A cold front stretching from the Great Lakes to the Southern Plains served as the focusing mechanism for scattered showers and thunderstorms across central Illinois during the afternoon of May 2nd. One cell became severe across Moultrie County, producing wind damage west of Arthur, and two other slow moving thunderstorms resulted in flash flooding in Coles County and Cumberland County.
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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 stretching from the Great Lakes to the Southern Plains served as the focusing mechanism for scattered showers and thunderstorms across central Illinois during the afternoon of May 2nd. One cell became severe across Moultrie County, producing wind damage west of Arthur, and two other slow moving thunderstorms resulted in flash flooding in Coles County and Cumberland County.
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 May 2, 11:58 AM CST, 7 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 1258 PM CDT THU MAY 2 2013 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 1045 AM CDT THU MAY 2 2013 A FEW MODIFICATIONS MADE TO THE FORECAST TODAY WITH THE TEMPERATURES WITH STRONG TEMP GRADIENT FROM HIGHS NEAR 60F FAR NW AT GALESBURG TO UPPER 70S TO NEAR 80F IN EASTERN IL. ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO BECOME MORE SCATTERED DURING THE AFTERNOON. COLD FRONT JUST EAST OF I-55 AT LATE MORNING WAS BEEN SLOWLY PRESSING EASTWARD THIS MORNING. TEMPS RANGE FROM UPPER 50S NW OF THE IL RIVER TO THE LOW TO MID 70S EAST OF I-55 AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE UPPER 50S AND LOWER 60S. ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAD BEEN DRIFTING NORTHWARD OVER CENTRAL AND NORTHERN IL SINCE SUNRISE AND MOST OF THESE HAVE BEEN FROM I-57 WEST. PARTLY SUNNY SKIES OVER MUCH OF IL WITH MORE WIDESPREAD LOWER CLOUDS OVER IA AND CENTRAL AND NW MO. EXPECT CONVECTION TO DEVELOP MORE DURING THE AFTERNOON OVER CENTRAL IL WITH FRONTAL BOUNDARY MOVING VERY LITTLE REST OF TODAY AS SURFACE AND UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER THE LOWER MS VALLEY LIFTS NORTHWARD INTO TONIGHT. 07 && .AVIATION... ISSUED 1255 PM CDT THU MAY 2 2013 ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON WILL SEE SHOWERS BECOME MORE WIDSPREAD DURING THIS EVENING AND CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY. A COLD FRONT JUST EAST OF I-55 WILL REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY THIS AFTERNOON...THEN SLOWLY PUSH EASTWARD INTO EASTERN IL TONIGHT. STRONG UPPER LEVEL TROF OVER THE GREAT PLAINS WILL DEVELOP A DEEPENING CUTOFF LOW OF 557 DM AT 500 MB OVER CENTRAL KS BY MIDNIGHT TONIGHT AND THEN 549 DM AT 500 MB NEAR TULSA IN NE OK BY 18Z/1 PM FRI. MEANWHILE A 1012 MB SURFACE LOW DEVELOPS AND LIFT UP ALONG THE WESTERN KY/TN BORDER BY 18Z/1 PM FRI. INCREASING LIFT AND DEEPER GULF MOISTURE TO ADVECT INTO CENTRAL IL TONIGHT INTO FRI AND DEVELOP MORE WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. NNE WINDS 5-10 KTS TO DEVELOP THOUGH LATER AT CMI WHICH CURRENLY HAS SSE WINDS AHEAD OF COLD FRONT. WINDS TO GRADUALLY TURN ESE DURING OVERNIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING AND INCREASE TO 10-15 KTS. 07 && .PREV DISCUSSION... ISSUED 326 AM CDT THU MAY 2 2013 DEEP UPPER LEVEL TROF OVER THE PLAINS THIS MORNING...WITH A COLD FRONT ADVANCING INTO THE MIDWEST AHEAD OF UPPER SYSTEM. QUIET WEATHER IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS WILL SLOWLY CHANGE OVER TO RAIN SHOWERS FROM WEST TO EAST...CURRENTLY APPROACHING THE MISS RIVER VALLEY. CONCERNS THROUGH THE MED RANGE OF THE FORECAST REVOLVE SOLELY AROUND THE UPPER TROF AND THE CLOSED LOW THAT EVENTUALLY SEPARATES AND MOVES EWD JUST SOUTH OF THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY. MAJOR ISSUE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS STORM WILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINS...OVER A PERIOD OF A COUPLE DAYS GOING INTO THE WEEKEND. MODELS COMING TOGETHER WITH A SLOW AND MORE SOUTHERLY PROGRESSION OF THE SYSTEM OVERALL...WITH PLENTY OF QPF IN THE MISS AND IL RIVER VALLEYS. SHORT TERM...TODAY AND TOMORROW... COLD FRONT APPROACHING THE REGION AND PRECIP ALONG AND BEHIND IT EXPECTED TO CONTINUE AS MOISTURE STREAMS INTO THE ERN HALF OF THE US IN CONJUNCTION TO DEVELOPING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER CENTRAL MO FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. PRECIP CHANCES CONTINUE THROUGH TODAY AND TOMORROW ALONG THE BOUNDARY AND AT THE DEVELOPING CENTER. DEEP LAYER MOISTURE PUSHING INTO THE REGION WITH AN ASSIST FROM THE LOW CENTERED OVER THE MISS DELTA THIS MORNING...RESULTING IN A NEARLY SATURATED COLUMN BY THIS EVENING. WITH THE INCREASING AVAILABLE MOISTURE AND THE LIFT BECOMING MORE ENHANCED BY DEVELOPING LOW CENTER OVER THE SWRN BORDER OF THE STATE INTO TOMORROW...THE HEAVIEST QPF OF THE PD EXPECTED ALONG THE MISS RIVER VALLEY TOMORROW MORNING AND EVENING...INTO SATURDAY MORNING. LONG TERM...SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... CUT OFF UPPER LOW OVER SRN MO/NRN AR RESULTING IN A NEARLY STATIONARY SFC LOW...IF NOT MILDLY RETROGRADING. LACK OF SIGNIF FLOW ALOFT