Scattered thunderstorms developed along an approaching warm front during the afternoon of October 13th. While the storms were not severe, quite a bit of lightning occurred with them.
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.
Scattered thunderstorms developed along an approaching warm front during the afternoon of October 13th. While the storms were not severe, quite a bit of lightning occurred with them. Lightning struck the Elkhart Fire Department communications tower in Logan County, knocking out receiver units on the tower.
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 13, 1:48 PM CST, 1 hour 42 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 248 PM CDT SAT OCT 13 2012 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 246 PM CDT SAT OCT 13 2012 FORECAST PROBLEMS TODAY WILL BE THE CONVECTION AHEAD OF AND WITH THE CUT OFF LOW IN SOUTHERN ROCKIES THIS MORNING...THAT WILL BE MOVING THROUGH MIDWEST THROUGH SUNDAY. SECOND SYSTEM WILL BE NEW CUTOFF LOW THAT FORMS MIDWEEK IN MIDWEST. SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. UPPER AIR AND MOISTURE CHANNEL DATA AT 12Z THIS MORNING SHOWS UPPER LOW CENTER IN SOUTHERN CO/NORTHERN NM. SYSTEM STARTING TO MOVE NOW...AS 100KT JET SOUTHEAST OF CENTER AT 300MB. PLENTY OF DIFLUENCE ALOFT AHEAD OF SYSTEM TRIGGER SERIES OF MCS IN THE STRONG SOUTHWESTERLY MOISTURE FLOW IN LOW LEVELS...SEEN AT 850MB FROM OK TO NORTHERN IL. SURFACE MOISTURE AXIS FROM TX TO OK...WITH ISENTROPIC LIFT AND 925MB-850MB MOISTURE AXIS FROM OK TO MO TO IL. MOISTURE CHANNEL IMAGERY THROUGH AFTERNOON SHOWS VORT LOBE HAD BY 2PM MOVED INTO CENTRAL NM. 2 MINOR UPPER WAVES SEEN THAT AIDED IN TRIGGERING CONVECTION THROUGH THE DAY...FIRST MOVING ACROSS NORTHERN IL AND SECOND OVER NORTHERN MO. BRIEF EARLY EVENING BREAK IN PCPN BEFORE NEXT CONVECTION DUE TO MINOR UPPER WAVES IN UPPER FLOW AHEAD OF THE NM SYSTEM. STORM REDEVELOP SHOULD CONTINUE OVERNIGHT IN DEEP LOW LEVEL UNSTABLE MOISTURE PLUME FROM OK-SOUTHEAST KS TO MO TO IL. THIS REASON FOR HIGH POPS AND QPF. ROCKIES UPPER WAVE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO OPEN UP AND MOVE TOWARD REGION OVERNIGHT...PROVIDING UPPER LEVEL LIFT FOR PCPN. SLOWER MOVEMENT AND CONTINUED SOUTHERLY MOISTURE FLOW AHEAD OF FRONT EARLY SUNDAY WILL YIELD POSSIBLY ENOUGH INSTABILITY FOR REDEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHEAST SECTIONS OF CWA. WIND AND POSSIBLY SOME HAIL REMAIN POSSIBLE WITH STORM DEVELOPMENT. AHEAD OF SURFACE LOW...LOW LEVEL JET STRENGHTENS AND MAXS OUT IN LATE MORNING THROUGH AFTERNOON OVER EASTERN CWA. WIND ADV WILL BE ISSUED FOR EASTERN HALF. LONG TERM...TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. MIDWEEK UPPER LOW DEVELOPMENT FIRST STARTED BY 00Z EUR AND NOW 12Z GFS FOLLOWS SUIT WITH TREND. LOW CLOSES OFF LATE WED OVER NORTHERN MIDWEST REGION...WITH INITIAL COLD FRONTAL PCPN OVER CWA. LOW LINGERS OVER UPPER MIDWEST...AND EVEN THOUGH DRY SLOT POSSIBLY MOVE THROUGH IL...ADDITIONAL LOW AND MID CLOUD DEVELOPMENT EXPECTED WITH MOISTURE AND COLD AIR ALOFT. THUS INCREASE CLOUD AMOUNTS. MODELS THEN DIFFER ON THE MOVEMENT OF THE UPPER CLOSED LOW OUT OF AREA FOR FRIDAY TO SATURDAY. KEPT THE TREND OF LEANING TOWARD EUR MODEL BUT DID NOT GO WITH PCPN AT THIS TIME..AS STILL TOO MUCH UNCERTAINTY IN LOW POSITION THAT FAR OUT. GOETSCH && .AVIATION... ISSUED 1235 PM CDT SAT OCT 13 2012 COMPLICATED TAF FORECAST FOR THIS PERIOD. WIDESPREAD MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS OVER THE TAF SITES AT MIDDAY...WESTWARD ACROSS MISSOURI...ALTHOUGH SURFACE OBS AND SATELLITE SHOWING SOME THINNING CLOUDS AND VFR CEILINGS WEST OF KSPI. FORECAST SOUNDINGS TRYING TO SHOW SOME GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT BY MID TO LATE AFTERNOON...BUT INVERSION AROUND 2000 FEET MAY BE DIFFICULT TO OVERCOME IN SOME AREAS. WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO PUSH THROUGH THE AREA...BUT A COUPLE HOUR BREAK AROUND KPIA/KSPI IS LIKELY BETWEEN THE INITIAL BLOB OF RAIN AND A LINE OF RAIN EXPANDING FROM SOUTHWEST MISSOURI INTO EASTERN IOWA. AT THE EASTERN TAF SITES...A MORE EXTENDED BREAK IS EXPECTED THIS EVENING...WITH RETURN OF RAIN AND MVFR CEILINGS DEVELOPING AFTER 06Z. AS STRENGTHENING LOW PRESSURE MOVES ACROSS NORTHWEST ILLINOIS ON SUNDAY MORNING...SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL RAMP UP...AND GUSTS SHOULD BE APPROACHING 25-30 KNOTS BY LATE MORNING. LINGERING SHOWERS/STORMS SHOULD DIMINISH TO SCATTERED ACTIVITY AS A DRY SLOT STARTS TO WRAP AROUND THE LOW. GEELHART && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY FROM 10 AM TO 7 PM CDT SUNDAY FOR ILZ038-043>046- 052>057-061>063-066>068-071>073. