Thunderstorms falling on top of saturated soils brought heavy rains and caused flash flooding in portion of northwest Illinois the evening of June 15th.
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 DVN wrote it up.
Thunderstorms falling on top of saturated soils brought heavy rains and caused flash flooding in portion of northwest Illinois the evening of June 15th.
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 Jun 15, 2:26 PM CST, 1 hour 4 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
326 PM CDT MON JUN 15 2015
.SYNOPSIS...
ISSUED AT 243 PM CDT MON JUN 15 2015
ZONAL MID LEVEL FLOW WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE AREA. THE BOUNDARY
THAT HAS BEEN STALLED OVER OUR AREA TODAY WAS SURGING SOUTH. THIS
BOUNDARY AND DAYTIME HEATING ARE LEADING TO THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS
THE AREA TODAY.
&&
.SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY)
ISSUED AT 243 PM CDT MON JUN 15 2015
CURRENT INDICATIONS...FROM PRESSURE FALLS AND WIND GUSTS BEHIND
THE FRONT...SUGGESTS THAT THE SURGE OF DRIER AIR FROM THE DAKOTAS
IS STRONGER THAN FORECAST. THIS BOUNDARY WILL PUSH THROUGH THE
AREA TONIGHT...ENDING THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. FROM
NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST. THE CURRENT FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL BE
ALLOWED TO EXPIRE AS FORECAST.
ONCE THIS FRONT PUSHES THROUGH THE AREA...A NICE DAY APPEARS TO
BE ON TAP ACROSS THE AREA TOMORROW. I MAY VENTURE TO SAY THAT WE
COULD SEE SOME DRYING AND EVEN SOME DEWPOINTS IN THE LOW 60S TO
UPPER 50S. MODELS INDICATE THAT WE HAVE EASTERLY FLOW OFF THE
LAKE AND THAT SEEMS PLAUSIBLE. THERE IS A CHANCE FOR SOME SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS TO BRUSH THE FAR SOUTHERN ZONES TOMORROW. AFTER
THIS THE MODELS BEGIN TO SHOW DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS FOR THE NEXT FEW
DAYS.
.LONG TERM...(TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY)
ISSUED AT 243 PM CDT MON JUN 15 2015
MAIN FORECAST CONCERN FOR THE LONG TERM ARE THE CHANCES FOR
PRECIPITATION ALMOST EVERYDAY. THE MODELS HAVE BEEN ALL OF THE
PLACE AND THAT IS THE ONLY THING THAT IS CONSISTENT. CURRENT
THINKING IS THAT IF THE BOUNDARY THAT HAD BEEN ACROSS THE AREA
DOES PUSH SOUTH AND FURTHER SOUTH THAN WHAT WAS FORECAST THE
CHANCE FOR PRECIP MAY BE DIFFICULT TO RETURN NORTH ACROSS THE
AREA.
MODELS DO SUGGEST THAT THERE WILL BE A CHANCE FOR RAIN EACH
DAY...ESPECIALLY ACROSS SOUTHERN ZONES. MODELS AND WPC GUIDANCE
DOES KEEP THE HEAVIEST RAIN SOUTH OF US. HOWEVER...WITH THE MODELS
BEING ALL OVER THE PLACE...I DO NOT HAVE MUCH CONFIDENCE IN THIS
FORECAST.
RIVERS AND FLASH FLOODING WILL STILL BE A PROBLEM. THE ONLY
QUESTION IS WHAT WILL THE RAIN TODAY DO TO THE RIVERS. WE MAY SEE
MORE RIVERS GO INTO FLOOD.
AFTER THURSDAY...THE GRIDS WERE POPULATED WITH SUPERBLEND AND
LITTLE TWEAKING WAS DONE.
&&
.AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY AFTERNOON)
ISSUED AT 1239 PM CDT MON JUN 15 2015
A SLOW MOVING COOL FRONT MOVING ACROSS THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON WILL
PRODUCE PERIODS OF HEAVY SHOWERS AND POSSIBLY A THUNDERSTORM WITH EPISODES
OF IFR/MVFR CONDITIONS. CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE FROM NW TO SE BETWEEN
15/21Z AND 16/04Z AS VFR CONDITIONS RETURN WITH PRECIPITATION ENDING
AND ONLY LINGERING HIGH CLOUDS. WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE NORTH AT 5 TO
10 KTS AS WEAK HIGH PRESSURE MOVES IN.
&&
.DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 5 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR BENTON-
BUCHANAN-CEDAR-CLINTON-DELAWARE-DUBUQUE-IOWA-JACKSON-
JOHNSON-JONES-KEOKUK-LINN-WASHINGTON.
FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR DES MOINES-
HENRY IA-JEFFERSON-LEE-LOUISA-MUSCATINE-SCOTT-VAN BUREN.
IL...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 5 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR CARROLL-JO
DAVIESS-STEPHENSON.
FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR BUREAU-HANCOCK-
HENDERSON-HENRY IL-MCDONOUGH-MERCER-PUTNAM-ROCK ISLAND-
WARREN-WHITESIDE.
MO...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR CLARK-SCOTLAND.
