A deepening area of low pressure over the Plains produced strong gradient winds across central Illinois during the afternoon of December 27th. Winds generally gusted from 45-55mph: however, peak gusts reached 58mph at Springfield Capital Airport, 62mph at the University of Illinois Willard Airport, and 63mph in Bloomington.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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 over the Plains produced strong gradient winds across central Illinois during the afternoon of December 27th. Winds generally gusted from 45-55mph: however, peak gusts reached 58mph at Springfield Capital Airport, 62mph at the University of Illinois Willard Airport, and 63mph in Bloomington. Minor damage was reported due to the strong winds.
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 Dec 27, 5:57 AM CST, 5 hours 3 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lincoln IL 557 AM CST Thu Dec 27 2018 .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) ISSUED AT 328 AM CST Thu Dec 27 2018 Widespread light to moderate rain currently across Missouri into southern Illinois will spread across the KILX CWA over the next couple of hours. Based on radar trends and HRRR forecasts, it appears the bulk of the rain will shift E/NE of the area by early afternoon...followed by a lull in precip chances for the remainder of the day as dry slotting noted on 09z/3am water vapor imagery over central Texas/Oklahoma punches into Illinois. Total rainfall this morning will generally range from one quarter to one half an inch. Several CAMs are suggesting widely scattered convection will develop within the dry slot late this afternoon and evening: however, with very limited instability to work with, am expecting only isolated thunder. Other than the wet weather, today will also be a windy and warm day. E/SE winds will gust 30-40mph at times this morning, then will veer to the S by afternoon. Given southerly flow and an end to the steady rain, afternoon highs will soar well into the 50s. Scattered showers will linger through midnight...then will come to an end from west to east overnight as a cold front pushes to near the Indiana border by 12z Fri. Lows will range from the lower 30s in the Illinois River Valley...to the lower to middle 40s east of I-57. .LONG TERM...(Friday through Wednesday) ISSUED AT 328 AM CST Thu Dec 27 2018 Breezy and cooler weather will be on tap for Friday in the wake of the departing system, with temperatures remaining nearly steady in the upper 30s and lower 40s. High pressure will bring cool/dry weather for the upcoming weekend as temperatures remain near seasonal averages. After that, a southern stream storm system will spread precip into the area late Sunday night into Monday. Forecast soundings suggest the atmosphere will initially be cold enough to support light snow, then will warm sufficiently for a full change over to rain during the day Monday. Any snow accumulations look to be minor at this point. Once this system passes to the southeast, all model solutions feature a brief intrusion of cold Canadian air for the middle of next week...with highs dropping into the 20s for Tuesday and Wednesday. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Friday morning) Issued at 557 AM CST Thu Dec 27 2018 Ceilings will continue to lower over the next couple of hours as rain spreads across central Illinois. Based on trends, all terminals will drop to MVFR by 14z...with IFR conditions prevailing from late morning through the afternoon. The steady rain will diminish from southwest to northeast by midday, followed by just scattered showers through the afternoon and evening. Winds will initially be SE with gusts 25-30kt, then will gradually veer to the S by late afternoon. A cold front will push through the area tonight, bringing an end to any lingering showers and causing winds to veer to SW overnight. && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SHORT TERM...Barnes LONG TERM...Barnes AVIATION...Barnes
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Lincoln IL 451 AM CST Thu Dec 27 2018 ILZ027>031-036>038-040>057-061>063-066>068-071>073-281200- Cass-Champaign-Christian-Clark-Clay-Coles-Crawford-Cumberland- De Witt-Douglas-Edgar-Effingham-Fulton-Jasper-Knox-Lawrence-Logan- Macon-Marshall-Mason-McLean-Menard-Morgan-Moultrie-Peoria-Piatt- Richland-Sangamon-Schuyler-Scott-Shelby-Stark-Tazewell-Vermilion- Woodford- 451 AM CST Thu Dec 27 2018 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Illinois, east central Illinois, southeast Illinois and west central Illinois. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... Isolated thunderstorms are possible from around noon to 9 p.m. today. Thunderstorms are not expected to be severe. Strong south to southeast winds of 20 to 25 mph with gusts to 35 mph are expected from mid morning through late afternoon today. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated through tonight. 37
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
1018 AM CST THU DEC 27 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN NE MURRAYVILLE 39.58N 90.25W
12/27/2018 M1.51 INCH MORGAN IL COCORAHS
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JRPThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees were blown down into power lines in Sullivan.
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, December 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: 795091.