An intensifying area of low pressure tracking from the Central Plains into the Great Lakes created strong winds across central Illinois on January 1st. Winds gusted over 50 mph at times, creating minor damage in a few locations.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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.
An intensifying area of low pressure tracking from the Central Plains into the Great Lakes created strong winds across central Illinois on January 1st. Winds gusted over 50 mph at times, creating minor damage in a few locations.
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 Jan 1, 11:24 AM CST, 36 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 1124 AM CST SUN JAN 1 2012 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 1020 AM CST SUN JAN 1 2012 COLD FRONT IS APPROACHING THE INDIANA/OHIO BORDER LATE THIS MORNING. TRAILING STRATOCUMULUS DECK IS QUICKLY PUSHING THROUGH THE CWA...AND IS CURRENTLY MAINLY CLEAR WEST OF I-57. REMAINING CLOUD COVER FROM THIS DECK WILL MOVE OUT SHORTLY. HOWEVER...SOME MORE DIURNAL CUMULUS IS QUICKLY DROPPING SOUTH OUT OF WISCONSIN/NORTHEAST IOWA. AREAS NORTH OF I-74 MOST LIKELY TO BE IMPACTED BY THOSE CLOUDS BY EARLY AFTERNOON. SOME SNOW SHOWERS CURRENTLY APPEARING ON RADAR MOSAICS ACROSS WESTERN WISCONSIN. LATEST HRRR APPEARS TO HAVE A GOOD HANDLE ON IT...AND TRACKS THESE JUST TO OUR NORTHEAST THIS AFTERNOON...SO WILL NOT ADD ANY TO OUR GRIDS AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER...CANNOT RULE OUT A STRAY FLURRY. HAVE KEPT WIND ADVISORY GOING...ALTHOUGH WE ARE SEEING A FEW LULLS IN SOME AREAS AT THE MOMENT. BUFKIT MOMENTUM TRANSFER OFF THE LATEST NAM STILL SHOWING AROUND 45 KNOTS AROUND 900 MB...WHICH SHOULD BE MIXED DOWN WITH THE ABUNDANT SUNSHINE. WITH THIS SUNSHINE...HAVE UPDATED HOURLY TEMPERATURE TRENDS TO KEEP THINGS STEADY OR RISING A COUPLE DEGREES THROUGH MIDDAY...BEFORE FALLING THIS AFTERNOON AS 850 MB TEMPERATURES DROP TO NEAR -10C ACROSS THE NORTHERN CWA. UPDATED ZONES/GRIDS HAVE BEEN SENT. GEELHART && .AVIATION... ISSUED 1123 AM CST SUN JAN 1 2012 LINGERING MVFR CEILINGS AT KCMI HAVE MOVED EASTWARD. WILL SEE A COUPLE MORE HOURS OF CLEAR SKIES AT MOST OF THE TAF SITES...BEFORE AN AREA OF CEILINGS AROUND 4000 FEET DROPS SOUTHWARD. AWIPS TIME-OF-ARRIVAL TOOL HAS THIS ARRIVING FROM KPIA-KCMI IN THE 21Z TIME FRAME. CYCLONIC CIRCULATION OVER THE GREAT LAKES WILL KEEP PERIODS OF VFR CEILINGS LINGERING INTO MONDAY IN THESE AREAS...WITH MAINLY SCATTERED CLOUDS FURTHER SOUTH. WIND-WISE... STILL WILL SEE SOME 30-40 KNOT WIND GUSTS FOR A FEW MORE HOURS...BEFORE SOME DIMINISHING TAKES PLACE LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT. HOWEVER...WE WILL LIKELY SEE GUSTS AGAIN OVER 30 KNOTS ON MONDAY MORNING. GEELHART && .PREV DISCUSSION... ISSUED 325 AM CST SUN JAN 1 2012 BIGGEST FORECAST CONCERN IS HOW STRONG WINDS GET TODAY AND HOW LONG TO HAVE WIND ADVISORY. STRONG WINDS TODAY DUE TO 1000 MB LOW PRESSURE OVER FAR NW IL DEEPENS AS IT MOVES NE ACROSS THE CENTRAL GREAT LAKES REGION AND INTO FAR EASTERN ONTARIO BY 00Z/6 PM. MUCH COLDER AIR TO USHER INTO IL ON STRONG WNW BEHIND A COLD FRONT TODAY. 