Several waves of low pressure tracking along a stationary frontal boundary extending from northern Illinois southwestward to Kansas triggered a line of strong to severe thunderstorms across the Illinois River Valley during the evening of May 14th. The storms produced wind gusts in excess of 60 mph, which downed power poles and tree branches across portions of Knox and Peoria counties.
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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.
Several waves of low pressure tracking along a stationary frontal boundary extending from northern Illinois southwestward to Kansas triggered a line of strong to severe thunderstorms across the Illinois River Valley during the evening of May 14th. The storms produced wind gusts in excess of 60 mph, which downed power poles and tree branches across portions of Knox and Peoria counties.
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 14, 7:59 PM CST, 1 hour 24 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lincoln IL 859 PM CDT Thu May 14 2020 .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 345 PM CDT Thu May 14 2020 Another round of showers and thunderstorms is expected over Illinois late today and tonight as a cold front moves in from the northwest overnight. Some thunderstorms could be strong or severe along with locally heavy rains possible as a cold front arrives. A flash flood watch is in effect late this afternoon and tonight for northwest IL, including the IL river valley. The best chance of showers and thunderstorms will be over southeast IL on Friday closer to the frontal boundary pushing through southeast IL. The front will be near the Ohio river valley Friday night, then move back into the area this weekend, bringing additional periodic chances for showers and thunderstorms. Temperatures will stay on the mild side through this weekend with highs in the 70s, with cooler highs in the mid 60s on Monday. && .UPDATE... Issued at 856 PM CDT Thu May 14 2020 Made some earlier updates to account for the decrease in shower and storm activity this evening. Had some storms develop ne of PIA and track ene, with the main line still working eastward along the Mississippi River Valley currently. Still expecting this line to bring severe weather to the IL River Valley and points nw. East of the River Valley, expect chances of svr weather to diminish. Looking over rainfall amounts, with heavy rainfall expect overnight...which could bring minor flooding to some locations. && .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Friday) ISSUED AT 345 PM CDT Thu May 14 2020 Will continue the flash flood watch for the IL river valley late this afternoon through tonight with 1.5 to 2.5 inches of rain expected and locally 2.5-4 inches possible nw of the IL river. IL in the warm sector and increased instability with MU CAPES rising to 2500 to 3500 j/kg by late this afternoon to support redevelopment of thunderstorms late this afternoon and evening. SPC Day1 Update has slight risk of severe storms late this afternoon and evening over all but areas se of I-70 (15% risk of large hail and damaging winds and 2-5% risk of tornadoes nw of I-70). Training of convection more likely nw of the IL river this evening, then line of convection shifts se ahead of a cold front over rest of central IL overnight. Cold front to push thru se IL during Friday where highest chances of showers and thunderstorms will be. Mild lows tonight in the low to mid 60s, coolest nw CWA. Warm highs Friday in the mid 70s, with a few areas reaching upper 70s. .LONG TERM...(Friday night through Thursday) ISSUED AT 345 PM CDT Thu May 14 2020 Best chances of showers and isolated thunderstorms to be over southern CWA Fri night closer to frontal boundary near the Ohio river valley and into central MO. 1005 mb low pressure ejecting ne to near the IA/IL/WI border by late Sat night, to bring a warm front ne over central IL by Sat evening. Will see increasing chances of showers and thunderstorms from sw to ne on Sat and into Sat night. Moderate to locally heavy rains will again be possible Sat afternoon into Sunday morning. Highs Sat in the lower 70s nw of the IL river and upper 70s in southeast IL. Accepted the model blend for the forecast for next week. 12Z models are trending to showing a large cutoff upper level low forming over the upper MS river valley on Sunday and then deepening as it drops over KY/TN early next work week and into northern GA/TN border on Wed/Thu. A cold front moving se over CWA on Sunday to likely bring showers and chance of thunderstorms, especially se of the IL river. Highs Sunday range from upper 60s nw of the IL river, to the mid 70s in southeast IL. Cooler highs mostly in the mid 60s Monday with chance of rain showers over much of CWA, highest pops near the IN border. Chance of light rain showers could linger Tue over se IL and near IN border. Highs Tue in the lower 70s, with some upper 60s in eastern IL. Temps slowly modify Wed/Thu as IL will be in between strong cutoff upper level low over southeast States and upper level ridging over the Great Lakes and eastern Plains. Highs in the low to mid 70s Wed and mid to upper 70s on Thu. && .AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Friday evening) Issued at 644 PM CDT Thu May 14 2020 VFR and some MVFR conditions are persisting across central IL terminals this evening. As a frontal boundary lingers in northern IL, this is expected to keep most activity through the evening north of the CWA, however some developing showers are scattered throughout the area. The threat of storms remains northwest of the CWA, included TSRA for PIA and BMI as storms develop and shift northward ahead of the boundary tonight. The main line of storms will slide through the region overnight, after 06z...exiting the eastern TAFs after 12z. Winds will remain out of the ssw ahead of the frontal boundary, and then shift to the wnw behind passage. Ceilings will vary through the evening, then drop into MVFR category through the overnight, rising back to VFR status late Friday morning into the afternoon. && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flash Flood Watch until 7 AM CDT Friday for ILZ027>031-036-037- 040-041-047. && UPDATE...Baker SYNOPSIS...07 SHORT TERM...07 LONG TERM...07 AVIATION...Baker
