Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Illinois, July 16, 2015

Name: Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Illinois, July 16, 2015
Start: 2015-07-16T17:09
End: 2015-07-16T20:45
Location: Illinois

July 16, 2015 · NWS DVN · 10 events in 5 counties and zones

A wave on a northward moving warm front produced scattered thunderstorms along the boundary. Low level shear was favorable for severe weather and tornadoes.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 1
Property damage: $1.7 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 10

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS DVN wrote it up.

A wave on a northward moving warm front produced scattered thunderstorms along the boundary. Low level shear was favorable for severe weather and tornadoes.

What forecasters said that day

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 Quad Cities, IA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 16, 2:24 PM CST, 2 hours 45 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 16, 2:24 PM CST, 2 hours 45 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
324 PM CDT THU JUL 16 2015

.SYNOPSIS...
ISSUED AT 324 PM CDT THU JUL 16 2015

COMPLEX WEATHER SYSTEM WAS LOCATED OVER THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON.
THE WARM FRONT HAS PUSHED NORTH AND EAST THROUGH THE AREA
TODAY..WITH MID 60 TO MID 70 DEWPOINTS ACROSS THE AREA. EARLIER
SHOWERS HAVE EFFECTIVELY CAPPED AREAS NORTH OF I80. SOUTH OF
I80...MOISTURE POOLING AND SOME BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS WILL LIKELY
LEAD TO SOME SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

&&

.SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY)
ISSUED AT 324 PM CDT THU JUL 16 2015

MAIN FORECAST CONCERN FOR THE PERIOD ARE THE SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS FOR TONIGHT. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE
WEATHER SOUTH OF I80 ALONG WITH SOME FLASH FLOODING SOUTH OF
HIGHWAY 34. ONCE THE SYSTEM MOVES OUT OF THE AREA...THE HEAT
RETURNS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR A HEAT ADVISORY EXISTS FOR TOMORROW
AFTERNOON SOUTH OF I80.

A QUICK LOOK AT THE SATELLITE AND MESOANALYSIS DEPICTS CONVERGENCE
AND MOISTURE POOLING ON THE MO/IA STATE LINE THIS AFTERNOON. A
WAVE OVER NEBRASKA WILL HELP TO INITIATE CONVECTION TO THE WEST
AND POSSIBLY JUST NEAR OUR AREA. THESE STORMS WILL BE IN AN
ENVIRONMENT WITH MODERATE INSTABILITY AND DECENT LOW LEVEL SHEAR.
ANY SEVERE STORM THAT WOULD DEVELOP WOULD POSE A WIND THREAT FROM
BOWING SEGMENTS. AN ISOLATED TORNADO CANNOT BE RULED OUT. I STILL
HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT REDEVELOPMENT OF STORMS...ESPECIALLY WITH THE
LARGE COLD POOL ACROSS THE AREA. INSTABILITY FROM THE MODELS
APPEARS TO BE OVERDONE. THAT SAID...WITH THE WARM FRONT IN THE
AREA AND A WAVE MOVING THROUGH...THERE IS STILL A THREAT FOR
SEVERE WEATHER.

HIGH PWATS...ABOVE AN INCH AND ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT FORM TO THE
SOUTH WILL POSE A FLASH FLOOD RISK. THIS IS ESPECIALLY POSSIBLE
SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 34 WHERE 1 TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN FELL THIS MORNING.
AS SUCH...HAVE MAINTAINED THE FFA DOWN ACROSS THOSE ZONES.

FRIDAY...HIGH TEMPERATURES....MOIST CONDITIONS AND CLEAR SKIES
WILL COMBINE TO CREATE HEAT INDEX VALUES AT OR NEAR 100 DEGREES.
AT THIS TIME WITH THE CURRENT FLASH FLOOD RISK AND SEVERE WEATHER
RISK...HAVE DECIDED TO HOLD OFF ON AN ADVISORY AS THE WEATHER
TONIGHT COULD GREATLY AFFECT TEMPS AND OVERALL HEAT INDICES.

