An approaching cold front brought showers and thunderstorms to central Illinois during the evening of May 31st. Many of the storms became severe, producing widespread wind damage across the area.
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.
An approaching cold front brought showers and thunderstorms to central Illinois during the evening of May 31st. Many of the storms became severe, producing widespread wind damage across the area. Two tornadoes briefly touched down as well. The first tornado occurred in Decatur in Macon County, while the second one touched down just southeast of Westville in Vermilion County. In addition, excessive rainfall rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour associated with some of the storms produced localized flash flooding that lingered into the morning hours of June 1st.
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 31, 2:01 PM CST, 59 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 301 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013 .DISCUSSION... ISSUED 245 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013 ANOTHER AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WAS TRACKING ENE ACROSS CENTRAL THRU EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THIS IS KEEPING TEMPERATURES AT BAY...AT LEAST EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...WITH READINGS MOSTLY IN THE LOW TO MID 70S...WITH A FEW LOW 80S OVER EXTREME SE IL WHERE THE THICKER CLOUD COVER AND RAIN HAS STAYED AWAY FROM FOR NOW. DUE TO THE CLOUD COVER AND RAIN OVER MOST OF THE AREA...INSTABILITY HAS BEEN HELD DOWN SOME WITH THE HIGHER CAPES ACRS FAR EAST AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY ENHANCED FLASH FLOOD THREAT SETTING UP TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING FOR AREAS SOUTH OF A SPRINGFIELD TO CHAMPAIGN LINE. MODELS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE SLOW MOVING UPPER SYSTEM OUT TO OUR NORTHWEST AND THE ATTENDANT COLD FRONT...THAT IS EXPECTED TO PUSH ACRS OUR AREA SATURDAY. BUT BEFORE THAT HAPPENS...SEVERAL OF THE CONVECTIVE ALLOWING MODELS HAVE BEEN ADVERTISING THE THREAT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A LARGE AND SLOW MOVING MCS ACROSS PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL MO ENE INTO SOUTH CENTRAL AND SE IL LATER THIS EVENING AS THE COMBINATION OF HIGH 850 MB THETA-E AIR AND IMPRESSIVE MOISTURE TRANSPORT NORTHWARD INTO THE REGION POINTS TO THE POTENTIAL FOR EXCESSIVE RAINFALL AMOUNTS. THIS MORNINGS 850 MB CHART SHOWED DEW POINTS IN THE 15-18 DEGREE C RANGE TO THE SOUTH OF THE AREA AND AS THE LOW LEVEL JET INCREASES TONIGHT...THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE ADVECTING NORTHWARD INTO SOUTHERN ILLINOIS. NAM-WRF FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOWING A WARM CLOUD DEPTH OF 12000 FEET OVER PARTS OF SOUTHERN IL LATER THIS EVENING WITH PRECIP WATER VALUES OF CLOSE TO 2 INCHES IN PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL MO AND SOUTHERN IL. IT APPEARS THE RIVERS IN EAST CENTRAL AND PARTS OF SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS HAVE A HIGHER PROBABILITY FOR SEEING SIGNIFICANT RISES IN RIVER LEVELS LATER TONIGHT AND THRU THE WEEKEND...WHEREAS THE NORTHERN BASINS APPEAR TO BE TOO FAR NORTH THIS TIME FOR THE SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL. HOWEVER...UNTIL WE SEE THIS SCENARIO START TO EVOLVE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WE ARE PLANNING ON KEEPING THE CURRENT FLASH FLOOD WATCH GOING THRU SATURDAY (SEE THE HYDRO SECTION BELOW). THE COMBINATION OF DEEP LAYER SHEAR AND SOME INSTABILITY...ESPECIALLY ACRS THE SOUTH...SUGGESTS THE SEVERE THREAT WILL CONTINUE OVER THE AREA TONIGHT...WITH WIND AND HAIL THE PRIMARY THREATS. CONVECTION SHOULD BEGIN TO WIND DOWN SATURDAY MORNING AS THE MCS TRACKS FURTHER OFF TO OUR EAST AND SOUTH. THEN OUR ATTENTION TURNS TO THE COLD FRONT WHICH WILL FINALLY BE ON THE MOVE ACROSS OUR FORECAST AREA SATURDAY AFTERNOON. JUST WHAT AFFECT THE OVERNIGHT AND MORNING CONVECTION HAS ON ANY REDEVELOPMENT TOMORROW AFTERNOON IS A REAL CHALLENGE THIS FAR OUT AS EACH MODEL HAS A DIFFERENT SCENARIO. IT STILL APPEARS AREAS MAINLY EAST OF I-55 STAND THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEEING THE POTENTIAL FOR REDEVELOPMENT AND POSSIBLE SEVERE TOMORROW AFTERNOON. THE SHOWER THREAT SHOULD PROGRESS EAST TOMORROW EVENING ALONG WITH THE COLD FRONT SO WILL START TO SHAVE THE POPS BACK LATER SATURDAY NIGHT...WITH COOLER AND DRIER WEATHER SETTLING IN FOR THE REST OF THE WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK. LONG TERM...TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY AS THE SLOW MOVING UPPER LEVEL LOW SHIFTS AWAY FROM OUR AREA EARLY NEXT WEEK...WE SHOULD SEE WEAK UPPER LEVEL RIDGING BUILD IN FOR A DAY OR TWO BEFORE ANOTHER SLOW MOVING UPPER WAY TRACKS ACRS THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND APPROACHES OUR AREA LATE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. THIS SHOULD PROVIDE US WITH THE NEXT CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS STARTING IN THE FAR WEST LATE TUESDAY NIGHT AND A BETTER CHANCE FOR SHOWERS WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY BEFORE THE UPPER SYSTEM FINALLY PUSHES OFF TO OUR EAST LATE THU INTO FRIDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL START OUT A BIT BELOW NORMAL EARLY NEXT WEEK BUT SHOULD RETURN TO NORMAL BY THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. SMITH && .AVIATION... ISSUED 1245 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013 AREA OF SHOWERS WITH A FEW EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ITS WAY EASTWARD ACROSS CENTRAL ILLINOIS THIS AFTERNOON. LIGHT RAIN IS ALREADY FALLING AT MOST OF THE TERMINALS AND SHOULD REACH KCMI BY 19Z. OTHER THAN A BRIEF PERIOD OF MVFR CEILINGS ALONG/AHEAD OF THE ADVANCING SHOWERS...VFR CEILINGS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. BASED ON UPSTREAM RADAR MOSAIC...IT APPEARS SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL LINGER AT BOTH KPIA AND KBMI UNTIL EARLY EVENING. AFTER THAT...EMPHASIS FOR WIDESPREAD CONVECTION WILL SHIFT SOUTH TONIGHT. LATEST HIGH-RES MODELS ARE SUGGESTING PERIODS OF SHOWERS/THUNDER TRAINING OVER PORTIONS OF SOUTH-CENTRAL ILLINOIS THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. STILL SOME QUESTION AS TO EXACTLY WHERE THE HEAVY RAIN AXIS WILL SET UP...WITH THE I-72 TERMINALS LIKELY ALONG THE NORTHERN EDGE OF THE RAIN AREA. HAVE INCLUDED PREDOMINANT RAIN WITH VCTS BETWEEN 03Z AND 10Z ACCORDINGLY AT KSPI...KDEC...AND KCMI. AFTER THAT...LARGELY DRY CONDITIONS SHOULD EXIST SATURDAY MORNING AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE SW AHEAD OF THE BOUNDARY...HOWEVER ANY CONVECTION SHOULD DEVELOP AFTER 18Z PRIMARILY ALONG/EAST OF I-55. BARNES && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED 245 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013 WILL CONTINUE TO HOLD ON TO THE CURRENT FLASH FLOOD WATCH BUT TRENDS IN MODELS WERE SUGGESTING THE EMPHASIS IS SHIFTING FURTHER SOUTH...WHICH IS ACTUALLY GOOD NEWS FOR THE DRENCHED SPOON AND ILLINOIS BASINS. AS IT APPEARS NOW...THE SANGAMON...WABASH AND LITTLE WABASH...AND EMBARRAS BASINS HAVE THE BETTER CHANCES FOR SEEING 2 TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN TONIGHT AS A LARGE CONVECTIVE COMPLEX DEVELOPS ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL MISSOURI ENE INTO SOUTH CENTRAL IL. IF THIS DOES OCCUR...WE SHOULD NOT ONLY SEE AN ENHANCED FLASH FLOOD POTENTIAL BUT SIGNIFICANT RIVER FLOODING WILL OCCUR THIS WEEKEND. SMITH && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING FOR ILZ027>031- 036>038-040>057-061>063-066>068-071>073. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 321 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013 ILZ027>031-036-037-040-041-047>050-011100- CASS-FULTON-KNOX-MARSHALL-MASON-MENARD-MORGAN-PEORIA-SCHUYLER- SCOTT-STARK-TAZEWELL-WOODFORD- 321 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS EVENING. WHILE WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT ANTICIPATED...A FEW OF THE STORMS COULD PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE INTO SATURDAY AS A COLD FRONT PUSHES THROUGH THE REGION. THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE FOCUSED FURTHER EAST AHEAD OF THE FRONT...MAINLY ALONG AND EAST OF THE I-55 CORRIDOR SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. FLOODING