&&
SYNOPSIS...GIBBS
SHORT TERM...GIBBS
LONG TERM...GIBBS
AVIATION...NICHOLSHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL 935 AM CDT MON JUN 15 2015 IAZ040>042-051>054-063>068-076>078-087>089-098-099-ILZ001-002-007- 009-015>018-024>026-034-035-MOZ009-010-161445- 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- 935 AM CDT MON JUN 15 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 ARE EXPECTED TODAY AND TONIGHT ACROSS THE AREA. TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS LIKELY WITH SEVERAL INCHES OF RAIN IN A SHORT TIME POSSIBLE. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE OUTLOOK AREA THROUGH THIS EVENING. SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED. AREA RIVERS ARE EXPERIENCING FLOODING. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST FLOOD STATEMENTS AND FLOOD WARNINGS FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...THERE WILL BE A THREAT FOR THUNDERSTORMS...THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD...AND AGAIN NEXT WEEKEND. ANY ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN COULD LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING...AND ADDITIONAL RISES ON AREA RIVERS. IT IS TOO EARLY TO DETERMINE THE THREAT FOR SEVERE STORMS WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... REPORTS OF RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF OVER AN INCH AND FLASH FLOODING WILL BE APPRECIATED. HAASE
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL 301 PM CDT MON JUN 15 2015 IAZ054-064>068-076>078-ILZ007-152100- CARROLL-JACKSON-WASHINGTON-MUSCATINE-CEDAR-CLINTON-LOUISA-SCOTT- JOHNSON-KEOKUK- 301 PM CDT MON JUN 15 2015 ...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT SOUTH CENTRAL CARROLL...SOUTHEASTERN JACKSON...SOUTHEASTERN KEOKUK...CLINTON... MUSCATINE...NORTHWESTERN LOUISA...SOUTHEASTERN JOHNSON...NORTHWESTERN SCOTT...WASHINGTON AND SOUTHERN CEDAR COUNTIES... AT 256 PM CDT...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM TORONTO TO NEAR RICHLAND...AND MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN IN LESS THAN AN HOUR WAS OCCURING WITH THIS LINE OF STORMS. WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... MUSCATINE...WASHINGTON...TIPTON...COLUMBUS JUNCTION...DURANT...DE WITT...WEST LIBERTY...WILTON...WALCOTT...LONE TREE...RIVERSIDE... LOWDEN...WHEATLAND...GRAND MOUND...AINSWORTH...CALAMUS... CONESVILLE...BENNETT...CHARLOTTE AND NICHOLS. THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 80 IN IOWA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 256 AND 284. TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS...AND MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. LAT...LON 4192 9086 4207 8995 4125 9144 4118 9219 TIME...MOT...LOC 1956Z 259DEG 26KT 4189 9084 4124 9203 HAASE
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL 302 PM CDT MON JUN 15 2015 IAZ052>054-064>068-076>078-087-088-098-160100- LINN-JONES-JACKSON-JOHNSON-CEDAR-CLINTON-MUSCATINE-SCOTT-KEOKUK- WASHINGTON-LOUISA-JEFFERSON-HENRY IA-VAN BUREN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CEDAR RAPIDS...ANAMOSA...MAQUOKETA... IOWA CITY...TIPTON...CLINTON...MUSCATINE...BETTENDORF... DAVENPORT...SIGOURNEY...WASHINGTON...WAPELLO...FAIRFIELD... MOUNT PLEASANT...KEOSAUQUA. 302 PM CDT MON JUN 15 2015 ...CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR WEAK FUNNEL CLOUDS UNTIL SUNSET... A FEW REPORTS OF FUNNEL CLOUDS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED FROM JOHNSON AND IOWA COUNTIES ASSOCIATED WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED STORMS. CURRENT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MORE WEAK FUNNEL CLOUDS ALONG A FRONTAL SYSTEM PUSHING INTO THE AREA FROM THE NORTHWEST PRIOR TO SUNSET...BUT ARE NOT FAVORABLE FOR THE FUNNELS REACHING THE GROUND AT THIS TIME. THESE FUNNELS ARE TYPICALLY BRIEF...DROP ONLY A FEW HUNDRED FEET FROM THE CLOUD BASE...AND RARELY BECOME A TORNADO OR CAUSE DAMAGE. IF A FUNNEL CLOUD IS SPOTTED...PLEASE IMMEDIATELY REPORT IT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. 12
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
349 PM CDT MON JUN 15 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0348 PM HEAVY RAIN 2 WSW INDUSTRY 40.32N 90.64W
06/15/2015 M1.90 INCH MCDONOUGH IL TRAINED SPOTTER
1 HOUR RAINFALL. CREEKS ARE OUT.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
402 PM CDT MON JUN 15 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0300 PM HEAVY RAIN 1 E IOWA CITY 41.66N 91.51W
06/15/2015 E1.12 INCH JOHNSON IA TRAINED SPOTTER
45 MIN TOTAL 1 TO 1.24 INCHES. IN EAST IOWA CITY, WATER
ABOUT 6-10 IN RUSHING DOWN GLENDALE ROAD ON BOTH SIDES TO
THE RALSTON CREEK BRIDGE. 12 IN STANDING WATER ON THE
BRIDGE, IMPEDING CARS SOME. STORM CULVERTS DRAINING INTO
THE CREEK ARE GUSHING STRAIGHT OUT AND THE CREEK IS
RUSHING FAST BUT NOT OUT OF BANKS OR OVER ROAD.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
424 PM CDT MON JUN 15 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0420 PM HEAVY RAIN 2 NNE MUSCATINE 41.44N 91.05W
06/15/2015 M0.73 INCH MUSCATINE IA TRAINED SPOTTER
20 MINUTE RAIN.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
430 PM CDT MON JUN 15 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0429 PM FLASH FLOOD NW ANDOVER 41.98N 90.25W
06/15/2015 CLINTON IA TRAINED SPOTTER
30 MINUTE RAIN OF 2.25 INCHES. FLASH FLOODING AROUND
HOUSE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
&&The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 80 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:27 UTC.
2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Severe street flooding was reported in Sterling and Rock Falls. Water was at least 3 feet deep in streets. Several cars were stalled and pushed to higher ground. Sewer systems were inundated and water supply shut down.
Water was reported over Highway 67 in locations 1 to 2 miles north of Industry, Illinois. The water was 6 to 10 inches deep in areas.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, June 2015
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: 585325, 585313.