00Z MODELS ARE IN FAIR AGREEMENT NEXT FEW DAYS AND USED A BLEND. QUIET WEATHER EXPECTED FROM TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY AS COLD TEMPERATURES EARLY THIS WEEK MODERATE BACK ABOVE NORMAL DURING THE SECOND HALF OF THE WORK WEEK. SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT 09Z/3 AM SURFACE MAP SHOWS 1000 MB LOW PRESSURE OVER FAR NW IL WITH ITS COLD FRONT THROUGH WESTERN IL INTO SE MO AND EASTERN AR. SSW WINDS AHEAD OF COLD FRONT TURN WNW BEHIND THE FRONT. WIND GUSTS AHEAD OF COLD FRONT GENERALLY 20 TO 32 MPH AND INCREASE TO 25 TO 37 MPH BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. NARROW BAND OF POST FRONTAL RAIN SHOWERS NEAR THE IA/IL MS RIVER BORDER AND A FEW MORE RAIN SHOWERS BETWEEN ST LOUIS AND JACKSONVILLE MOVING EAST. MILD TEMPS IN THE 40S OVER CENTRAL AND SE IL EARLY THIS MORNING. DEWPOINTS WERE IN THE MID TO UPPER 30S. WILL CARRY A 20-40% CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS OVER CENTRAL IL THIS MORNING AND COULD MIX WITH LIGHT SNOW BUT NO ACCUMULATIONS. KEEPING IN DRY IN FAR SE IL BY LAWRENCEVILLE TODAY. MODELS SWEEP COLD FRONT QUICKLY EAST TOWARD THE IL/IN BORDER BY 12Z/6 AM THIS MORNING WITH 1000 MB LOW PRESSURE OVER NW IL DEEPENING NE TO 995 MB OVER FAR NW LOWER MI BY 18Z/NOON AND TO 990 MB OVER FAR EASTERN ONTARIO BY 00Z/6 PM. MEANWHILE 1037 MB HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE ROCKIES TO STRENGTHEN TO 1042 MB INTO THE HIGH PLAINS BY EARLY EVENING. THIS TO GENERATE A VERY TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT OVER IL BEHIND THE COLD FRONT TODAY WITH MIXING UP TO 5-6K FT AS SKIES BECOME PARTLY TO MOSTLY SUNNY FOR A TIME AND WNW WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH AND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH FROM LATE MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON. EARLY MORNING HIGHS TO RANGE FROM THE UPPER 30S AND LOWER 40S...WITH MID 40S ALONG THE WABASH RIVER. TEMPS COOL INTO THE LOW TO MID 30S BY SUPPER TIME TODAY. WILL CONTINUE THE WIND ADVISORY TODAY AND THIS EVENING ACROSS CENTRAL AND SE IL WITH STRONGEST WINDS EXPECTED LATE MORNING AND AFTERNOON. INCREASED WIND SPEEDS MONDAY WITH PRESSURE GRADIENT REMAINING QUITE STRONG WITH WINDS GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH EXPECTED. ALSO INCREASE CLOUD COVER ESPECIALLY OVER EASTERN IL WITH STRONG UPPER LEVEL TROF DIGGING OVER THE EASTERN STATES LATE TONIGHT AND MONDAY AND THEN SHIFTING EASTWARD MONDAY NIGHT AS SURFACE RIDGE SETTLES EAST INTO THE MS RIVER VALLEY BY DAWN TUE. LOW CLOUDS AND WINDS TO DECREASE FROM WEST TO EAST DURING MONDAY NIGHT. LOWS TONIGHT MOSTLY IN THE LOWER 20S WITH SUBFREEZING HIGHS MON OF 25 TO 30F. LOWS MONDAY NIGHT IN THE LOW TO MID TEENS WITH SUBFREEZING HIGHS AGAIN ON TUE IN THE UPPER 20S TO AROUND 30F. HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE SHIFTING EAST OF IL BY TUE EVENING TO START MODERATING TEMPS WITH SOUTHERLY FLOW SETTING UP FOR A FEW DAYS. A NORTHERN STREAM SHORT WAVE TO MOVE ACROSS NORTHERN IL OVERNIGHT TUE NIGHT KEEPING ITS LIGHT PRECIPITATION AND MORE CLOUDS NORTH IN THE GREAT LAKES REGION. MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES EXPECTED TUE AND WED WITH HIGHS MODERATING ABOUT 10 DEGREES TO UPPER 30S AND LOWER 40S WED. LONG TERM...THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT DRY CONDITIONS GENERALLY EXPECTED LATE THIS WEEK WITH ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES WITH MILDEST READINGS ON FRIDAY WITH LOWER 50S. THIS DUE TO UPPER LEVEL RIDGING INTO THE MS VALLEY AND WEATHER DISTURBANCES PASSING NORTH OF IL ALONG THE US/CANADIAN BORDER AND SOUTH OF IL TOO IN A SPLIT UPPER LEVEL FLOW. HUETTL && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR ILZ027>031-036>038- 040>057-061>063-066>068-071>073. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 1106 AM CST SUN JAN 1 2012 ILZ027>031-036>038-040>057-061-021200- CASS-CHAMPAIGN-CHRISTIAN-COLES-DE WITT-DOUGLAS-EDGAR-FULTON-KNOX- LOGAN-MACON-MARSHALL-MASON-MCLEAN-MENARD-MORGAN-MOULTRIE-PEORIA- PIATT-SANGAMON-SCHUYLER-SCOTT-SHELBY-STARK-TAZEWELL-VERMILION- WOODFORD- 1106 AM CST SUN JAN 1 2012 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT TONIGHT... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL AND EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WILL GUST TO AROUND 45 MPH AT TIMES THROUGH MID AFTERNOON...WITH ONLY A GRADUAL DECREASE IN WINDS TONIGHT. THE GUSTY WINDS TONIGHT WILL HELP TO DRIVE WIND CHILL READINGS DOWN INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS BY MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTING TO BETWEEN 35 AND 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED ON MONDAY. WIND CHILLS DURING THE DAY WILL RANGE FROM 10 TO 15 DEGREES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ062-066-067-071-072-021200- CLAY-CUMBERLAND-EFFINGHAM-JASPER-RICHLAND- 1106 AM CST SUN JAN 1 2012 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR MUCH OF SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WILL GUST TO AROUND 40 MPH THROUGH THE AFTERNOON...WITH ONLY A GRADUAL DECREASE IN WINDS TONIGHT. THE GUSTY WINDS TONIGHT WILL HELP TO DRIVE WIND CHILL READINGS DOWN TO NEAR 10 DEGREES BY MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTING TO BETWEEN 35 AND 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED ON MONDAY. WIND CHILLS DURING THE DAY WILL RANGE FROM 10 TO 15 DEGREES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ063-068-073-021200- CLARK-CRAWFORD-LAWRENCE- 1106 AM CST SUN JAN 1 2012 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS...NEAR THE INDIANA BORDER. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WILL GUST TO AROUND 40 MPH THROUGH THE AFTERNOON...WITH ONLY A GRADUAL DECREASE IN WINDS TONIGHT. THE GUSTY WINDS TONIGHT WILL HELP TO DRIVE WIND CHILL READINGS DOWN TO NEAR 10 DEGREES BY MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTING TO BETWEEN 35 AND 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED ON MONDAY. WIND CHILLS DURING THE DAY WILL BE IN THE TEENS. MINOR FLOODING ALONG THE WABASH RIVER IN CRAWFORD COUNTY SHOULD SUBSIDE AROUND MIDWEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. GEELHART
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A portion of the canvas roof over the Multi-Purpose Arena at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield was damaged by strong winds.
A grain bin was blown over, then tumbled for 1.5 miles near Ashmore.
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, January 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: 356067, 356068.