A cold front triggered scattered showers and thunderstorms across central Illinois during the morning of September 5th. to Robinson line.
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 cold front triggered scattered showers and thunderstorms across central Illinois during the morning of September 5th. A few of the storms became severe, producing gusty winds along and south of a Jacksonville...to Shelbyville...to Robinson line. Minor wind damage occurred in a few spots.
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 Sep 5, 5:48 AM CST, 57 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 648 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 330 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT 00Z MODELS CONTINUE TO BE SLOWER WITH COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT...AND SPC CONTINUES A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS FROM MID AFTERNOON INTO MID EVENING. PER SPC DAY1 DISCUSSION... MODEL FORECASTS SUGGEST THE STRONGEST INSTABILITY WILL DEVELOP FROM ACROSS CENTRAL IL LATE THIS AFTERNOON. NAM FORECAST SOUNDINGS AROUND SPRINGFIELD IL AT 00Z/THU SHOW MLCAPE VALUES RANGING FROM 3000 TO 4000 J/KG. THE STRONG INSTABILITY COMBINED WITH MODERATE DEEP LAYER SHEAR PROFILES SHOULD BE FAVORABLE FOR SUPERCELLS WITH LARGE HAIL. THE PRISTINE THERMODYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT MAY ALSO SUPPORT HAIL GREATER THAN 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER ESPECIALLY WITH SUPERCELLS THAT HAVE ACCESS TO THE STRONGEST INSTABILITY. AS LOW- LEVEL FLOW INCREASES DURING THE EARLY EVENING...CELLS SHOULD CONGEAL INTO A LINEAR CONVECTIVE SYSTEM RESULTING IN AN INCREASED WIND DAMAGE THREAT. AN ENHANCED WIND DAMAGE THREAT MAY DEVELOP ACROSS THE LOWER OH VALLEY ESPECIALLY IF AN MCS CAN ORGANIZE AND MOVE QUICKLY SE ACROSS THE REGION. ONE MORE HOT AND HUMID DAY EXPECTED TODAY WHICH WILL BE THE 6TH CONSECTIVE HUMID DAY SINCE LAST FRIDAY WITH THE ARRIVAL OF ISAACS TROPICAL MOISTURE. WARMED HIGHS A DEGREE OR TWO INTO THE LOW TO MID 90S TODAY AND THIS COMBINED WITH DEWPOINTS GENERALLY IN THE LOWER 70S TO GIVE AFTERNOON HEAT INDICES PEAKING AROUND 100F...TO AS HIGH AS 100-104F IN SW COUNTIES SO JUST BELOW HEAT ADVISORY CRITERIA OF 105F. INCREASED POPS NW AREAS THIS MORNING TO HANDLE MCS OVER EASTERN IA AND INCREASE POPS OVER REST OF CENTRAL IL THIS AFTERNOON AND SE IL BEST CHANCES OF STORMS WILL BE THIS EVENING. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE TO SETTLE INTO IL BY SUNSET THU BRINGING A FAIR AMOUNT OF SUNSHINE THU ALONG WITH LESS HUMID AIR. BUMPED UP HIGHS A DEGREE OR TWO ON THU AS WELL RANGING FROM THE LOWER 80S NW TO NEAR 90F FAR SE IL BY LAWRENCEVILLE. YET ANOTHER FAIRLY STRONG DISTURBANCE MOVES INTO CENTRAL IL LATER THU NIGHT INTO FRI NIGHT LIKELY BRINGING SHOWERS AND MORE THUNDERSTORMS ESPECIALLY FRI AFTERNOON/EVENING. SPC HAS 5% RISK OF SEVERE STORMS SOUTHERN HALF FOR FRI/FRI EVE ALONG AND SOUTH OF A TAYLORVILLE TO PARIS LINE. RAINFALL AMOUNTS BETWEEN A HALF AND THREE QUARTER INCHES WITH LOCAL 1 INCH AMOUNTS POSSIBLE FROM THIS STORM SYSTEM. LONG TERM...SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY EXTENDED MODELS HAVE TRENDED MORE PROGRESSIVE WITH UPPER LEVEL TROF AND MOST MODELS NO LONGER CUTOFF AN UPPER LEVEL LOW IN THE OHIO VALLEY THIS WEEKEND. SO CONTINUED TREND OF SHIFTING CHANCES OF SHOWERS FURTHER EAST THIS WEEKEND AND LESS CLOUD COVER. CHANCE OF SHOWERS CONTINUES SAT AND HIGHEST POPS IN EASTERN IL. CHANCES OF SHOWERS MAINLY EAST OF CENTRAL/SE IL BY SUNDAY WITH PARTLY TO MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES...MORE CLOUDS NEAR THE INDIANA BORDER. UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OVER THE WESTERN STATES GRADUALLY NOSES INTO IL BY NEXT TUE/WED BRINGING QUIET WEATHER WITH TEMPS MODIFYING FROM WEEKEND HIGHS IN THE LOW TO MID 70S INTO THE UPPER 70S AND LOWER 80S BY TUE/WED. KH && .AVIATION... ISSUED 645 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS NEAR IL RIVER AT PIA AIRPORT WILL SPREAD SE TO BMI AIRPORT AROUND 12Z AND SHOULD FALL APART AS IT REACHES I-72 BY MID MORNING. NNE WINDS OF 15-20 KTS WITH GUSTS OF 25-30 KTS TO OCCUR BEHIND THE OUTFLOW BOUNDARY AT PIA AND BMI NEXT HOUR OR TWO. THESE WINDS ENHANCED BY A MESO-HIGH 1015 MB BY CLINTON IA NEAR THE IA/IL MS RIVER BORDER WITH WEAKENING MCS. WILL NEED TO WATCH TO SEE IF THIS OUTFLOW HOLDS TOGETHER LONG ENOUGH TO AFFECT THE I-72 TAF SITES WHERE A WIND SHIFT MAY BE NEEDED THERE AS WELL BY MID MORNING...BUT WITH WEAKER WIND SPEEDS. