The airmass across central Illinois became highly unstable and sheared during the afternoon of March 28th as a warm front lifted toward southern Wisconsin. Due to a strong mid-level cap, thunderstorms failed to initiate until a dryline approached from the west by late afternoon into the evening.
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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.
The airmass across central Illinois became highly unstable and sheared during the afternoon of March 28th as a warm front lifted toward southern Wisconsin. Due to a strong mid-level cap, thunderstorms failed to initiate until a dryline approached from the west by late afternoon into the evening. The storms formed into a broken line as they pushed through the Illinois River Valley, spawning three tornadoes.
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 Mar 28, 3:02 PM CST, 1 hour 37 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lincoln IL 402 PM CDT Sat Mar 28 2020 .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 323 PM CDT Sat Mar 28 2020 Showers and thunderstorms will affect central and southeast IL through this evening. There is a risk of severe storms, including a potential for damaging winds, large hail, and strong tornadoes, through this evening. Locally heavy rains will also be possible with thunderstorms and could produce over 1 inch of rainfall in some areas. Brisk southerly winds this evening will switch to strong westerly winds overnight and continue through Sunday. Generally dry and seasonably cool weather will return to the area through Monday. && .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Sunday) ISSUED AT 323 PM CDT Sat Mar 28 2020 The warm front that was stalled out near I-74 has surged rapidly northward the past few hours with a north-south oriented cold front draped southward from Des Moines area approaching from the west. Significantly strong shear and instability in the warm sector over central and southeast IL, along with lift and convergence associated with the cold front should produce supercell thunderstorms, generally organizing into an eastward moving line across central IL this evening. Meanwhile, isolated severe storms have formed in the warm sector and remain a threat this afternoon. A tornado watch is in effect for the entire central/southeast IL forecast area until 9-10 p.m. (10 p.m. I-70 southward). After the cold front moves through, roughly 7 p.m. in western IL, midnight at the IN state line, strong westerly winds will begin to surge into the area, with 25-30 mph winds and gusts to 45 mph expected late tonight through Sunday afternoon. A wind advisory has been issued for areas I-70 northward, while to the south brisk westerly winds should be just a bit less. Temperatures will fall back closer to normal, with highs ranging from 52 in Galesburg to 63 in Lawrenceville Sunday. && .LONG TERM...(Sunday night through Saturday) ISSUED AT 323 PM CDT Sat Mar 28 2020 Gradients associated with the outgoing low pressure system will weaken Sunday night as high pressure moves into the region, causing winds to fall off rapidly overnight. This high pressure looks to bring dry weather through Monday and suppress a southern stream system to the south for Tuesday, for precipitation chances with this system mainly over the southern half of Illinois. By Tuesday night into early Wednesday, the high pressure ridge should rebuild behind the Tuesday system for a return to dry conditions for a period early Wednesday, although a northern stream system looks to rapidly approach late in the day for some low chance PoPs. High pressure over the gulf coast states on Wednesday will block moisture into IL so any precipitation amounts should be quite light if they happen. Seasonably cool air will remain over the area, with highs in the upper 50s to around 60 Monday followed by upper 40s to mid 50s Tuesday and Wednesday, and lows in the mid 30s to low 40s through midweek. Late in the week into next weekend, models are in agreement with a large upper level low relatively stationary over the Great Lakes Region, and this could bring a pattern of cool weather and occasional chances for light precipitation. Highs look to be generally upper 40s to low 50s and lows in the 30s. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Sunday afternoon) Issued at 106 PM CDT Sat Mar 28 2020 Scattered showers and thunderstorms are active across the central IL terminals at 18Z, producing a variety of flight conditions. Although a lull in significant storm activity could take place for a few hours this afternoon, additional thunderstorms, likely strong and severe, should develop by around 20Z in western IL, becoming more organized and sweeping eastward through the terminals through this evening. There is a good chance a line of strong storms should sweep through the terminals by around 00Z, and have included a tempo group for thunderstorms with this activity, although more uncertainty exists with potential for a second line later in the evening. Outside thunderstorms, predominant conditions should become VFR by around 20-22Z. A return to MVFR cigs expected around 09Z. Winds generally variable and disorganized initially due to recent thunderstorm activity and a warm front roughly just south of I-74, but should become S15-20g25-30 kts by this afternoon, shifting to WSW 20-25G35 kts overnight. && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Wind Advisory from 3 AM to 7 PM CDT Sunday for ILZ027>031- 036>038-040>057-061>063-066. && SYNOPSIS...37 SHORT TERM...37 LONG TERM...37 AVIATION...37