WILL CONTINUE ALONG MANY AREA RIVERS...INCLUDING THE ILLINOIS...THE SPOON...AND THE MACKINAW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ038-042>046-051>053-011100- CHAMPAIGN-CHRISTIAN-DE WITT-LOGAN-MACON-MCLEAN-PIATT-SANGAMON- VERMILION- 321 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE TONIGHT. WHILE WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT ANTICIPATED...A FEW OF THE STORMS COULD PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. AT THIS TIME...IT APPEARS THE FOCUS FOR THE HEAVIEST RAIN WILL SET UP JUST SOUTH OF THE AREA...PRIMARILY ALONG AND SOUTH OF A TAYLORVILLE TO PARIS LINE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ALONG AN ADVANCING COLD FRONT ON SATURDAY. AT THIS TIME...IT APPEARS THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE FOCUSED ALONG AND EAST OF I-55 SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A FEW OF THE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL. DUE TO RECENT HEAVY RAINFALL...FLOODING WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE SANGAMON RIVER OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ054>057-061>063-066>068-071>073-011100- CLARK-CLAY-COLES-CRAWFORD-CUMBERLAND-DOUGLAS-EDGAR-EFFINGHAM- JASPER-LAWRENCE-MOULTRIE-RICHLAND-SHELBY- 321 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS...EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT. WITH THUNDERSTORM CELLS TRAINING OVER THE SAME LOCATIONS...HEAVY RAINFALL OF ONE TO THREE INCHES IS EXPECTED. THIS COULD LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING IN MANY LOW-LYING AND FLOOD PRONE AREAS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ALONG AN ADVANCING COLD FRONT ON SATURDAY. A FEW OF THE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. DUE TO RECENT HEAVY RAINFALL...FLOODING WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE LITTLE WABASH AND EMBARRAS RIVERS OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED TONIGHT. RAINFALL TOTALS AND ANY REPORTS OF FLASH FLOODING WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. BARNES
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
131 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0445 PM TSTM WND DMG 6 W BROOKLYN 40.23N 90.88W
05/30/2013 SCHUYLER IL PARK/FOREST SRVC
SOME SMALL TREES BLOWN DOWN AT THE WEINBERG KING STATE
FISH AND WILDLIFE AREA. LARGER TREES BLOWN DOWN ALONG
HIGHWAY 101 EAST OF AUGUSTA NEAR THE SCHUYLER AND HANCOCK
COUNTY LINE.
&&
07PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
346 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0850 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 S PETERSBURG 39.97N 89.85W
05/30/2013 MENARD IL LAW ENFORCEMENT
A FEW TREES BLOWN DOWN AT NEW SALEM STATE PARK ALONG
STATE HIGHWAY 97.
&&
07The Lincoln radar (KILX), 52 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:00 UTC.
25 thunderstorm wind, 10 flash flood, 2 tornado, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Several tree branches were blown down at Queenwood and Main Street in Morton.
Slow moving thunderstorms created rainfall rates of 1.00 to 2.00 inches per hour over already saturated ground due to flash flooding the previous night in southern and eastern Tazewell County. Numerous roads were flooded and one vehicle rescue was made. Rainfall totals from May 30th through the 31st ranged from 4.00 to 7.00 inches.
Slow moving thunderstorms produced 3.00 to 4.00 inches on already saturated ground, producing widespread flash flooding in southern Woodford County. Numerous rural roads were inundated and impassable as a result of the flash flooding.
Slow moving thunderstorms produced 3.00 to 4.00 inches of rain on already saturated ground, producing widespread flash flooding in northwest and northern Mc Lean County. Numerous rural roads were flooded, with the greatest impact from Carlock to Chenoa were many roads were impassable.
A large tree limb was blown onto a vehicle.
A tree was blown onto a house in Jeiseyville just southeast of Kincaid.
A large tree was blown onto a trailer.
A small machine shed was destroyed near Taylorville.
Several trees were blown down near New Salem Park and Highway 97.
Several tree limbs were blown down in Wapella.
