Scattered strong to severe thunderstorms developed in the vicinity of a warm front draped across northern Illinois during the afternoon of May 27th. The storms produced numerous funnel clouds and two brief tornado touchdowns.
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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.
Scattered strong to severe thunderstorms developed in the vicinity of a warm front draped across northern Illinois during the afternoon of May 27th. The storms produced numerous funnel clouds and two brief tornado touchdowns. Further south, an isolated cell dropped golf ball sized hail in Clark County.
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 27, 12:01 PM CST, 2 hours 14 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lincoln IL 101 PM CDT Mon May 27 2019 .UPDATE... Issued at 1130 AM CDT Mon May 27 2019 The warm front has lifted northeast extending from Peoria to near Terre Haute by late morning with moist dewpoints rising into the upper 60s to around 70F along and south of I-74 with temps in the upper 70s/lower 80s with increasing south to SSE breezes gusting 15-25 mph. Cooler upper 60s and lower 70s temperatures from Peoria north. The warm front extended nw to 1000 mb low pressure over nw Iowa. An area of showers and thunderstorms was over north central IL from Peoria north and lifting ne out ahead of the warm front. Another cluster of convection was over central IA and central MO. Warm and humid again today over central and southeast IL with highs in the lower 80s northern CWA, mid 80s central CWA and upper 80s in southeast IL. Breezy SSE winds become SSW during this afternoon at 10-18 mph and gusts of 18-28 mph. Yet another active severe wx day expected over central and northern IL during this afternoon and early evening. SPC day1 outlook updated late this morning continues an enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms this afternoon across northern third of IL from Fulton, Tazewell and McLean counties north with a 10% risk of EF2 or stronger tornadoes. Also have 30% risk of damaging winds and large hail in this enhanced risk area. Slight risk of severe storms is as far south as a Quincy to Lincoln to north of Paris line while marginal risk extending as far south as highway 50 in southeast IL. LAPS CAPES already rising to 1000-3000 j/kg from I-74 south at late morning with highest CAPES of 2000-3000 j/kg over sw CWA and southeast IL from Quincy to Terre Haute sw. High bulk shear values of 50-60 kts spreading into northern CWA from southeast IA and as CAPES continue to rise to 2000-3500 j/kg over northern CWA by mid afternoon, expected severe storms likely to fire up during this afternoon especially from I-72 north. Convection to be more isolated south of I-72 from mid afternoon into early evening along with lower chances of severe storms. && .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) ISSUED AT 342 AM CDT Mon May 27 2019 Familiar refrain in the forecast this morning as a deep upper level low settles in over the desert southwest, pushing southwesterly flow over the Plains states and into the Midwest. This active weather pattern will keep precipitation chances in the forecast periodically throughout the week. First round today and tonight will also bring the potential for some severe weather. Surface low over the Plains this morning has several spokes of precip making their way around the system this morning. Can see the beginnings of the first one to impact northwestern IL later this morning over NWrn MO. With this first round, can expect some scattered showers and thunderstorms mainly over the west/northwest portions of the state. As the day progresses, the low lifts into the region and sends a stronger impulse over the northern third of the state, with the warm frontal boundary at the surface helping to provide focus for more significant vertical development with the storms. Better shear profiles also result in a little more vorticity available for any storms that do develop. Pockets of instability may be accessible depending on the mesoscale influence from storms previously in the day...but again, the shear will be able to make up for it closer to the surface low. Although again, the storms should transition to a more linear/bowing/wind threat with time (and cold pool development) going into the evening hours...early discrete cells invof the boundary will have more of a concentrated tornadic threat...hence the Enhanced Risk in the Day One Outlook out of SPC. .LONG TERM...(Tuesday through Sunday) ISSUED AT 342 AM CDT Mon May 27 2019 A similar set up takes place on Tuesday with a daytime round of scattered precip, and the better chances moving in overnight with another disturbance rippling through the region invof a surface boundary/trough stretching eastward from a low centered somewhere over the Missouri River Valley. Much of the details are going to be sketchy through this time frame as models have varied solutions as to the location of the sfc boundary that will provide focus. All of Central IL is in a Slight/Marginal risk of severe weather, though mainly for the evolution of storms in an unstable airmass overnight. Showers and thunderstorms dominate the forecast through Thursday night as the upper low over the Rockies is slow to move out and into the Plains. A lack of a significant wave to act as a kicker more or less explains the slower movement, allowing for periodic pulses of energy to enhance the large scale ascent over the Midwest. The warm muggy airmass remains in place through the end of the week, even as the models are trying to moderate the amplification of the wave pattern over the CONUS. Even as the broader trough across the west expands and loses shape at the end of the week, the ample warm air in the midlevels guarantees the warm temperatures into the weekend. