL COUNTIES UNTIL 900 PM CDT... AT 831 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR HAVANA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 60 MPH. WINDS AROUND 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... MANITO... GLASFORD... SOUTH PEKIN... PEKIN... MARQUETTE HEIGHTS... BARTONVILLE... OTHER LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...CHATAUQUA PARK...POPLAR CITY... LIVERPOOL...TOPEKA...GOOFY RIDGE AND FOREST CITY. 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 4072 8962 4055 8942 4015 9007 4029 9022 TIME...MOT...LOC 0134Z 229DEG 52KT 4028 9006 BAK
The Evansville,IN radar (KVWX), 85 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:56 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The AWOS unit at the Robinson Airport reported a thunderstorm wind gust of 61 mph. No damage was reported.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, April 2012
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: 371780.