Slow moving thunderstorms produced 1.50 to 3.00 inches of rain on already saturated ground in a two hour period during the late evening across much of Sangamon County. This rapidly produced flash flooding which made many roads impassable. Numerous vehicles became trapped in the rapidly rising water in the city of Springfield, where several water rescues were made. Many rural roads were closed, especially to the south and east of the Springfield metro area. The flash flooding continued through the night, and into June 1st.
Trees were blown down on Route 32 near Cisco.
A window was blown out of a house.
Numerous large tree branches were blown down.
A cable line was blown down in Monticello.
Power lines were blown down in Milmine.
A tornado touched down at 10:03 PM CDT on the northwest side of Decatur near the intersection of Division Street and Summit Avenue. The tornado tracked northeastward through Graceland Cemetery, across Oakland Avenue, and just south of the Decatur Memorial Hospital before dissipating near East Maywood Court at 10:07 PM CDT. Numerous trees and tree branches were blown down along the path of the tornado, with the most significant tree damage occurring in Graceland Cemetery. The Plaza TV shop on Oakland Avenue lost its roof and suffered broken windows and siding damage. Other minor roofing damage occurred along the path of the tornado, with numerous trees and tree branches knocked down for several blocks south of the tornado as well. No injuries were reported.
Two power poles and several power lines were blown down. Minor damage occurred to three houses.
The roof of a house was severely damaged in Argenta. A large tree fell on a house and several other trees were damaged as well.
Outbuildings and grain bins were damaged 2 miles south of Argenta.
A tree was blown down across a road in Bement.
Slow moving thunderstorms produced 1.50 to 2.00 inches of rain on already saturated ground in a two hour period during the late evening across southeast Logan County. This rapidly produced flash flooding which made many rural roads impassable. State Route 121 near Latham was closed much of the night due to the flooding. The flash flooding continued through the night, and into June 1st.
A grain bin was toppled over onto another grain bin. A storage building lost its roof and numerous trees were blown down.
Slow moving thunderstorms produced 1.50 to 2.50 inches of rain on already saturated ground in a two hour period during the late evening across northwest and northern Macon County. This rapidly produced flash flooding which made many rural roads impassable. State Route 121 from Warrensburg to the Logan County line was closed much of the night due to the flooding. The flash flooding continued through the night, and into June 1st.
A large tree branch was blown down onto Springfield Avenue in Champaign.
A tree was blown down across a road in Martinsville.
Numerous trees were blown down in Hoopeston.
Numerous power lines were blown down around Danville.
A tornado touched down in an open field 2.6 miles southeast of Westville at 11:24 PM CDT. The tornado tracked to the northeast, crossing North 1850 East Road, then severely damaged an attached garage and part of a house. The garage was pulled from its foundation and pushed about 10 feet on top of the car inside. A large barn was damaged and several trees were splintered as well. The tornado dissipated about one tenth of a mile northeast of the property at 11:25 PM CDT. No injuries were reported.
A tree was blown down onto a house in Marshall.
Slow moving thunderstorms produced 1.50 to 2.00 inches of rain on already saturated ground in a two hour period during the late evening across western Christian County. This rapidly produced flash flooding which made many rural roads impassable. The flash flooding continued through the night, and into June 1st.
A traffic light was blown down in Marshall.
A small shed was blown across the road at Rt. 45 and Hickory Hill Lane about 3 miles northwest of Flora.
Slow moving thunderstorms produced 3.00 to 4.00 inches of rain on already saturated ground from late evening through the night across much of Effingham County. This rapidly produced flash flooding which made many rural roads impassable, and flooded numerous streets in the city of Effingham. The flash flooding continued through the night, and into June 1st.
Slow moving thunderstorms produced 3.00 to 4.00 inches of rain on already saturated ground from late evening through the night across all of Jasper County. This rapidly produced flash flooding which made many rural roads impassable, and flooded numerous streets in the city of Newton. The flash flooding continued through the night, and into June 1st.
A tree was blown down 3 miles south of Claremont.
Slow moving thunderstorms produced 3.00 to 4.00 inches of rain on already saturated ground from late evening through the night across all of Clay County. This rapidly produced flash flooding which made many rural roads impassable, and flooded numerous streets in the city of Flora. The flash flooding continued through the night, and into June 1st.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Illinois, 2013Warnings 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: 453094, 456870, 456876, 456881, 453097, 453098, 453100, 453101, 453119, 453125, 456886, 453130, 453095, 453096, 453127, 453131, 453073, 453103, 453121, 453122, 453128, 456890, 453157, 456893, 453108, 453091, 453152, 453105, 453107, 453088, 453154, 456887, 453155, 453158, 456895, 456899, 453160, 456898.