A cold front triggered strong to severe thunderstorms along and east of the I-55 corridor during the late afternoon and evening of May 9th. The strongest cells produced 60-70mph wind gusts and hail as large as quarters.
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 ILX wrote it up.
A cold front triggered strong to severe thunderstorms along and east of the I-55 corridor during the late afternoon and evening of May 9th. The strongest cells produced 60-70mph wind gusts and hail as large as quarters.
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 May 9, 1:49 PM CST, 2 hours 52 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lincoln IL 249 PM CDT Wed May 9 2018 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Thursday) ISSUED AT 249 PM CDT Wed May 9 2018 Convection has begun to form near the Illinois River Valley early this afternoon, as earlier high-res models were suggesting. This is occurring ahead of the cold front, which is pushing across eastern Iowa and northeast Missouri. Clearing behind the earlier showers/storms is allowing CAPE's to reach above 2,000 J/kg in western Illinois as the cap erodes, while some convective inhibition lingers over the east. The scattered storms will continue to push east through the afternoon, and should be out of the eastern CWA toward sunset. Latest SPC Day1 outlook maintains the slight risk of severe weather east of I-55, primarily for a wind threat and perhaps some hail. Following the storms, quiet conditions expected into much of Thursday. Little change in temperatures behind the front, with highs on Thursday still in the low-mid 80s. && .LONG TERM...(Thursday night through Wednesday) ISSUED AT 249 PM CDT Wed May 9 2018 Tail end of the frontal boundary will begin arcing back northeast later Thursday, as a storm system organizes near the Kansas/Colorado border. Could see some convection develop along it as early as late afternoon between Springfield and St. Louis, but most of the PoP's from this will be included during the evening. With time, more of the rain shield will become established in areas north of the front, which should become nearly stationary just south of I-80. By early weekend, a southward drift is expected, as a shortwave crosses the mid Mississippi Valley. The models are in reasonable agreement with this front dropping south to about I-72 by Saturday afternoon. While they also agree in most of the rain chances north of there into Saturday night, the GFS is much slower in diminishing the rain on Sunday. The strength of the upper high over the southeast U.S. should keep the front in our general vicinity through Monday. With it there, PoP's will remain in the forecast due to MCS potential along the boundary. Beyond Monday, the European model significantly builds the ridge and diminishes the rain trends, while the GFS keeps the boundary around even longer. With this discrepancy, pinning down specific dry periods in the extended will be difficult. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Thursday afternoon) Issued at 1207 PM CDT Wed May 9 2018 Main concern with this TAF set will be with a brief window of thunderstorms during the first part of the period. Am expecting scattered storms to begin developing along the Illinois River from KPIA southwest around 20Z, increasing in coverage as they push east. Degree of coverage is still a bit up in the air, and will mainly go with VCTS initially and update later once the storms form. Generally only looking at about a 3-hour window with a thunder threat at each TAF site. After the storms pass, the gusty southwest winds will shift to the west and diminish. May see some brief MVFR or lower conditions if the storms get particularly heavy, otherwise VFR conditions will prevail. && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SHORT TERM...Geelhart LONG TERM...Geelhart AVIATION...Geelhart
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Lincoln IL 324 PM CDT Wed May 9 2018 ILZ027>031-036-037-040>042-047>051-101100- Cass-Fulton-Knox-Logan-Marshall-Mason-Menard-Morgan-Peoria- Sangamon-Schuyler-Scott-Stark-Tazewell-Woodford- 324 PM CDT Wed May 9 2018 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Illinois and west central Illinois. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... Additional thunderstorms this afternoon may be strong to severe, especially east of the Illinois River Valley. Damaging wind gusts and large hail are the primary threats. The thunderstorm threat will push off to the east by early evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Limited spotter activation may be needed between 4 pm and 7 pm today. ILZ038-043>046-052>057-061>063-066>068-071>073-101100- Champaign-Christian-Clark-Clay-Coles-Crawford-Cumberland-De Witt- Douglas-Edgar-Effingham-Jasper-Lawrence-Macon-McLean-Moultrie- Piatt-Richland-Shelby-Vermilion- 324 PM CDT Wed May 9 2018 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Illinois, east central Illinois and southeast Illinois. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... Additional thunderstorms are expected this evening, and some of these may be strong to severe. Damaging wind gusts and large hail are the primary threats. The thunderstorm threat will push off to the east by early evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed between 5 pm and 9 pm today. HJS
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
348 PM CDT WED MAY 9 2018
ILZ030-031-092130-
Marshall-Woodford-
348 PM CDT WED MAY 9 2018
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN MARSHALL AND NORTHWESTERN
WOODFORD COUNTIES UNTIL 430 PM CDT...