.LONG TERM...(FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY)
ISSUED AT 324 PM CDT THU JUL 16 2015

ANOTHER DECENT CONVECTIVE EVENT LATE SATURDAY AND THEN MOSTLY DRY
WITH NEAR SEASONABLE...TYPICAL LATE JULY TEMPERATURES AND HUMIDITY.

LONG TERM FORECAST CONFIDENCE ASSESSMENT...FAIR OR AVERAGE WITH MAIN
ISSUE TIMING AND STRENGTH OF THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE NEXT COLD FRONT
LATE SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY MORNING.  INSTABILITY AND FORCING
PARAMETERS SUPPORTS UNCERTAINTY OF A LOWER END SEVERE RISK WITH GOOD
HEATING NEEDED TO SUPPORT STRONG AND ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS.

OVERVIEW...VERIFICATION AND INITIALIZATION SUPPORTS A 70/30 BLEND OF
HI-RES ECMWF WITH GFS DUE TO BETTER PLACEMENT OF MOISTURE AND
CONVECTIVE PACKAGES.  THIS WOULD TEND TO SUGGEST HIGHEST RISK OF
SEVERE JUST TO OUR WEST IN WESTERN AND CENTRAL IOWA.  WEAK WNW FLOW
THEN INDICATES NEAR TO SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND
HUMIDITY WITH LOW CHANCE SHOWERS AND STORMS INTO LATE NEXT WEEK

FRIDAY NIGHT...WARM AND HUMID AND BORDERING ON MUGGY WITH LIGHT
SOUTH WINDS AROUND 5 MPH.  LOWS IN THE LOWER 70S WITH DEWPOINTS
AROUND 70 DEGREES.

SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT...INCREASING CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION
FROM THE NORTH BY AFTERNOON AS COLD FRONT APPROACHES.  CONVECTIVE
TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE REACHED AROUND 3 PM WITH BEST FORCING ALONG
AND WEST OF I-35 INITIALLY.  LOCAL TOOLS SUGGEST MORNING POPS MAY
TOO HIGH FOR LATER SHIFTS TO REVIEW.  HIGHS SHOULD BE AROUND 90
DEGREES MOST LOCATIONS WITH HIGH END MODERATE TO LOW END HIGH
INSTABILITY OF 2500 TO 3500+ SBCAPE.  POPS SATURDAY NIGHT MAY NEED
RAISING TO LIKELY IF CONVECTIVE PROPAGATION VECTORS ARE ACCURATE OF
A DECENT MCS TO SPREAD ESE INTO AT LEAST SOUTHERN 2/3 OF AREA. LOCAL
TOOLS SUGGESTS SOME RISK OF STRONG WINDS TO AROUND 60 MPH TO
POSSIBLY 70 MPH IN THE EVENING HOURS.  MINS UPPER 60S NW TO LOWER
70S SOUTHEAST.

SUNDAY...SLIGHTLY COOLER WITH WINDS BECOMING NW AND MORNING
LINGERING SHOWERS AND STORMS SUGGESTED. POPS MAY BE TOO HIGH IN NW
1/3 TO 1/2 OF AREA BASED ON FORCING AND TRENDS FOR LATER SHIFTS TO
REASSESS.  HIGHS LOWER 80S TO TO UPPER 80S SOUTHEAST.  LOW CHANCES
FOR ANY SEVERE SUGGESTED DUE TO LOWER INSTABILITY.

SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY...WEAK HIGH PRESSURE WITH ANOTHER
REINFORCING COOL FRONT TO ARRIVE TUE/WED.  TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE
WITHIN A FEW DEGREES OF CLIMATOLOGY OR LOWER 80S NORTH TO UPPER 80S
SOUTH AND MINS LOWER TO MIDDLE 60S.  POPS MOST PERIODS DRY WITH A
FEW PERIODS OF 20 TO 30 POPS WITH WEAK FORCING IN MODERATE DEWPOINTS
OF MAINLY PM CONVECTION THAT SHOULD LIKELY NOT BE SEVERE OR
ORGANIZED.

