A powerful line of thunderstorms developed ahead of a cold front in Iowa during the late afternoon and moved into northwest Illinois during the evening hours of August 28th. The line of thunderstorms produced damaging winds mainly north of Interstate 80.
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.
A powerful line of thunderstorms developed ahead of a cold front in Iowa during the late afternoon and moved into northwest Illinois during the evening hours of August 28th. The line of thunderstorms produced damaging winds mainly north of Interstate 80. There was a swath of more intense damage in Whiteside County with damage to power poles and crops. There was also heavy rain with this line of thunderstorms, with widespread reports of 2 to 4 inches.
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 Aug 28, 5:42 PM CST, 45 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Quad Cities IA IL
642 PM CDT Tue Aug 28 2018
...AVIATION UPDATE...
.SYNOPSIS...
Issued at 103 PM CDT Tue Aug 28 2018
Early this afternoon, an outflow boundary was slowly drifting
south across the CWA. Showers and thunderstorms began to form
along this boundary. Aloft a typical flash flooding pattern was
setup with broad southwest flow from at least H85 to H5. This
brought bountiful moisture into the area, especially. To the west
a H5 wave was located across NE and SD. This setup will continue
to lead to showers and thunderstorms across the area through
overnight and will serve as the main forecast problem in the
extended.
&&
.SHORT TERM...(This Evening through Wednesday)
ISSUED AT 103 PM CDT Tue Aug 28 2018
This afternoon: Current convection appears to still be elevated at
this time. These cores have been popping then dropping. With broad
southwest flow through the area, any wave through the flow is
leading to storms. Couple this with outflow boundaries and you
have the main driver for this afternoons storms. Hires guidance
has been less than stellar in placement of storms as the mesoscale
nature of the forcing is hard to grasp. That said, current
analysis of the environment suggests that there is a wave located
across SW IA that will continue to force storms this afternoon.
The elevated nature of these storms suggest that the main threat
from them will be small hail and heavy rain. This heavy rain may
act to prime the atmosphere for tonights main event, leading to a
flash flood event. At the least, this rain is across areas where
it is badly needed.
This evening: Main threat for severe looks to be tied to the main
wave across NE/SD and associated cold front. Stationary boundary
is expected to become active this afternoon and sweep towards the
east. With an unstable warm sector and sufficient moisture return,
the atmosphere is expected to recharge before this comes through.
Deep layer shear with the wave is forecast to be 40 to 50 kts.
O-3km shear from 00z to 06z is forecast to be near 40 knots nearly
perpendicular to the line. 0-1km shear of 20 to 25 knots. This
shear is perfect for a well defined QLCS with an embedded tornado
threat. There is also a threat for 70 mph wind gusts with any
mesovort that develops. Timing of this line is expected to affect
the area from 6pm in the west to near midnight in the east. Hires
guidance suggests that this line will mature across our CWA and
then weaken as it enters our eastern neighbors CWA.
Also tonight, with high PWATs flash flooding looks possible across
the CWA. As a result will keep the watch going through 12Z
tomorrow.
Tomorrow: Quiet beautiful day. Highs in the 70s with dew points in
the 50s.
.LONG TERM...(Wednesday Night through Tuesday)
ISSUED AT 151 PM CDT Tue Aug 28 2018
Slight changes to the long term were made this period with overall
pattern unchanged. No main changes to the superblend were made.
Quiet weather with below average temperatures Wednesday and
Thursday. Then the chance for rain and storms return for the end
of the week. With this expect the return of humidity and heat as
well. It does not appear that the heat will be as high as this
last weekend, more like average temps.
&&
.AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Wednesday Evening)
ISSUED AT 639 PM CDT Tue Aug 28 2018
Squall line will race across eastern Iowa and northern Illinois.
Brief period of IFR conditions likely with the line that may
produce wind gusts to near 50 knots. Once the line passes,
conditions will slowly deteriorate to MVFR through 12z/29 that may
include a period of IFR conditions. After 12z/29 conditions will
improve to VFR.
&&
.DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IA...Flash Flood Watch through Wednesday morning for Benton-Buchanan-
Cedar-Clinton-Delaware-Des Moines-Dubuque-Henry IA-Iowa-
Jackson-Jefferson-Johnson-Jones-Keokuk-Lee-Linn-Louisa-
Muscatine-Scott-Van Buren-Washington.
Heat Advisory until 7 PM CDT this evening for Lee-Van Buren.