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY DEVELOP DURING MID/LATE AFTERNOON OVER CENTRAL IL AND CONTINUE INTO MID EVENING AND LAST LONGEST A DEC AND CMI AS A COLD FRONT OVER THE UPPER MS VALLEY MOVES SE THROUGH CENTRAL IL THIS EVENING. MVFR CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES POSSIBLE WITH THUNDERSTORMS AND COULD BE GUSTY WINDS AS WELL THOUGH TOO EARLY TO PINPOINT THE TIMING OF THIS. CLEARING SKIES BEHIND THE COLD FRONT OVERNIGHT WITH SOUTH WINDS 8-14 KTS TODAY TURNING NW BY OVERNIGHT AND WEAKENING TO LESS THAN 10 KTS AS WEAK HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES SETTLES INTO THE MS VALLEY THU MORNING. KH && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 542 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 ILZ027>031-036>038-040>043-047>053-061100- CASS-CHRISTIAN-DE WITT-FULTON-KNOX-LOGAN-MACON-MARSHALL-MASON- MCLEAN-MENARD-MORGAN-PEORIA-SANGAMON-SCHUYLER-SCOTT-STARK- TAZEWELL-WOODFORD- 542 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY OCCUR TODAY UNTIL SUNSET. THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SEVERE STORMS EARLY THIS MORNING ACROSS THE ILLINOIS RIVER VALLEY...AND ACROSS THE AREA FROM MID AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING. A FEW STORMS COULD PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS...LARGE HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE AFTER MIDNIGHT THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING. A FEW STORMS COULD BECOME STRONG SOUTH OF I-72 FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING WITH GUSTY WINDS AND HAIL. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED NORTHWEST OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER EARLY THIS MORNING...AND ACROSS THE AREA BETWEEN 2 PM AND 8 PM TODAY. ILZ044>046-054>057-061-061100- CHAMPAIGN-COLES-DOUGLAS-EDGAR-MOULTRIE-PIATT-SHELBY-VERMILION- 542 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR TODAY...MAINLY FROM MID AFTERNOON INTO MID EVENING. THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SEVERE STORMS DURING THAT TIME. THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREATS ARE DAMAGING WINDS GUSTS...LARGE HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME STRONG SOUTH OF I-72 FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING WITH GUSTY WINDS AND HAIL. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED BETWEEN 3 PM AND 9 PM TODAY. ILZ062-063-066>068-071>073-061100- CLARK-CLAY-CRAWFORD-CUMBERLAND-EFFINGHAM-JASPER-LAWRENCE-RICHLAND- 542 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR TODAY...MAINLY LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SEVERE STORMS DURING THAT TIME. THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREAT IS DAMAGING WIND GUSTS...LARGE HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND HEAVY RAINS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. A FEW STORMS COULD BECOME STRONG FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS WITH GUSTY WINDS AND HAIL. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED BETWEEN 4 PM AND 10 PM TODAY. KH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 532 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 ILZ027>029-036-051130- FULTON-KNOX-PEORIA-STARK- 532 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN FULTON...SOUTHERN KNOX...SOUTHWESTERN STARK AND WESTERN PEORIA COUNTIES UNTIL 630 AM CDT... AT 527 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM WEST JERSEY TO AVON...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH. WINDS AROUND 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... YATES CITY... FAIRVIEW... ELMWOOD... FARMINGTON... CANTON... OTHER LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...ST. AUGUSTINE...DELONG... ELLISVILLE...MIDDLE GROVE...MARIETTA AND FIATT. 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 4114 8992 4052 8990 4048 9045 4077 9045 TIME...MOT...LOC 1033Z 312DEG 35KT 4098 8978 4068 9040 SMITH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
536 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012
ILZ036-040-041-047-051130-
CASS-FULTON-MASON-SCHUYLER-
536 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR FULTON...NORTHWESTERN CASS...