KEEPS MIDWEST IN CLOUDS AND RAIN THROUGH THE WEEKEND. PRETTY WET SATURDAY EXPECTED AS OPEN MOISTURE CONTINUES TO STREAM INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE CONUS FROM THE GULF COAST. SOME DISCREPANCIES IN THE FORECAST MODELS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SATURDAY WITH REGARDS TO THE LOCATION/INTENSITY OF ANY POSSIBLE DRY SLOT FEATURE...THE TIMING OF THE EXISTING SHOWERS...AND THE EVENTUAL EXIT OF THE SYSTEM IN A SIGNIFICANT LACK OF FLOW ALOFT. MAJOR CONCERN FOR EXTENDED PD OF RAINFALL OVER VERY SATURATED GROUND IN WESTERN IL ALONG THE MISS RIVER VALLEY AND THE ILLINOIS RIVER VALLEY. FAR ENOUGH OUT IN TIME...AND ENOUGH UNCERTAINTY WITH EXACT LOCATION OF THE HIGHEST QPF...WILLING TO MAINTAIN ESF AND FOREGO FLOOD WATCHES AT THIS TIME. A CLOSER LOOK WILL NEED TO BE MADE WITH QPF AND FFG HOWEVER... PARTICULARLY ONCE RAIN ON THURSDAY PRIMES THE AREA FOR THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL ON FRIDAY AND INTO SATURDAY. DEEP LOW MOVING INTO THE PAC COAST ON SUN NIGHT PROVIDING A KICKER. APPROACHING LOW IS VERY BROAD AND RELATIVELY WEAK. CONCERN THAT EXIT OF LOW MAY STILL BE A BIT QUICK...THOUGH MODELS ARE HAVING A VERY HARD TIME FINESSING THE ATMOSPHERE IN ITS WAKE. AS A RESULT...FORECAST A BIT ON THE WET SIDE WITH CHANCE POPS. BY TUES/WED...FORECAST DRIES OUT ENOUGH TO BRING TEMPS BACK AROUND TO THE LOWER 70S FOR HIGHS. HJS && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 1033 AM CDT THU MAY 2 2013 ILZ027>031-036-037-040>042-047>052-031100- CASS-CHRISTIAN-FULTON-KNOX-LOGAN-MARSHALL-MASON-MENARD-MORGAN- PEORIA-SANGAMON-SCHUYLER-SCOTT-STARK-TAZEWELL-WOODFORD- 1033 AM CDT THU MAY 2 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP TODAY...HOWEVER SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT ANTICIPATED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY A SLOW MOVING STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING A PROLONGED PERIOD OF RAIN TO THE REGION THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. TOTAL RAINFALL THROUGH MONDAY WILL RANGE FROM 2 TO 3 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. THIS COULD RESULT IN RENEWED FLOODING ON MANY AREA CREEKS AND STREAMS. FLOODING WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE ILLINOIS RIVER THROUGH THE ENTIRE PERIOD. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE REQUIRED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ038-043>046-053>057-061-062-066-067-071-072-031100- CHAMPAIGN-CLAY-COLES-CUMBERLAND-DE WITT-DOUGLAS-EDGAR-EFFINGHAM- JASPER-MACON-MCLEAN-MOULTRIE-PIATT-RICHLAND-SHELBY-VERMILION- 1033 AM CDT THU MAY 2 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS...EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP TODAY AND TONIGHT...HOWEVER SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT ANTICIPATED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY A SLOW MOVING STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING A PROLONGED PERIOD OF RAIN TO THE REGION THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. TOTAL RAINFALL THROUGH MONDAY WILL RANGE FROM 1 TO 2 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. THIS COULD RESULT IN RENEWED FLOODING ON MANY AREA CREEKS AND STREAMS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE REQUIRED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ063-068-073-031100- CLARK-CRAWFORD-LAWRENCE- 1033 AM CDT THU MAY 2 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...HOWEVER SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT ANTICIPATED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY A SLOW MOVING STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING A PROLONGED PERIOD OF RAIN TO THE REGION THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. TOTAL RAINFALL THROUGH MONDAY WILL RANGE FROM 1 TO 2 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. THIS COULD RESULT IN RENEWED FLOODING ON MANY AREA CREEKS AND STREAMS. FLOODING WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE WABASH RIVER AND ALONG THE EMBARRAS RIVER NEAR LAWRENCEVILLE THROUGH SATURDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE REQUIRED THROUGH TONIGHT. 07
The Lincoln radar (KILX), 85 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:02 UTC.
2 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Four power poles were blown down along Illinois Route 133 about 3 miles west of Arthur. People were trapped in cars by the downed lines: however, no injuries were reported.
A slow moving thunderstorm produced more than 2.00 inches of rain in one hour in a small part of central Coles County, between Mattoon and Charleston. The flash flooding was relatively short lived, but numerous rural roads were inundated and impassable.
A slow moving thunderstorm produced more than 3.00 inches of rain in 90 minutes in a small part of central Cumberland County, between Mattoon and Charleston. The flash flooding was relatively short lived, but numerous streets in Toledo, as well as rural roads, were inundated and impassable.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, May 2013
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: 451247, 456525, 456531.