At 347 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from near Varna to near Chillicothe. Movement was
east at 30 mph.
Dime size hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with
these storms.
Locations impacted include...
Minonk, Toluca, Washburn, Wenona, Varna, Magnolia, La Rose, Lake
Wildwood and Pattonsburg.
This includes Interstate 39 between mile markers 27 and 40.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
To report severe weather, contact your nearest law enforcement
agency. They will relay your report to the National Weather Service
office in Lincoln.
&&
LAT...LON 4110 8905 4093 8905 4092 8902 4090 8904
4087 8950 4111 8926 4111 8917
TIME...MOT...LOC 2047Z 255DEG 27KT 4107 8919 4088 8941
GoetschSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
532 PM CDT WED MAY 9 2018
ILZ038-092300-
McLean-
532 PM CDT WED MAY 9 2018
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN MCLEAN COUNTY UNTIL
600 PM CDT...
At 531 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Lexington, or 14 miles northeast of Bloomington, moving northeast at
35 mph.
Dime size hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with this
storm.
Locations impacted include...
Lexington, Colfax, Cooksville, Pleasant Hill, Cropsey and Anchor.
This includes Interstate 55 near mile marker 175.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio
stations and available television stations for additional information
and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.
To report severe weather, contact your nearest law enforcement
agency. They will relay your report to the National Weather Service
office in Lincoln.
&&
LAT...LON 4062 8858 4061 8846 4058 8846 4050 8874
4060 8885 4076 8860 4075 8858
TIME...MOT...LOC 2231Z 238DEG 32KT 4060 8874
GeelhartThe Lincoln radar (KILX), 21 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:39 UTC.
24 thunderstorm wind, 8 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Shingles were damaged on a home and several tree branches were blown down.
Bleachers were thrown through a fence at Centennial Park.
Three power poles were blown down north of Fisher.
A large tree branch was blown down.
A storm produced hail that destroyed 80 acres of young soybeans about 3 miles north of Cisco.
Several trees were blown down and the roof of a shed was torn off.
The roof was blown off a concrete barn.
A tree was blown down west of Mahomet.
A machine shed door was blown off, knocking down some small trees nearby.
A tree was blown down across a road.
A cinder block pool house was destroyed.
A semi was blown over on Staley Road.
A 3-inch diameter tree branch was blown down.
Several tree branches were blown down across the University of Illinois campus.
Numerous trees and power lines were blown down.
Numerous trees were damaged along US-150 near Parkland Community College.
A semi was blown over on I-57 at mile marker 223 north of Pesotum.
A power line was blown down in Sullivan.
Six power lines were blown down north of Sullivan.
Power lines were blown down in Shelbyville.
Two power lines were blown down in Tuscola.
A semi was blown over on I-57 between mile markers 212 and 213 north of Tuscola.
Power poles were snapped off and fell onto a car at Eagle Mountain Church.
A power line was blown down north of Hindsboro.
One inch hail was reported at the Mattoon Country Club.
An uprooted tree fell and hit a power line.
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, May 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: 750047, 750048, 750049, 750050, 750073, 750051, 750052, 750053, 750054, 750055, 750056, 750057, 750058, 750060, 750040, 750061, 750062, 750041, 750064, 750065, 750066, 750067, 750042, 750068, 750069, 750043, 750070, 750071, 750044, 750045, 750046, 750072.