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Lincoln IL 407 PM CDT Sat Mar 28 2020 ILZ027>031-037-038-042>046-048-051>055-061-291200- Champaign-Christian-De Witt-Douglas-Knox-Logan-Macon-Marshall- McLean-Menard-Moultrie-Peoria-Piatt-Sangamon-Shelby-Stark- Tazewell-Vermilion-Woodford- 407 PM CDT Sat Mar 28 2020 ...SEVERE WEATHER EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING... ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 7 PM CDT SUNDAY... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Illinois, east central Illinois and west central Illinois. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... A significant severe weather outbreak is possible this afternoon and evening. Tornado watches are in effect through mid-evening. Damaging winds, very large hail, and strong tornadoes are all possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY... Strong west winds are expected through the day Sunday. Gusts into the 35 to 50 mph range are expected. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is likely this afternoon and evening. ILZ036-040-041-047-049-050-291200- Cass-Fulton-Mason-Morgan-Schuyler-Scott- 407 PM CDT Sat Mar 28 2020 ...SEVERE WEATHER EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING... ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 7 PM CDT SUNDAY... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Illinois and west central Illinois. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... A significant severe weather outbreak is possible this afternoon and evening. Tornado watches are in effect through mid-evening. Damaging winds, very large hail, and strong tornadoes are all possible. Illinois River will continue to rise this afternoon and evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY... Strong west winds are expected through the day Sunday. Gusts into the 35 to 50 mph range are expected. The Illinois River is expected to continue to rise into major flood near Havana and Beardstown by the end of the week. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is likely this afternoon and evening. ILZ056-057-062-063-066-291200- Clark-Coles-Cumberland-Edgar-Effingham- 407 PM CDT Sat Mar 28 2020 ...SEVERE WEATHER EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING... ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 7 PM CDT SUNDAY... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of east central Illinois and southeast Illinois. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... A significant severe weather outbreak is possible this afternoon and evening. Tornado watches are in effect through mid-evening. Damaging winds, very large hail, and strong tornadoes are all possible. Minor flooding is ongoing along the Wabash River near Hutsonville. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY... Strong west winds are expected through the day Sunday. Gusts into the 35 to 50 mph range are expected. Minor flooding will continue this week. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is likely this afternoon and evening. ILZ067-068-071>073-291200- Clay-Crawford-Jasper-Lawrence-Richland- 407 PM CDT Sat Mar 28 2020 ...SEVERE WEATHER EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southeast Illinois. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... A significant severe weather outbreak is possible this afternoon and evening. Tornado watches are in effect through mid-evening. Damaging winds, very large hail, and strong tornadoes are all possible. Minor flooding is occurring along the Little Wabash River near Clay City. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY... Strong west winds are expected through the day Sunday. Gusts into the 30 to 40 mph range are expected. Flooding along the Little Wabash River is expected to receed by early next week. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is likely this evening, most likely between 5pm and midnight. Barker
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
1153 AM CDT SAT MAR 28 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1140 AM HAIL BLUE MOUND 39.70N 89.12W
03/28/2020 E1.75 INCH MACON IL PUBLIC
RELAYED BY EMA
&&
SBAKERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
1205 PM CDT SAT MAR 28 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1204 PM HAIL 1 E HARRISTOWN 39.84N 89.05W
03/28/2020 M0.50 INCH MACON IL AMATEUR RADIO
US-51 AT I-72 OVERPASS
&&
GEELHARTPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
1215 PM CDT SAT MAR 28 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1105 AM HAIL 5 NW KINCAID 39.64N 89.49W
03/28/2020 E1.00 INCH CHRISTIAN IL AMATEUR RADIO
WEST SIDE OF SANGCHRIS LAKE STATE PARK
&&
GEELHARTThe Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 67 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:39 UTC.
3 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
A tornado briefly touched down in an open field 1 mile southwest of Oneida at 5:39 PM CDT. No damage was observed before the tornado quickly dissipated one minute later.
A tornado touched down 1.1 miles south-southeast of Ipava at 8:01 PM CDT. The tornado damaged a barn, the roofs of two houses, a front porch, a gazebo, and numerous trees and outbuildings as it tracked northeastward across US-136 before dissipating 1.8 miles east of Ipava at 8:04 PM CDT.
A tornado touched down 0.3 miles east of the Peoria Airport at 8:58 PM CDT. The tornado tracked northeastward, doing minor damage to house roofs, fences and siding in a subdivision. Business roofs were then damaged at Madison Park Shopping Center and numerous trees at Madison Park Golf Course. Several roofs were damaged in a nearby subdivision before the tornado dissipated near the eastern portion of St. Mary's Cemetery at 9:03 PM CDT.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Illinois, 2020Warnings in Illinois, March 2020
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: 879409, 879410, 879411.