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Lincoln IL 410 PM CDT Thu May 14 2020 ILZ049-050-152115- Morgan-Scott- 410 PM CDT Thu May 14 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of west central Illinois. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... Showers and thunderstorms are likely tonight. There is a slight risk of severe weather, with hail and damaging winds possible. A brief tornado can not be ruled out. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... Occasional thunderstorms will occur through Sunday. Rainfall during this extended period is likely to be around 2 inches. This amount of rain may cause ponding of water in flood prone areas. While Illinois River levels have been falling, renewed rises are likely late this week. Other rivers are also likely to be impacted. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed tonight. Please relay any information about observed severe weather to the National Weather Service while following all local, state and CDC guidelines. ILZ036-040-041-047-152115- Cass-Fulton-Mason-Schuyler- 410 PM CDT Thu May 14 2020 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Illinois and west central Illinois. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... Showers and thunderstorms are likely tonight. There is a slight risk of severe weather, with hail and damaging winds possible. A brief tornado can not be ruled out. Flash flooding could develop in low lying and poor drainage areas. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... Occasional thunderstorms will occur through Sunday. Rainfall during this extended period is likely to be around 2 inches. This amount of rain may cause ponding of water in flood prone areas. While Illinois River levels have been falling, renewed rises are likely late this week. Other rivers are also likely to be impacted. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed tonight. Please relay any information about observed severe weather to the National Weather Service while following all local, state and CDC guidelines. ILZ038-042>046-048-051>057-061>063-066-067-071-152115- Champaign-Christian-Clark-Clay-Coles-Cumberland-De Witt-Douglas- Edgar-Effingham-Jasper-Logan-Macon-McLean-Menard-Moultrie-Piatt- Sangamon-Shelby-Vermilion- 410 PM CDT Thu May 14 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Illinois, east central Illinois and southeast Illinois. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... Showers and thunderstorms are likely tonight. There is a slight risk of severe weather, with hail and damaging winds possible. A brief tornado can not be ruled out. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... Occasional thunderstorms will occur through Sunday. Rainfall during this extended period is likely to be around 2 inches. This amount of rain may cause ponding of water in flood prone areas, as well as rises on area rivers. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed tonight. Please relay any information about observed severe weather to the National Weather Service while following all local, state and CDC guidelines. ILZ027>031-037-152115- Knox-Marshall-Peoria-Stark-Tazewell-Woodford- 410 PM CDT Thu May 14 2020 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Illinois and west central Illinois. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... Showers and thunderstorms are likely tonight. There is a slight risk of severe weather, with hail and damaging winds possible. A brief tornado can not be ruled out. Flash flooding could develop in low lying and poor drainage areas. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... Occasional thunderstorms will occur through Sunday. Rainfall during this extended period is likely to be around 2 inches. This amount of rain may cause ponding of water in flood prone areas, as well as rises on area rivers. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed tonight. Please relay any information about observed severe weather to the National Weather Service while following all local, state and CDC guidelines. ILZ068-072-073-152115- Crawford-Lawrence-Richland- 410 PM CDT Thu May 14 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southeast Illinois. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... Occasional showers and storms are possible tonight. There is a marginal risk that some of the storms could become severe with hail and gusty winds. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... Occasional thunderstorms will occur through Sunday. Rainfall during this extended period is likely to be around 1.5 inches. This amount of rain may cause ponding of water in flood prone areas, as well as rises on area rivers. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed tonight. Please relay any information about observed severe weather to the National Weather Service while following all local, state and CDC guidelines.
The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 76 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:22 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Several power poles were blown down in Galesburg.
Several power poles were blown down in Abingdon.
A large tree branch was blown onto a house in Brimfield.
A township outbuilding was damaged.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, May 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: 891162, 891163, 891164, 891165.