&&

.AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY AFTERNOON)
ISSUED AT 324 PM CDT THU JUL 16 2015

TRICKY AVIATION FORECAST THROUGH THE PERIOD. PERIODS OF MVFR AND
IFR WITH BREAKS TO VFR ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE LATE EVENING
ACROSS THE AREA. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE THEN FORECAST TO
AFFECT MOST SITES...EXCEPT FOR DBQ. ONCE THE WEATHER MOVES
THROUGH...SOME VSBY RESTRICTIONS MAY FORM OVERNIGHT ACROSS THE
AREA. THOSE FLYING TOMORROW AM SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THE CURRENT
FORECAST MAY BE TOO CONSERVATIVE AND THAT VSBYS COULD BE LOWER IN
THE AM. THESE SHOULD CLEAR OUT BY MID MORNING AND CHANGE INTO
CLEAR SKIES.

&&

.DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 1 AM CDT FRIDAY FOR DES MOINES-HENRY IA-
     JEFFERSON-LEE-VAN BUREN.

IL...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 1 AM CDT FRIDAY FOR HANCOCK-HENDERSON-
     MCDONOUGH-WARREN.

MO...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 1 AM CDT FRIDAY FOR CLARK-SCOTLAND.

&&

SYNOPSIS...GIBBS
SHORT TERM...GIBBS
LONG TERM...NICHOLS
AVIATION...GIBBS

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 16, 3:32 AM CST, 13 hours 37 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
432 AM CDT THU JUL 16 2015

IAZ040>042-051>054-063>068-076>078-087>089-098-099-ILZ001-002-007-
009-015>018-024>026-034-035-MOZ009-010-170945-
BUCHANAN-DELAWARE-DUBUQUE-BENTON-LINN-JONES-JACKSON-IOWA-JOHNSON-
CEDAR-CLINTON-MUSCATINE-SCOTT-KEOKUK-WASHINGTON-LOUISA-JEFFERSON-
HENRY IA-DES MOINES-VAN BUREN-LEE-JO DAVIESS-STEPHENSON-CARROLL-
WHITESIDE-ROCK ISLAND-HENRY IL-BUREAU-PUTNAM-MERCER-HENDERSON-
WARREN-HANCOCK-MCDONOUGH-SCOTLAND-CLARK-
432 AM CDT THU JUL 16 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL
ILLINOIS...NORTHWEST ILLINOIS...WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS...EAST
CENTRAL IOWA...NORTHEAST IOWA...SOUTHEAST IOWA AND NORTHEAST
MISSOURI.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE SEEN TODAY AND TONIGHT ACROSS THE AREA THAT
HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. A FLASH
FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF THE AREA.

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS FOR
TODAY AND TONIGHT. IF SEVERE STORMS WOULD DEVELOP...THEY WOULD
OCCUR THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE PRIMARY THREATS WOULD BE
HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

VERY WARM AND HUMID CONDITIONS WILL BE SEEN ACROSS THE AREA ON
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...AND POSSIBLY SUNDAY. HEAT INDEX READINGS
MAY EXCEED 100 FOR MUCH OF THE AREA ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...AND
APPROACH 100 ON SUNDAY.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE EACH DAY FROM FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH
MONDAY. THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE
STORMS FOR SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT.

THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY. IT IS
TOO EARLY TO DETERMINE A SEVERE THREAT.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
RAINFALL REPORTS OF AN INCH OR GREATER WILL BE APPRECIATED.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 16, 3:08 PM CST, 2 hours 1 minute before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
408 PM CDT THU JUL 16 2015

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0407 PM     HEAVY RAIN       5 E CANTRIL             40.64N 91.98W
07/16/2015  M1.50 INCH       VAN BUREN          IA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            24 HOUR RAINFALL

&&

TAS

Special weather statement, Jul 16, 4:04 PM CST, 1 hour 5 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
504 PM CDT THU JUL 16 2015

MOC199-162245-
SCOTLAND-
504 PM CDT THU JUL 16 2015

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SCOTLAND COUNTY...

