Deepening low pressure tracking through the Upper Midwest into the Great Lakes produced very strong winds across central Illinois during the afternoon of February 29th. Winds gusted to between 45 and 55 mph at times, causing minor wind damage around the area.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
Deepening low pressure tracking through the Upper Midwest into the Great Lakes produced very strong winds across central Illinois during the afternoon of February 29th. Winds gusted to between 45 and 55 mph at times, causing minor wind damage around the area.
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 Feb 29, 11:44 AM CST, 3 hours 31 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 1144 AM CST WED FEB 29 2012 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 934 AM CST WED FEB 29 2012 EXITING SYSTEM AND SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE GRADIENT RESULTING IN WINDY DAY FOR CENTRAL ILLINOIS. WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT...AND WILL HAVE TO BE MONITORED CLOSELY FOR EVIDENCE POINTING TO HIGH WIND WARNING. RIGHT NOW...ALL SIGNS POINTING TO HIGH END ADVISORY CRITERIA. 925 MB WINDS THIS MORNING ON THE ILX SOUNDING IN EXCESS OF 46KTS. PLENTY OF DRY AIR WILL LEND ITSELF TO SOME TURBULENT MIXING AND VERY WINDY CONDITIONS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. FOR NOW...FORECAST IS ON TRACK. NO UPDATES ARE ANTICIPATED...DRY...SUNNY...AND WARM. WINDS THE MAIN CONCERN. && .AVIATION... ISSUED 1139 AM CST WED FEB 29 2012 WINDS THE MAIN CONCERN. SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS RAMPING UP TO THE 25-30KTS...GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 35-40KTS EXPECTED THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. PLENTY OF SUNSHINE...AND LIKELY TO STAY VFR THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THOUGH GUIDANCE IS MAINTAINING CLEAR SKIES IN THE WAKE OF THE EXITING SYSTEM...TIME HEIGHT MOISTURE PROFILES ARE TRAPPING RH UNDER AN INVERSION AND POTENTIALLY KEEPING A LOW DECK. UPPER LOW STILL KEEPING A BIT OF VFR/MVFR CLOUDS TO THE NW OVER IA...MOST LIKELY TO IMPACT BMI AND PIA THIS EVENING AFTER 06Z. PUTTING A SCT SKY OVER SPI CMI AND DEC...KEEPING THE TAFS ON THE OPTIMISTIC SIDE OF CAUTION. WINDS OVERALL SHOULD REDUCE CONSIDERABLY AFTER SUNSET...CONTINUING TO GO DOWN TO THE 10KTS OR LESS NEIGHBORHOOD AND OUT OF THE WEST TOMORROW MORNING. HJS && .PREV DISCUSSION... ISSUED 330 AM CST WED FEB 29 2012 SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT WILL EXPAND THE WIND ADVISORY TODAY TO INCLUDE CLARK AND CUMBERLAND COUNTIES AND STILL GOING FROM 9 AM THROUGH 6 PM TODAY. TORNADO WATCH ALSO IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHERN 6 COUNTIES UNTIL 9 AM THIS MORNING...THOUGH STRONGEST STORMS APPEARS TO BE FURTHER SOUTH OVER SE MO AND HEADING ENE INTO SOUTHERN IL SOUTH OF I-64. STRONG/DEEPENING LOW PRESSURE OF 988 MB ALONG THE WESTERN MN/IA BORDER AND FORECAST TO WEAKEN TO 996 MB OVER CENTRAL WI BY SUNSET. THIS STORM PROMPTING WINTER STORM AND BLIZZARD WARNINGS OVER PARTS OF THE DAKOTAS AND MN INTO NORTHERN PARTS OF WI AND MI. WARM FRONT CURRENTLY LIFTING NORTHWARD ACROSS CENTRAL IL EARLY THIS MORNING AND NEAR I-74. COLD FRONT WAS OVER EASTERN MO WITH BANDS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER NW/NORTHERN IL AND ALSO FROM PARTS OF CENTRAL/SW IL INTO SE MO. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE OVER EASTERN IL UNTIL MID MORNING...THEN MOST AREAS SHOULD BE DRY REST OF DAY AS AREA GETS DRY SLOTTED AND CLOUDS CLEAR. VERY TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT TO INCREASE W/SW WINDS DURING THE MORNING WITH GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH THIS AFTERNOON AND PROMPTING A WIND ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL IL TODAY. WINDS WILL BE A BIT STRONGER THAN THERE WERE SUNDAY AND BUFKIT MOMENTUM TRANSFER SHOWS GUSTS ABOVE 40 KTS OVER CENTRAL IL BY AFTERNOON. HIGHS TODAY TO RANGE FROM THE 50S NW OF THE IL RIVER...TO AROUND 70F ALONG THE WABASH RIVER VALLEY...WHICH IF IT GETS THIS WARM TODAY WOULD BE THE FIRST TIME TO REACH 70F SINCE NOV 14. