A deepening area of low pressure tracking through the Great Lakes brought high winds to central and southeast Illinois on April 2nd. The winds gusted to between 58 and 62 mph at times from late morning through early evening, creating scattered damage and power outages.
Every event with a place to put it; 14 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 deepening area of low pressure tracking through the Great Lakes brought high winds to central and southeast Illinois on April 2nd. The winds gusted to between 58 and 62 mph at times from late morning through early evening, creating scattered damage and power outages.
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 Apr 2, 5:33 AM CST, 3 hours 27 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lincoln IL 633 AM CDT SAT APR 2 2016 .SHORT TERM...(Today) ISSUED AT 329 AM CDT Sat Apr 2 2016 A low pressure area will push through the Great Lakes region today and drag a cold front across the northern half of the state. All models agree that any pcpn associated with this system should remain well northeast of I-74 through the day. There will be some clouds associated with this front which should be mainly across the northeast half of the CWA through the day. The big issue with today's forecast is the very tight pressure gradient that is created with the cold front moves through the area. Based on forecast timing of the front, believe strongest winds/gusts will be between 9am and 2pm. Already have a wind advisory going for the whole area starting at 9am and this still looks like a good forecast. So, will not be making any changes there. Wind speeds with will be very strong, with sustained winds of 30-35 mph and gusts of around 50 mph. There could be 2-3 hours of brief wind gusts of up to 55 mph, but believe isolated and infrequent at this time. Strong CAA today will keep temps below normal another day. .LONG TERM...(Tonight through Friday) ISSUED AT 329 AM CDT Sat Apr 2 2016 Beyond the winds today, the concern jumps to the rapidly dropping temperatures tonight. As the ridge axis slides over the region, winds tonight decouple and bottom out at the surface, allowing for very efficient radiational cooling. Overnight lows at or below freezing will damage tender early vegetation. Widespread frost is expected as well. Freeze warnings have been issued mainly south of a line from Danville to Rushville. More southerly winds kick back in on Sunday and temperatures swing to the other end of the spectrum, warming into the 60s...with brisk winds, edging close to wind advisory status again Sunday afternoon. The next wave should pass to the north...with a slight chance for some precip in the northern tier of Illinois Sunday night. The rather changeable weather pattern will continue through the end of the week. For the most part, Illinois will remain under the influence of northwesterly flow with a series of shortwaves. Temperatures will shift back and forth to above and below normal, with Tuesday morning likely to see another freeze...and 60s again by Wednesday. Best chances for widespread precip coming Tues night and Wednesday as a deeper wave digs into the broader upper trof. A surface system has time to develop before dragging a cold front through the state. The guidance into the extended seems heavily influenced by climatology. Expect the trend to continue through the week, however, with the shortwave series in the NW flow. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Sunday morning) Issued at 633 AM CDT Sat Apr 2 2016 VFR conditions will prevail at all TAF sites next 24hrs. A weather system will move across the northern sites this morning, but only pcpn expected would be some sprinkles...so will not include any mention in TAFs. Mid clouds expected initially, but cigs will drop from 12kft down to 5kft later this morning. However, the system will move east of the TAF sites this afternoon and skies should become mostly sunny for this afternoon. Winds will be west to northwest through most of the period, until the high pressure area builds into the area for later tonight...then winds will become variable. Winds will increase in speed dramatically this morning. Sustained winds of 24-30kts will be common with gusts to around 40kts. Strongest winds should be late this morning and into the early afternoon. By this evening, with high pressure moving in, winds will decrease and become light and variable overnight. && .ILX Watches/Warnings/Advisories... Freeze Warning from 2 AM to 8 AM CDT Sunday for ILZ040>057- 061>063-066>068-071>073. Wind Advisory until 7 PM CDT this evening for ILZ027>031-036>038- 040>057-061>063-066>068-071>073. && SHORT TERM...Auten LONG TERM...HJS AVIATION...Auten