AT 503 PM CDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER DOWNING...OR 8 MILES
WEST OF MEMPHIS...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH AND DIME SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
MEMPHIS...GRANGER...CRAWFORD...ARBELA...HITT...AZEN...MEMPHIS
MEMORIAL AIRPORT...PROSPECT GROVE...KILWINNING AND BROCK.

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY CAUSE
LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.

FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.

THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND
TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN MISSOURI.

LAT...LON 4057 9235 4060 9225 4060 9194 4053 9194
      4045 9196 4037 9235
TIME...MOT...LOC 2203Z 249DEG 29KT 4049 9232

GIBBS

Local storm report, Jul 16, 4:20 PM CST, 49 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
520 PM CDT THU JUL 16 2015

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0518 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     OLDS                    41.13N 91.55W
07/16/2015                   HENRY              IA   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

GROSS

Special weather statement, Jul 16, 4:26 PM CST, 43 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
526 PM CDT THU JUL 16 2015

IAC177-162300-
VAN BUREN-
526 PM CDT THU JUL 16 2015

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT VAN BUREN COUNTY ...

AT 525 PM CDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR CANTRIL...OR NEAR
KEOSAUQUA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH AND PEA SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
KEOSAUQUA...BIRMINGHAM...MILTON...BONAPARTE...STOCKPORT...CANTRIL...
BENTONSPORT/VERNON...FARMINGTON...MOUNT STERLING...MOUNT ZION...
LEBANON...KEOSAUQUA AIRPORT...LAKE SUGEMA CAMPGROUND...UTICA...
KILBOURN...AUSTIN COUNTY PARK AND LACEY KEOSAUQUA STATE PARK.

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY CAUSE
LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CONTACT YOUR NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY. THEY CAN RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
OFFICE IN THE QUAD CITIES.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN IOWA AND NORTHEASTERN MISSOURI.

LAT...LON 4090 9191 4090 9172 4065 9172 4061 9188
      4060 9212 4063 9215 4070 9218
TIME...MOT...LOC 2225Z 231DEG 40KT 4067 9203

GIBBS

Local storm report, Jul 16, 4:48 PM CST, 21 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
548 PM CDT THU JUL 16 2015

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0545 PM     HAIL             2 WNW BURLINGTON        40.83N 91.16W
07/16/2015  M1.75 INCH       DES MOINES         IA   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

GROSS

Local storm report, Jul 16, 4:50 PM CST, 19 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
550 PM CDT THU JUL 16 2015

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0549 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     W BURLINGTON            40.81N 91.12W
07/16/2015                   DES MOINES         IA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            STARTING TO DISSIPATE...NOT TOUCHING THE GROUND.

&&

GROSS

The radar

The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 93 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:09 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 tornado, 2 thunderstorm wind, 2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, Henderson

When: July 16, 5:09 PM CST to 5:12 PM CST
Where: Henderson County, 1.09 mi E of Lone Tree to 1.84 mi ENE of Lone Tree
Rating: EF1
Path length: 0.84 mi
Path width: 100 yd
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 40.833, -90.999

An EF1 tornado with maximum winds estimated at 95 mph touched down 1.1 miles east of Lone Tree, IL. The tornado traveled 0.84 miles and lifted 1.8 miles east northeast of Lone Tree. The maximum path width was about 100 yards. Along the path, trees and outbuildings were destroyed.

Tornado, Warren

When: July 16, 5:49 PM CST to 5:51 PM CST
Where: Warren County, 2.37 mi N of Smithshire to 1.93 mi S of Kirkwood
Rating: EF1
Path length: 1.41 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 40.834, -90.772

Tornado strength rating of EF-1. Maximum estimated wind of 90 MPH. Tornado path length of 1.41 miles. Tornado path maximum width of 50 yards. Tornado start time roughly 649 PM CDT. Tornado path start location roughly 2.4 MILES north of Smithshire IL. Tornado end time of roughly 651 PM CDT. Tornado path end location of 1.9 miles South of Kirkwood IL. Trees and outbuildings damaged and a semi blown over on Highway 34.

