A fast-moving cold front triggered scattered thunderstorms during the afternoon of November 18th. A few of the storms produced 50-60 mph wind gusts and minor wind damage along the Illinois-Indiana border.
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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 fast-moving cold front triggered scattered thunderstorms during the afternoon of November 18th. A few of the storms produced 50-60 mph wind gusts and minor wind damage along the Illinois-Indiana border.
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 Nov 18, 2:36 PM CST, 27 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lincoln IL 236 PM CST Fri Nov 18 2016 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Saturday) ISSUED AT 236 PM CST Fri Nov 18 2016 Strong and deepening 994 mb surface low pressure was near Eau Claire WI had a strong cold front extending southward across central IL near I-55 and into southeast MO. A band of showers and a few thunderstorms was between I-55 and I-57 and will spread across areas east of I-57 next few hours. SPC has a marginal risk of severe storms over eastern IL east of I-55 where MUCapes are 500-1000 j/kg and impressive 0-6 km effective bulk shear of 55-65 kts. There is a 5% risk of damaging wind gusts and a 2% risk of tornadoes over eastern IL mainly from I-57 east this afternoon until around 00Z/6 pm. Some lingering convection along and east of a Danville to Flora line early this evening, the far northern CWA could see wrap around light rain/snow showers north of Peoria overnight. Will continue the wind advisory along and north of I-72 through 6 am Saturday as strong/gusty SSW winds ahead of cold front shift WNW behind the front and increase to 25-30 mph with gusts of 35 to 45 mph, strongest from Rusvhille to Bloomington northward. Strong low pressure over NW WI to eject northeast of Lake Superior early Sat morning, then into western Quebec by sunset Saturday. A deep upper level low/trof over the upper MS river valley to have trof axis east along the IL/IN border by sunrise Sat and lift across the Ohio River valley on Sat. Should see low clouds decrease from sw to ne during the day Sat. Unseasonably mild temperatures in the mid 60s to lower 70s (even mid 70s over Lawrence county) ahead of cold front have been falling quickly into the 50s behind the cold front over western IL. Temps to fall into the low to mid 30s by early Sat morning with wind chills getting down to upper teens to mid 20s, coldest nw of IL river. Much colder highs Sat of 40-45F, coldest from I-74 northeast where low clouds take longer to clear. A widespread hard freeze then expected Sat night with lows 20-25F. && .LONG TERM...(Saturday night through Friday) ISSUED AT 236 PM CST Fri Nov 18 2016 Chilly conditions will be ongoing to start the period, but the gusty winds will be diminishing. However, upper/surface ridging is expected to begin to build into the area on Sunday, which will provide dry conditions and slowly moderating temperatures into early Tuesday. The next weather system of interest will track through the area later Tuesday into Wednesday. This system will be streaming in off the Pacific and will not have too much cold air associated with it. Its forecast arrival time has slowed a bit, and the overall track has trended to the north. Both of these trends support an all rain forecast locally. Thanksgiving Day and Friday are still shaping up to be dry behind the midweek system, with temperatures about where they should be for late November. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Saturday afternoon) Issued at 1159 AM CST Fri Nov 18 2016 A strong cold front moving east into west central IL at midday will accelerate eastward across central IL during the afternoon, getting past CMI by 22Z. A band of showers and a few thunderstorms expected from I-55 east during early/mid afternoon and could briefly produce MVFR cigs/vsbys. MVFR to low end VFR ceilings behind the cold front over IA and nw half of MO to spread eastward across central IL tonight and then decrease from SW to NE later Sat morning though likely lingering along I-74 into Sat afternoon. Strong SSW winds of 17-24 kts and gusts of 25-35 kts to turn WNW behind cold front during the afternoon and to remain strong tonight and Sat morning. Strong pressure gradient due to deepening 996 mb surface low pressure over west central WI that lifts into southern Lake Superior by 06Z/midnight tonight and to south of James Bay Canada by 18Z/noon Saturday. && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Wind Advisory until 6 AM CST Saturday for ILZ027>031-036>038- 040>051-053. && SHORT TERM...07 LONG TERM...Bak AVIATION...07
