An isolated severe thunderstorm cell developed over east-central Illinois during the afternoon of August 18th. producing hail as large as quarters, damaging wind gusts of around 60 mph, and locally heavy rainfall.
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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.
An isolated severe thunderstorm cell developed over east-central Illinois during the afternoon of August 18th. The storm primarily impacted Vermilion County...producing hail as large as quarters, damaging wind gusts of around 60 mph, and locally heavy rainfall.
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 Aug 18, 2:56 PM CST, 19 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lincoln IL 356 PM CDT Sun Aug 18 2019 .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 330 PM CDT Sun Aug 18 2019 Isolated to scattered strong to potentially severe thunderstorms will occur in southeast IL into early evening prior to sunset as a frontal boundary pushes through southeast Illinois. More isolated to scattered thunderstorms are possible on Monday and again Tuesday especially during the afternoon and early evening hours. There is a slight risk of severe storms on Tuesday afternoon and evening across the area as hot and humid conditions prevail. Lows tonight will be in the upper 60s to around 70 degrees. Highs Monday will reach 85 to 90 degrees, with heat indices in the 90s Monday afternoon, and near 100 degrees in southeast IL. Highs Tuesday will be in the upper 80s and lower 90s, with afternoon heat indices sizzling into the upper 90s to around 105 degrees. && .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Monday) ISSUED AT 330 PM CDT Sun Aug 18 2019 A broken line of strong to severe thunderstorms was over far southeast IL into se MO and ne AR at mid afternoon. These storms formed along an outflow boundary the was pushing southeast through southeast IL and strongest storms currently south of CWA in Edwards and southern Wayne counties. Unstable CAPEs of 2500-3600 j/kg were east of I-57, highest along the Wabash river. A thunderstorm was over Champaign county from Savoy/CMI airport south and tracking eastward toward Vermilion county. Surface analysis shows the main synoptic front extended from 1001 mb low pressure over eastern Lake Superior thru central WI/IA and into central KS. Aloft a broad/weak upper level trof was over the Great Lakes, much of the Midwest and over the northern Plains/Rockies, while 594 dm 500 mb subtropical ridge was near the southeast atlantic coast and sprawled back into TX/NM. Diurnally driven scattered convection in eastern IL should diminish toward early evening as sunsets, and only carried slight chances or dry rest of tonight into mid Mon morning over CWA. Lows overnight in the upper 60s to around 70 degrees. The latest models show the frontal boundary pushing se into IL river valley around midnight tonight and into southeast IL near I-70 by 18Z/1 pm Mon. This boundary to help develop more isolated to scattered convection by midday Monday and continue into early Mon evening mainly over areas from I-72 south. Airmass gets unstable again over areas south of I-72 by Mon afternoon and could see a few more strong thunderstorms especially in southeast IL. Highs Mon of 85-90F warmest in southeast IL where heat indices reach the upper 90s to near 100 Mon afternoon. && .LONG TERM...(Monday night through Sunday) ISSUED AT 311 PM CDT Sun Aug 18 2019 Isolated to scattered convection over southern CWA early Mon evening to diminish after sunset, with another lull expected into mid Tue morning. A disturbance and possible MCS to affect area by Tue afternoon and evening bringing next chance of thunderstorms. SPC has much of area in a slight risk of severe storms Tue afternoon/evening as very unstable airmass develops with CAPES rising to 3000-4000 j/kg during Tue afternoon over southern CWA. Highs in the upper 80s/lower 90s on Tue with afternoon heat indices in the upper 90s to around 105F, highest in sw CWA where heat advisory may eventually be needed Tue afternoon. The main frontal boundary to push sse into nw CWA late Tue night and thru rest of CWA during the day Wed. This will likely continue chances of showers and thunderstorms on Wed especially central and southern CWA. Highs Wed range from lower 80s by Galesburg, to the upper 80s to near 90F in southeast IL where heat indices peak around 100F in southeast IL Wed afternoon. Frontal boundary pushes south of area during Wed night and Thu while upper level trof over the Great Lakes brings in cooler and less humid air into central IL. Still have 20-30% chance of convection over areas south of I-74 Wed night into Thu as Ecmwf model is keeping qpf over southern half of CWA thru Thu afternoon, and not as far south with frontal boundary as the GEM and GFS models which are dry over our CWA overnight Wed night and Thu. Stayed close to model consensus for convection chances here but confidence of convection chances is low during Wed night and Thu. Highs Thu and Fri of 79 to 83 degrees, warmest in southeast IL. Lows Thu and Fri nights in the upper 50s and lower 60s. Generally dry conditions expected much of the time from Thu night thru next Sunday, with weak high pressure over the Great Lakes. But the subtropical ridge over the sw and southern states and upper level trof moving into the eastern Great Lakes and New England puts IL in a WNW upper level flow, and could see some disturbances tracking ESE and possibly affecting the area, though timing and placement of these are difficult to project that far out. Consensus of models has slight chance of convection over much of CWA on Fri afternoon, Sat and again Sunday afternoon. Highs in the low to mid 80s next weekend and humidity levels gradually increase. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Monday afternoon) Issued at 1245 PM CDT Sun Aug 18 2019 A frontal/outflow boundary south of I-72 will be the focus for strong to potentially severe thunderstorms se of a Danville to Shelbyville line during mid and late afternoon over areas se of DEC and CMI. Kept central IL taf sites dry rest of today thinking convection would develop se of this area and track further se during rest of the day with the boundary. CAMS show some convection moving into parts of central IL after 08-09Z and then diminishing by mid Mon morning and have VCSH for central IL airports then. MVFR ceilings could be possible too late tonight into Mon morning with light fog possible. Winds that went NW behind the boundary over central IL airports to veer back to the sw during mid/late afternoon at 5-10 kts and stay below 10 kts and trend lighter tonight into Mon morning. && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SYNOPSIS...07 SHORT TERM...07 LONG TERM...07 AVIATION...07
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Lincoln IL 311 PM CDT Sun Aug 18 2019 ILZ027>031-036>038-040>055-061-191100- Cass-Champaign-Christian-De Witt-Douglas-Fulton-Knox-Logan-Macon- Marshall-Mason-McLean-Menard-Morgan-Moultrie-Peoria-Piatt- Sangamon-Schuyler-Scott-Shelby-Stark-Tazewell-Vermilion-Woodford- 311 PM CDT Sun Aug 18 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Illinois, east central Illinois and west central Illinois. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... Isolated thunderstorms are possible through tonight. Dangerous lightning will accompany any thunderstorms, however severe weather is not expected. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY... Periodic scattered thunderstorms are possible Monday through Thursday. Severe storms are possible on Tuesday, with damaging winds and large hail possible. Hot and humid conditions will set up over the area Tuesday, when afternoon heat indices of 100 to 105 degrees are expected. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated through tonight. ILZ056-057-062-063-066>068-071>073-191100- Clark-Clay-Coles-Crawford-Cumberland-Edgar-Effingham-Jasper- Lawrence-Richland- 311 PM CDT Sun Aug 18 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of east central Illinois and southeast Illinois. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... Scattered thunderstorms are possible today into this evening. Some of the storms may be severe with potential for large hail and damaging wind gusts. Locally heavy downpours are possible as well, and may lead to flash flooding. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY... Periodic scattered thunderstorms are possible Monday through Thursday. Severe storms are possible on Tuesday, with damaging winds and large hail possible. Hot and humid conditions will set up over the area Tuesday, when afternoon heat indices of 100 to 105 degrees are expected. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is possible this evening or tonight. 37
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
1223 PM CDT SUN AUG 18 2019
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0745 AM TSTM WND DMG LINCOLN 40.15N 89.37W
08/17/2019 LOGAN IL NWS EMPLOYEE
BROKEN TREE LIMB DAMAGED POWER LINE ON ADAMS STREET.
CORRECTED TIME.
&&
25Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Lincoln IL 341 PM CDT Sun Aug 18 2019 ILZ045-046-182145- Vermilion-Champaign- 341 PM CDT Sun Aug 18 2019 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN VERMILION AND SOUTHEASTERN CHAMPAIGN COUNTIES UNTIL 445 PM CDT... At 340 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along a line extending from near St. Joseph to near Broadlands. Movement was east at 35 mph. Penny size hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with these storms. Locations impacted include... Danville, St. Joseph, Georgetown, Westville, Tilton, Catlin, Oakwood, Sidney, Homer, Ridge Farm, Ogden, Fairmount, Sidell, Fithian, Belgium, Broadlands, Allerton, Muncie, Bismarck and Indianola. This includes Interstate 74 between mile markers 190 and 220. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with these storms. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle. && LAT...LON 3991 8811 4010 8815 4032 8753 3990 8753 TIME...MOT...LOC 2040Z 258DEG 31KT 4008 8809 3994 8807 Goetsch
The Indianapolis radar (KIND), 123 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:15 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Several trees were damaged from Tilton to Westville. Power lines were blown down near Westville Sanitary Plant.
A tree was blown down, damaging a tank and causing a propane leak.
A business sign was blown over.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, August 2019
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: 853716, 853717, 853712, 853713, 853714, 853719.