Tornado, Rock Island

When: July 16, 6:00 PM CST to 6:03 PM CST
Where: Rock Island County, 0.52 mi SE of Port Byron to 1.29 mi ENE of Port Byron
Rating: EF1
Path length: 1.11 mi
Path width: 200 yd
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 41.615, -90.323

An EF1 tornado with estimated peak wind of 105 mph damaged trees and some homes along 94th Ave. Path length, 1.2 miles.Path width about 200 yards. The tornado began at 7 pm 0.5 miles southeast of Port Byron and lifted around 703 pm 1.3 miles east northeast of Port Byron.

Tornado, Warren

When: July 16, 6:09 PM CST to 6:13 PM CST
Where: Warren County, 2.58 mi E of Kirkwood to 3.21 mi SW of Monmouth
Rating: EF2
Path length: 1.72 mi
Path width: 300 yd
Property damage: $150,000
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 40.874, -90.701

An EF2 tornado with maximum wind estimated at 120 MPH touched down 2.6 miles east of Kirkwood, IL. The tornado traveled approximately 1.7 miles and lifted 3.2 miles southwest of Monmouth, IL. The maximum path width was about 300 yards. Along the path, the tornado destroyed a grain bin and a cattle barn at Shauman's Corner about 6.4 miles southwest of Monmouth on US 34. Power poles were also snapped.

Tornado, Warren

When: July 16, 6:13 PM CST to 6:34 PM CST
Where: Warren County, 1.5 mi NNW of Nemo to 2.01 mi SSW of Surrey
Rating: EF2
Path length: 5.95 mi
Path width: 700 yd
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $1.5 million
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 40.889, -90.594

An EF-2 tornado with winds estimated at 125 mph tracked about 6 miles from east of Monmouth through the town of Cameron before lifting. A maximum path width of 700 yards was estimated in Cameron. The tornado began at 713 pm CDT 1 mile southeast of Monmouth and lifted at 734 pm 2.2 miles east of Cameron. The most intense damage occurred in Cameron where at least 3 homes were unroofed, numerous garages and outbuildings were destroyed, and a large grain bin at the elevator was destroyed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Warren

When: July 16, 6:42 PM CST
Where: Warren County, 0.52 mi E of Roseville
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.730, -90.660

Strong and gusty thunderstorm winds brought several tree limbs and roof shingles down. The tree limbs were about 2 inches in diameter and approximately 15 feet in length. This was a delayed report. The time of the event was estimated by local radar data.

Thunderstorm Wind, McDonough

When: July 16, 7:03 PM CST
Where: McDonough County, 1.05 mi W of Macomb
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.470, -90.690

Flash Flood, Whiteside

When: July 16, 7:40 PM CST to 8:40 PM CST
Where: Whiteside County, 1.25 mi ESE of Denrock to 0.84 mi SE of Portland Corners
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 41.690, -89.960

Many streets were reported to be flooded with several inches of water in the town of Prophetstown.

Flash Flood, Warren

When: July 16, 7:45 PM CST to 8:45 PM CST
Where: Warren County, 2.13 mi WNW of Monmouth to 0.59 mi SW of Monmouth
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 40.932, -90.667

Numerous photos of water flowing down streets, images were received via social media.

Tornado, Whiteside

When: July 16, 7:48 PM CST to 7:49 PM CST
Where: Whiteside County, 2.32 mi SSW of Sterling Arpt to 1.62 mi SSW of Sterling Arpt
Rating: EF0
Path length: 0.55 mi
Path width: 10 yd
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.720, -89.700

An EF0 tornado with peak winds estimated at 80 mph touched down 4 miles south of Rock Falls. It traveled about 0.55 miles in open country. According to spotter account and video, it was on the ground for about 1 minute 20 seconds. No damage was reported.

What these are

Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Illinois in 2015 Every state in 2015 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Illinois, 2015 Warnings in Illinois, July 2015

Sources

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: 597117, 597132, 597150, 597146, 597164, 597075, 597175, 597076, 597078, 597152.