IL...Flash Flood Watch through Wednesday morning for Bureau-Carroll-
Hancock-Henderson-Henry IL-Jo Daviess-McDonough-Mercer-
Putnam-Rock Island-Stephenson-Warren-Whiteside.
Heat Advisory until 7 PM CDT this evening for Hancock-McDonough.
MO...Flash Flood Watch through Wednesday morning for Clark-Scotland.
Heat Advisory until 7 PM CDT this evening for Clark-Scotland.
&&
SYNOPSIS...Gibbs
SHORT TERM...Gibbs
LONG TERM...Gibbs
AVIATION...08Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service Quad Cities IA IL 923 AM CDT Tue Aug 28 2018 IAZ040>042-051>054-063>068-076>078-087>089-098-099-ILZ001-002-007- 009-015>018-024>026-034-035-MOZ009-010-291430- 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- 923 AM CDT Tue Aug 28 2018 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 A Heat Advisory is in effect for the counties approximately along and south of a line from Sterling, Illinois to the Quad Cities to Washington, Iowa. In this area, peak heat indices are forecast near 100 F. Thunderstorms are expected area wide today. Some of these storms could be severe with the main threats being damaging winds, heavy rain and isolated tornadoes. Large hail is a secondary threat. A flash flood watch is in effect across the area through 7 am Wednesday. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY Periods of thunderstorms are possible late Thursday through Monday. It is too early to determine the potential for severe weather. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is likely from 2 PM to 10 PM today.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
641 PM CDT TUE AUG 28 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0635 PM TSTM WND GST MUSCATINE ARPT 41.37N 91.15W
08/28/2018 M58 MPH MUSCATINE IA AWOS
AWOS STATION MUT, MUSCATINE ARPT.
&&
GROSSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
646 PM CDT TUE AUG 28 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0630 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 SE IOWA CITY 41.64N 91.51W
08/28/2018 JOHNSON IA TRAINED SPOTTER
8 TO 12 INCH DIAMETER HARDWOOD TREE UPROOTED
- WINDS WERE MEASURED AT 70 MPH BEFORE THE
POWER FAILED. THEY WERE LIKELY HIGHER.
&&
TASPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
647 PM CDT TUE AUG 28 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0630 PM TSTM WND GST 2 SE IOWA CITY 41.64N 91.51W
08/28/2018 M70 MPH JOHNSON IA TRAINED SPOTTER
WINDS MEASURED AT 70 MPH BEFORE THE POWER
WENT OUT. THEY WERE LIKELY HIGHER.
&&
TASPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
652 PM CDT TUE AUG 28 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0615 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 SE NORTH LIBERTY 41.73N 91.60W
08/28/2018 JOHNSON IA TRAINED SPOTTER
24 INCH DIAMETER TREE DOWN IN FRONT YARD. TIME ESTIMATED
BASED ON RADAR
&&
PETERSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
713 PM CDT TUE AUG 28 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0615 PM TSTM WND GST 2 W UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS 41.66N 91.60W
08/28/2018 M82 MPH JOHNSON IA EMERGENCY MNGR
WIND GUST MEASURED AT JOHNSON COUNTY EMA.
TIME ESTIMATED BASED ON RADAR.
&&
PSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
720 PM CDT TUE AUG 28 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0654 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 ENE MONTPELIER 41.47N 90.78W
08/28/2018 SCOTT IA TRAINED SPOTTER
10 INCH DIAMETER TREE DOWN ON SOUTH
MISSISSIPPI IN BLUEGRASS.
&&
TASThe Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 47 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:28 UTC.
7 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The emergency manager relayed numerous reports of widespread tree damage across the county. Most of the damage was downed tree branches along with a couple of trees down on roadways.
A trained spotter reported that numerous tree limbs and small trees were down in Mount Carroll. One tree was down on a house. The time of the event was estimated using radar.
A NWS Storm Survey found five power poles down at this location. Four of them were leaning and one appeared to be snapped near the base. Corn in a field next to power poles was also damaged. Wind speeds were estimated to be between 80 and 90 MPH. Time of the event was estimated using the radar.
A trained spotter reported snapped tree branches and downed apple trees due to saturated ground. The time of the event was estimated using radar.
Law enforcement relayed a report of trees down in Aledo.
A trained spotter reported trees and power lines down.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, August 2018
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: 782410, 782411, 782413, 782414, 782417, 782415, 782416.