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Tuesday afternoon) Issued at 1259 PM CDT Mon May 27 2019 The warm front had lifted ne of central IL at midday with breezy south winds 10-17 kts and gusts of 18-25 kts. Low pressure over nw IA will track eastward over southern WI this evening and pull a cold front se into nw IL this evening. Air mass becomes very unstable over central IL this afternoon helping thunderstorms to spread and develop eastward into central IL especially north of I-72 by mid afternoon and continue into early evening. IFR to MVFR conditions expected and strong gusty sw to westerly winds to mainly impact PIA and BMI with strong to potentially severe storms. Isolated convection expected during early and mid evening then dry conditions expected from late evening on with VFR conditions expected. Winds veer SSW to SW and remain gusting at 18-25 kts during this afternoon and early evening, then diminish after sunset. SW winds to gust again near 20 kts after 14-15Z Tue. && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && UPDATE...07 SHORT TERM...HJS LONG TERM...HJS AVIATION...07
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Lincoln IL 1137 AM CDT Mon May 27 2019 ILZ027>031-036>038-281100- Fulton-Knox-Marshall-McLean-Peoria-Stark-Tazewell-Woodford- 1137 AM CDT Mon May 27 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Illinois and west central Illinois. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... There is an enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms this afternoon and early evening. Damaging winds, hail, and tornadoes are all possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... There is a slight risk of severe thunderstorms Tuesday night. Damaging winds are the primary concern. While additional thunderstorms are possible Wednesday into Thursday, and again during the weekend, the severe weather potential is lower. Moderate flooding will continue along the Illinois River through the period. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is likely this afternoon and evening. The most likely time frame is 1 pm to 7 pm. ILZ040>043-047>053-281100- Cass-Christian-De Witt-Logan-Macon-Mason-Menard-Morgan-Sangamon- Schuyler-Scott- 1137 AM CDT Mon May 27 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Illinois and west central Illinois. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... Scattered thunderstorms are possible this afternoon into this evening. A few storms will be strong to severe, though the greater risk of severe storms will be further north. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... There is a slight risk of severe thunderstorms Tuesday night. Damaging winds are the primary concern. While additional thunderstorms are possible Wednesday into Thursday, the severe weather potential is lower. Major flooding will continue along much of the Illinois River through the end of the month. Moderate flooding will occur along the La Moine River into late week. Minor flooding will impact the Spoon River through about Thursday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be required today, mainly this afternoon. ILZ044>046-281100- Champaign-Piatt-Vermilion- 1137 AM CDT Mon May 27 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Illinois and east central Illinois. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... There is an enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms this afternoon and early evening. Damaging winds, hail, and tornadoes are all possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... Thunderstorms are possible again Tuesday night. While some may be strong, the chances of severe weather will be better further west. While additional thunderstorms are possible Wednesday into Thursday, the severe weather potential is lower. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is likely this afternoon and evening. The most likely time frame is 4 pm to 8 pm. ILZ054>057-061>063-281100- Clark-Coles-Cumberland-Douglas-Edgar-Moultrie-Shelby- 1137 AM CDT Mon May 27 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Illinois and east central Illinois. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... Scattered thunderstorms are possible this afternoon. A few storms will be strong to severe, though the greater risk of severe storms will be further north. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... Thunderstorms are possible again Tuesday night. While some may be strong, the chances of severe weather will be better further west. While additional thunderstorms are possible Wednesday into Thursday, the severe weather potential is lower. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be required this afternoon. ILZ066>068-071>073-281100- Clay-Crawford-Effingham-Jasper-Lawrence-Richland- 1137 AM CDT Mon May 27 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southeast Illinois. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... Isolated thunderstorms will be possible this afternoon. Severe weather is not expected. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... Thunderstorms will increase late Tuesday night, continuing into early Thursday. While a few strong thunderstorms are possible, widespread severe weather is not anticipated. Minor flooding will continue along the Wabash River much of the week, but should subside on the Little Wabash River Tuesday night. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated through tonight. Auten
The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 88 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:17 UTC.
2 tornado, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A tornado briefly touched down in an open field 1.1 miles south of Dahinda at 3:15 PM CDT. No damage was reported.
A tornado briefly touched down in an open field 3.4 miles northwest of Benson at 4:38 PM CDT. No damage was reported.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Illinois, 2019Warnings in Illinois, May 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: 821095, 821098, 821100.