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL 227 PM CST FRI NOV 18 2016 ILZ027>031-036-037-040>042-047>051-191200- CASS-FULTON-KNOX-LOGAN-MARSHALL-MASON-MENARD-MORGAN-PEORIA- SANGAMON-SCHUYLER-SCOTT-STARK-TAZEWELL-WOODFORD- 227 PM CST FRI NOV 18 2016 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CST SATURDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS...NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT STRONG WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTING FROM 35 TO 45 MPH ARE LIKELY THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. THE COMBINATION OF WINDS GUSTING FROM 35 TO 45 MPH AT TIMES AND THE COLDEST AIR MASS OF THE FALL SEASON SO FAR WILL DRIVE WIND CHILLS DOWN INTO THE UPPER TEENS TO LOWER 20S SATURDAY MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY WINDY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE ON SATURDAY WITH NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTING 30 T0 40 MPH. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ038-043-053-191200- DE WITT-MACON-MCLEAN- 227 PM CST FRI NOV 18 2016 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CST SATURDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A COLD FRONT WILL BRING ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS EAST OF I-55 THIS AFTERNOON. STRONG WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTING FROM 35 TO 45 MPH WILL BE LIKELY LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY MORNING BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. THE COMBINATION OF THE GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS AND THE COLDEST AIR MASS OF THE FALL SEASON SO FAR WILL DRIVE WIND CHILLS DOWN INTO THE UPPER TEENS AND LOWER 20S LATE TONIGHT INTO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE ON SATURDAY WITH GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ052-191200- CHRISTIAN- 227 PM CST FRI NOV 18 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL BRING ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. STRONG WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTING FROM 35 TO 40 MPH WILL BE LIKELY LATER THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. THE COMBINATION OF THE GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS AND THE COLDEST AIR MASS OF THE FALL SEASON SO FAR WILL DRIVE WIND CHILLS DOWN INTO THE LOW TO MID 20S SATURDAY MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE ON SATURDAY WITH GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TONIGHT. ILZ054>057-061>063-066>068-071>073-191200- CLARK-CLAY-COLES-CRAWFORD-CUMBERLAND-DOUGLAS-EDGAR-EFFINGHAM- JASPER-LAWRENCE-MOULTRIE-RICHLAND-SHELBY- 227 PM CST FRI NOV 18 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS...EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS...SOUTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A COLD FRONT WILL BRING SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS TO SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS DURING THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY EVENING. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND POSSIBLY A TORNADO MAINLY EAST OF I-57. AFTER PASSAGE OF THE FRONT...WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTING FROM 35 TO 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE LATER THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING ESPECIALLY NORTH OF I-70. THE COMBINATION OF THE GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS AND THE COLDEST AIR MASS OF THE FALL SEASON SO FAR WILL DRIVE WIND CHILLS DOWN INTO THE LOW TO MID 20S LATE TONIGHT INTO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE ON SATURDAY WITH GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THROUGH 6 PM TODAY. ILZ044>046-191200- CHAMPAIGN-PIATT-VERMILION- 227 PM CST FRI NOV 18 2016 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CST SATURDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A COLD FRONT WILL BRING ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS TO CENTRAL AND ESPECIALLY EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND POSSIBLY A TORNADO...ESPECIALLY ALONG AND EAST OF I-57. AFTER PASSAGE OF THE FRONT...WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTING FROM 35 TO 45 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE LATER THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. THE COMBINATION OF THE GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS AND THE COLDEST AIR MASS OF THE FALL SEASON SO FAR WILL DRIVE WIND CHILLS DOWN INTO THE LOW TO MID 20S LATE TONIGHT INTO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE ON SATURDAY WITH GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THROUGH 6 PM TODAY MAINLY FROM I-57 EAST. 07
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
247 PM CST FRI NOV 18 2016
ILZ045-046-055>057-182130-
EDGAR-CHAMPAIGN-DOUGLAS-COLES-VERMILION-
247 PM CST FRI NOV 18 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN COLES...VERMILION...
EDGAR AND EASTERN DOUGLAS COUNTIES UNTIL 330 PM CST...
AT 246 PM CST...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG
A LINE EXTENDING FROM NEAR ROSSVILLE TO NEAR BROCTON. MOVEMENT WAS
EAST AT 50 MPH.
WIND GUSTS OF 50 TO 55 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
DANVILLE...PARIS...HOOPESTON...GEORGETOWN...WESTVILLE...TILTON...
CATLIN...OAKWOOD...CHRISMAN...ROSSVILLE...RIDGE FARM...OAKLAND...
NEWMAN...FAIRMOUNT...SIDELL...BELGIUM...HUME...BROCTON...ALLERTON AND
REDMON.
THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 74 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 203 AND 220.
LAT...LON 3960 8754 3962 8808 4048 8769 4048 8753
3962 8753
TIME...MOT...LOC 2046Z 275DEG 43KT 4041 8763 3968 8796
BARKERThe Indianapolis radar (KIND), 128 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:02 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Numerous power lines were blown down in Catlin.
Numerous power lines were blown down in Danville.
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, November 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: 661348, 661347.