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 313 PM CDT SAT OCT 13 2012 ILZ027>031-036-037-040>042-047>051-141100- CASS-FULTON-KNOX-LOGAN-MARSHALL-MASON-MENARD-MORGAN-PEORIA- SANGAMON-SCHUYLER-SCOTT-STARK-TAZEWELL-WOODFORD- 313 PM CDT SAT OCT 13 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS...MAINLY ALONG AND WEST OF I-55. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP AGAIN EARLY THIS EVENING WEST OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER...SPREADING EASTWARD TOWARD THE I-55 CORRIDOR AND PERSISTING THROUGH THE NIGHT. WHILE WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED...SOME OF THE STORMS MAY PRODUCE WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH. SOME LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN IS ALSO POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY WEST OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE INTO SUNDAY MORNING...BEFORE DIMINISHING FROM WEST TO EAST BY EARLY AFTERNOON. THESE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE SEVERE. HOWEVER...EVEN OUTSIDE OF THE STORMS... WIND GUSTS MAY REACH 35 TO 40 MPH. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ038-043>046-052>057-061>063-066>068-071>073-141100- CHAMPAIGN-CHRISTIAN-CLARK-CLAY-COLES-CRAWFORD-CUMBERLAND-DE WITT- DOUGLAS-EDGAR-EFFINGHAM-JASPER-LAWRENCE-MACON-MCLEAN-MOULTRIE- PIATT-RICHLAND-SHELBY-VERMILION- 313 PM CDT SAT OCT 13 2012 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 7 PM CDT SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS...EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS... MAINLY EAST OF THE I-55 CORRIDOR. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP LATE THIS EVENING...BECOMING MORE NUMEROUS AFTER MIDNIGHT. THESE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE SEVERE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE LIKELY ACROSS THE AREA ON SUNDAY... UNTIL THE PASSAGE OF A COLD FRONT DURING THE AFTERNOON. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF THESE STORMS BECOMING SEVERE...WITH DAMAGING WINDS THE PRIMARY THREAT. ANY LINGERING STORMS WILL EXIT THE AREA BY EARLY EVENING. EVEN OUTSIDE OF THE STORMS...WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO GUST IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH FROM LATE MORNING THROUGH MUCH OF THE AFTERNOON. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. GEELHART
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
1254 PM CDT SAT OCT 13 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1250 PM HEAVY RAIN 2 ENE LINCOLN 40.16N 89.33W
10/13/2012 M1.45 INCH LOGAN IL OFFICIAL NWS OBS
SINCE 9 AM
&&
GEELHARTPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
1257 PM CDT SAT OCT 13 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1245 PM HEAVY RAIN 8 E PETERSBURG 40.01N 89.70W
10/13/2012 M1.16 INCH MENARD IL MESONET
SINCE 930 AM. SWOP REPORT
1252 PM HEAVY RAIN ASTORIA 40.23N 90.36W
10/13/2012 M1.13 INCH FULTON IL MESONET
SWOP REPORT
&&
GEELHARTPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
228 PM CDT SAT OCT 13 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0100 PM HEAVY RAIN 3 N GREENVIEW 40.13N 89.74W
10/13/2012 M1.73 INCH MENARD IL MESONET
6-HOUR TOTAL. HADS REPORT
0200 PM HEAVY RAIN 2 SW FARMER CITY 40.23N 88.66W
10/13/2012 M1.82 INCH DE WITT IL MESONET
SINCE 10 AM. HADS REPORT
&&
GEELHARTPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
255 PM CDT SAT OCT 13 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0130 PM HEAVY RAIN 2 NNW DEWEY 40.35N 88.30W
10/13/2012 M1.52 INCH CHAMPAIGN IL COCORAHS
4-HOUR TOTAL
&&
GEELHARTThe Lincoln radar (KILX), 19 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:32 UTC.
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Lightning struck the Elkhart Fire Department communications tower, knocking out receiver units on the tower.
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, October 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: 416018.