SCHUYLER AND WESTERN MASON COUNTIES UNTIL 630 AM CDT...
AT 532 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM LONDON MILLS TO 18
MILES SOUTHWEST OF DISCO...MOVING SOUTH AT 40 MPH.
WINDS AROUND 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
CUBA...
IPAVA...
BROOKLYN...
LEWISTOWN...
VERMONT...
LITTLETON...
OTHER LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...SMITHFIELD...BERNADOTTE...WEINBERG
KING STATE PARK...TABLE GROVE...HUNTSVILLE AND DUNCAN MILLS.
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 4029 9091 4028 9046 4044 9045 4063 9001
4012 9003 3991 9055 3998 9052 3997 9059
4002 9062 4005 9068 4007 9068 4008 9071
4010 9071 4010 9089 4011 9092 4024 9092
TIME...MOT...LOC 1036Z 355DEG 35KT 4070 9032 4043 9129
SMITHSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
554 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012
ILZ028>031-036>038-041-051200-
FULTON-MARSHALL-MASON-MCLEAN-PEORIA-STARK-TAZEWELL-WOODFORD-
554 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN FULTON...EASTERN MASON...
MARSHALL...PEORIA...STARK...TAZEWELL...WESTERN MCLEAN AND WOODFORD
COUNTIES UNTIL 700 AM CDT...
AT 548 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM TISKILWA TO
BRIMFIELD...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
WINDS UP TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
TRIVOLI...
SPARLAND...
LACON...
HENRY...
HANNA CITY...
DUNLAP...
OTHER LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...MONICA...DUNCAN...LAWN RIDGE...
KICKAPOO...SMITHVILLE AND BANNER.
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 4124 8964 4115 8963 4115 8933 4111 8933
4111 8905 4093 8904 4093 8894 4092 8892
4085 8892 4050 8927 4014 9001 4111 8994
4116 8990 4116 8987 4118 8987 4124 8982
TIME...MOT...LOC 1054Z 299DEG 35KT 4126 8935 4082 8989
SMITHSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
556 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012
ILZ068-073-051130-
CRAWFORD-LAWRENCE-
556 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN LAWRENCE AND
SOUTHEASTERN CRAWFORD COUNTIES UNTIL 630 AM CDT...
AT 553 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES NORTH OF VINCENNES...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT
15 MPH.
WINDS OF 45 TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
THIS STORM WILL AFFECT MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF NORTHEASTERN LAWRENCE
AND SOUTHEASTERN CRAWFORD COUNTIES. IN ADDITION TO THE GUSTY WINDS...
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL WILL ACCOMPANY THE STORM.
LAT...LON 3870 8752 3868 8762 3899 8776 3902 8756
3899 8756 3897 8752 3892 8751 3886 8754
3885 8752 3882 8752 3879 8749 3874 8749
TIME...MOT...LOC 1055Z 306DEG 15KT 3874 8751
SMITHSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 726 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 ILZ041>043-048-050>053-051330- CHRISTIAN-DE WITT-LOGAN-MACON-MASON-MENARD-MORGAN-SANGAMON- 726 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN MASON...LOGAN...MENARD... NORTHEASTERN MORGAN...NORTHERN CHRISTIAN...NORTHERN SANGAMON... WESTERN DE WITT AND WESTERN MACON COUNTIES UNTIL 830 AM CDT... AT 724 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR MIDDLETOWN...OR 10 MILES SOUTH OF MASON CITY...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. WINDS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... WILLIAMSVILLE... ELKHART... CORNLAND... LINCOLN... MOUNT PULASKI... CHESTNUT... OTHER LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...SWEETWATER...FANCY PRAIRIE AND BROADWELL. 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 4019 8912 3982 8924 3984 9001 4023 8975 TIME...MOT...LOC 1226Z 283DEG 39KT 4007 8960 SMITH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
731 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012
ILZ049>051-051330-
MORGAN-SANGAMON-SCOTT-
731 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SCOTT...SOUTHERN MORGAN AND
WESTERN SANGAMON COUNTIES UNTIL 830 AM CDT...
AT 728 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 5 MILES EAST OF
PLEASANT PLAINS TO ALSEY...MOVING SOUTH AT 45 MPH.
WINDS UP TO 55 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
LOAMI...
FRANKLIN...
CHATHAM...
WAVERLY...
DIVERNON...
AUBURN...
OTHER LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...LAKE JACKSONVILLE...GLASGOW...
SOUTH JACKSONVILLE...LYNNVILLE...FARMINGDALE AND BERLIN.
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 3969 9064 3986 8969 3953 8960 3951 9001
3952 9056
TIME...MOT...LOC 1231Z 338DEG 40KT 3983 8980 3955 9045
SMITHThe Lincoln radar (KILX), 89 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 12:47 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Several 2-inch diameter tree branches were blown down.
Numerous 3-inch diameter tree branches were blown down just southwest of Woodson.
A tree was blown down onto a house in Flora.
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, September 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: 411558, 411559, 411560.