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE ROCKIES DRIFTS EAST INTO THE MID MS VALLEY BY EARLY THU MORNING AND TOWARD THE APPALACHIANS BY SUNSET THU. THIS TO DIMINISH WINDS DURING THE EVENING WITH MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES EXPECTED THU. HIGHS MOSTLY IN THE 50S THU WITH SOME LOWER 60S SW AREAS AND SE IL. ANOTHER STRONG LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPS OVER THE TX/OK PANHANDLE THU NIGHT AND EJECTS/DEEPENS NE INTO CENTRAL/NORTHERN IL FRIDAY. MODELS HAVE TRENDED FURTHER NW WITH THIS TRACK WITH THUNDERSTORMS MORE LIKELY AND ALSO WARMER WITH HIGHS NEAR 70F AGAIN AT LAWRENCEVILLE. COULD ALSO BE A SEVERE WEATHER THREAT AGAIN OVER SE IL IN THE WARM SECTOR FRI AFTERNOON. DRY SLOT WORKS NE INTO CENTRAL/SE IL DURING FRI NIGHT WITH SHOWERS DIMINISHING. WINDY CONDITIONS EXPECTED AGAIN FRI/FRI NIGHT WITH STRONG STORM SYSTEM. LONG TERM...SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY EXTENDED MODELS/ENSEMBLES CONTINUE TO BUILD A STRONG UPPER LEVEL TROF INTO THE EASTERN STATES THIS WEEKEND COOLING TEMPS BACK CLOSER TO NORMAL WITH HIGHS IN THE 40S SAT/SUN. WEAK UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES IN THE UPPER LEVEL TROF COULD BRING SLIGHT CHANCES OF LIGHT PRECIPITATION ESPECIALLY SUNDAY. THEN STRONG UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BUILDS EAST INTO IL/OHIO VALLEY EARLY NEXT WORK WEEK WITH DRY AND MILDER WEATHER EXPECTED. HIGHS COULD REACH INTO THE LOW TO MID 60S TUESDAY. NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM APPEARS TO MOVE INTO IL AROUND WED WITH NEXT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS. HUETTL && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR ILZ027>031-036>038- 040>057-061>063. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 1105 AM CST WED FEB 29 2012 ILZ027>031-036>038-040>045-047>053-011300- CASS-CHAMPAIGN-CHRISTIAN-DE WITT-FULTON-KNOX-LOGAN-MACON-MARSHALL- MASON-MCLEAN-MENARD-MORGAN-PEORIA-PIATT-SANGAMON-SCHUYLER-SCOTT- STARK-TAZEWELL-WOODFORD- 1105 AM CST WED FEB 29 2012 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED TODAY. SUSTAINED WINDS WILL BE IN THE 30 TO 35 MPH RANGE...WITH SOME GUSTS AS HIGH AS 45 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ON FRIDAY AS THE NEXT STORM SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS ILLINOIS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ046-054>057-061>063-011300- CLARK-COLES-CUMBERLAND-DOUGLAS-EDGAR-MOULTRIE-SHELBY-VERMILION- 1105 AM CST WED FEB 29 2012 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED TODAY. SUSTAINED WINDS WILL BE IN THE 30 TO 35 MPH RANGE...WITH SOME GUSTS AS HIGH AS 45 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ON FRIDAY AS THE NEXT STORM SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS ILLINOIS. THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE AND BRING DAMAGING WINDS AND THE CHANCE FOR LARGE HAIL. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ066>068-071>073-011300- CLAY-CRAWFORD-EFFINGHAM-JASPER-LAWRENCE-RICHLAND- 1105 AM CST WED FEB 29 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT BRISK WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH ARE EXPECTED TODAY...WITH SOME GUSTS NEAR 40 MPH POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ON FRIDAY AS THE NEXT STORM SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS ILLINOIS.THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE AND BRING DAMAGING WINDS AND THE CHANCE FOR LARGE HAIL. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. HJS
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
221 PM CST WED FEB 29 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0111 PM NON-TSTM WND GST PEORIA INTERNATIONAL AI 40.67N 89.68W
02/29/2012 M55.00 MPH PEORIA IL ASOS
0141 PM NON-TSTM WND GST CAPITAL AIRPORT 39.84N 89.68W
02/29/2012 M51.00 MPH SANGAMON IL ASOS
0150 PM NON-TSTM WND GST WILLARD AIRPORT 40.04N 88.28W
02/29/2012 M53.00 MPH CHAMPAIGN IL ASOS
0156 PM NON-TSTM WND GST BLOOMINGTON AIRPORT 40.48N 88.92W
02/29/2012 M52.00 MPH MCLEAN IL AWOS
&&
TIMTEThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was blown onto a house in Champaign, causing roof and wall damage.
A traffic light was knocked down in Pana.
A large tree was blown down onto Vermilion Street in Danville.
A tractor trailer was blown over on Interstate 72 at mile marker 134 near Warrensburg.
A piece of aluminum roof framing was torn from the front of a detached garage in Oakley.
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, February 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: 367034, 367038, 367017, 367018, 367032.