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 609 AM CDT SAT APR 2 2016 ILZ027>031-036>038-031200- FULTON-KNOX-MARSHALL-MCLEAN-PEORIA-STARK-TAZEWELL-WOODFORD- 609 AM CDT SAT APR 2 2016 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS...NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT TODAY. WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS WILL BECOME QUITE STRONG AND GUSTY. WIND GUSTS OF 45 TO 50 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED...WHICH COULD BLOW AROUND LIGHT OBJECTS AND MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES ESPECIALLY ON NORTH TO SOUTH ROADWAYS. TEMPERATURES SHOULD FALL TO NEAR FREEZING OR BELOW LATE TONIGHT. THE FREEZING TEMPERATURES COULD POSE A HAZARD TO ANY SENSITIVE EARLY SEASON PLANT GROWTH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY TEMPERATURES SHOULD FALL TO NEAR FREEZING OR BELOW TUESDAY MORNING AND GETTING NEAR FREEZING ON THURSDAY NIGHT. THESE FREEZING TEMPERATURES WILL POSE A HAZARD TO SENSITIVE EARLY SEASON PLANT GROWTH. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ON WEDNESDAY ACROSS CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ040>057-061>063-031200- CASS-CHAMPAIGN-CHRISTIAN-CLARK-COLES-CUMBERLAND-DE WITT-DOUGLAS- EDGAR-LOGAN-MACON-MASON-MENARD-MORGAN-MOULTRIE-PIATT-SANGAMON- SCHUYLER-SCOTT-SHELBY-VERMILION- 609 AM CDT SAT APR 2 2016 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING... ...FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM TO 8 AM CDT SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS...EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT TODAY. WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS WILL BECOME QUITE STRONG AND GUSTY. WIND GUSTS OF 45 TO 50 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED...WHICH COULD BLOW AROUND LIGHT OBJECTS AND MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES ESPECIALLY ON NORTH TO SOUTH ROADWAYS. A FREEZE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR TOMORROW NIGHT. TEMPERATURES SHOULD FALL TO NEAR FREEZING OR BELOW LATE TONIGHT. THE FREEZING TEMPERATURES COULD POSE A HAZARD TO ANY SENSITIVE EARLY SEASON PLANT GROWTH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY TEMPERATURES SHOULD FALL TO NEAR FREEZING OR BELOW TUESDAY MORNING. THESE FREEZING TEMPERATURES WILL POSE A HAZARD TO SENSITIVE EARLY SEASON PLANT GROWTH. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ON WEDNESDAY ACROSS CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ066>068-071>073-031200- CLAY-CRAWFORD-EFFINGHAM-JASPER-LAWRENCE-RICHLAND- 609 AM CDT SAT APR 2 2016 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING... ...FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM TO 8 AM CDT SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS...SOUTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT TODAY. WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS WILL BECOME QUITE STRONG AND GUSTY. WIND GUSTS OF 45 TO 50 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED...WHICH COULD BLOW AROUND LIGHT OBJECTS AND MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES ESPECIALLY ON NORTH TO SOUTH ROADWAYS. A FREEZE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR TOMORROW NIGHT. TEMPERATURES SHOULD FALL TO NEAR FREEZING OR BELOW LATE TONIGHT. THE FREEZING TEMPERATURES COULD POSE A HAZARD TO ANY SENSITIVE EARLY SEASON PLANT GROWTH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY A FREEZE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR TOMORROW NIGHT. TEMPERATURES SHOULD FALL TO NEAR FREEZING OR BELOW TUESDAY MORNING. THESE FREEZING TEMPERATURES WILL POSE A HAZARD TO SENSITIVE EARLY SEASON PLANT GROWTH. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ON WEDNESDAY ACROSS SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. FLOODING WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE LITTLE WABASH RIVER AT CLAY CITY THROUGH MIDDAY SUNDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. AUTEN
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
14 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A semi trailer was blown over on I-155 at mile marker 7 at 12:00 PM CDT.
Several power poles were blown down along Old Route 55 between Lincoln and Lawndale at around 12:05 PM CDT.
A few large tree limbs were blown down in Ogden at around 12:12 PM CDT.
Shingles were blown off the roof of a house in Pekin at around 1 PM CDT.
Several small tree limbs were blown down 8 miles east of Petersburg at around 1:15 PM CDT.
Large tree limbs were blown down and a few shingles were torn from the roof of a house 3 miles south of Newman at around 1:30 PM CDT.
A truck trailer headed south on US-51 was blown over just north of Maroa at around 2:27 PM CDT.
Several trees were either snapped or uprooted, the siding was partially blown off a house, and the roof of an outbuilding was partially torn off 10 miles southeast of Paris at around 2:30 PM CDT.
Dozens of large tree branches were blown down around Danville, causing power outages.
Three vehicles were blown over on I-57 at exit 250 near Rantoul.
A camper was blown off Route 16 at around 2:58 PM CDT.
A grain bin was blown onto Wise Road between Kenney Road and Strawn Road just northwest of Warrensburg.
A few large trees were snapped at the base in Pana.
A light pole at the baseball diamond in Forsyth was blown down.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, April 2016
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: 626243, 626244, 626245, 626246, 626247, 626248, 626249, 626250, 626251, 626252, 626253, 626254, 626255, 626256.