A trough of low pressure triggered scattered showers across portions of central Illinois during the afternoon and evening of May 19th. A weak landspout tornado touched down beneath one of the developing showers in southern Piatt County near Hammond.
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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.
A trough of low pressure triggered scattered showers across portions of central Illinois during the afternoon and evening of May 19th. A weak landspout tornado touched down beneath one of the developing showers in southern Piatt County near Hammond. No damage was reported.
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 19, 2:14 PM CST, 2 hours 53 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lincoln IL 314 PM CDT Tue May 19 2020 .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 307 PM CDT Tue May 19 2020 A few spotty showers and seasonably cool conditions continue through the rest of today. Showers will end late this evening with temperatures falling into the mid 50s overnight. Cloudy but primarily dry weather is expected Wednesday and Thursday with highs in the mid 60s to around 70. && .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Wednesday) ISSUED AT 307 PM CDT Tue May 19 2020 An upper low continues to spin over the lower Ohio Valley this afternoon. Pinwheeling vort lobes will continue to bring scattered showers to portions of central Illinois through this evening, but precip chances will diminish late this evening and overnight as the upper low sags southeast across the Tennessee Valley. Column should become more subsident through the day Wednesday helping to keep the area dry, but moisture locked under a sharp inversion should keep clouds locked in through the day. Temperatures will warm into the mid 60s Thursday. && .LONG TERM...(Wednesday night through Tuesday) ISSUED AT 307 PM CDT Tue May 19 2020 Upper low continues to exert its influence over the Midwest Thursday with guidance suggesting that it retrogrades back towards the lower Ohio Valley. Despite similar placement to today, the low is progged to begin filling and moisture appears much more shallow which should greatly limit precip chances compared to today. Still, wouldn't be suprised to see an isolated sprinkle/shower or two, particularly during peak heating when forecast soundings shows some shallow instability developing. Temperatures are expected to remain on the cooler side under continued cloud cover and easterly flow, but should still be able to see highs close to 70F Thursday afternoon. Upper low continues to slowly fill late in the week and should finally push off to our east as another kicker trough lifts across the central Plains. Southwest flow will start to overspread the area with temperatures trending up Friday through the weekend. Temps will warm into the mid 70s then should be well into the 80s over the weekend with an 850mb thermal ridge around 18-19C overhead. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are possible Saturday with passage of the aforementioned kicker just to our north. On Sunday, synoptic scale ascent appears to be displaced from central Illinois, though models do show convectively induced vorts moving across the region resulting in showers and thunderstorms. These convective details cannot be resolved at this distance, but forecast soundings do show decent capping in place through midday, and barring extensive cloud cover, wouldn't be suprised to see temps make a run at 90F. If the convection and cloud cover do occur, temperatures will come in several degrees lower. While there is potential for moderately strong instability over the weekend, the local area appears sufficiently displaced from the stronger flow aloft which will limit deep layer shear and attendant severe threat...but something that will bear watching for changes over the next few days. A cold front will sweep across the area Monday with additional chances for showers and thunderstorms. The front is progged to lay out along the Ohio Valley with precip chances lingering into our southern counties on Tuesday. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Wednesday afternoon) Issued at 1225 PM CDT Tue May 19 2020 Low pressure continues to meander over the Ohio Valley. Northeast to east winds will prevail through the period along with primarily IFR or low MVFR ceilings. Scattered showers are possible this afternoon and early evening as well, but precip chances will diminish mid to late this evening through the remainder of the period. Ceilings should improve to MVFR mid to late Wednesday morning. && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SYNOPSIS...Deubelbeiss SHORT TERM...Deubelbeiss LONG TERM...Deubelbeiss AVIATION...Deubelbeiss
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Lincoln IL 318 PM CDT Tue May 19 2020 ILZ027>031-036-037-040-041-047-049-050-201100- Cass-Fulton-Knox-Marshall-Mason-Morgan-Peoria-Schuyler-Scott- Stark-Tazewell-Woodford- 318 PM CDT Tue May 19 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Illinois and west central Illinois. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... Minor flooding will continue on the Sangamon, Spoon, and La Moine Rivers. Moderate river flooding will continue on the Illinois and Mackinaw Rivers, and begin tonight on the Sangamon River at Chandlerville. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY... Moderate river flooding will continue on the Illinois River through the period, with major flooding forecast at Henry and Havana later this week. Moderate river flooding is forecast for the Sangamon River at Chandlerville through the week. Moderate river flooding on the Mackinaw River will quickly subside during the week. Minor river flooding will continue on the Sangamon, Spoon, and La Moine Rivers. Scattered thunderstorms are possible this weekend. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated through tonight. ILZ038-042>046-048-051>057-061>063-201100- Champaign-Christian-Clark-Coles-Cumberland-De Witt-Douglas-Edgar- Logan-Macon-McLean-Menard-Moultrie-Piatt-Sangamon-Shelby- Vermilion- 318 PM CDT Tue May 19 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Illinois and east central Illinois. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... Minor river flooding will continue along much of the Sangamon River. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY... Minor river flooding will continue along much of the Sangamon River for the next few days. Scattered thunderstorms are possible this weekend. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated through tonight. ILZ066>068-071>073-201100- Clay-Crawford-Effingham-Jasper-Lawrence-Richland- 318 PM CDT Tue May 19 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southeast Illinois. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... Minor flooding will continue on the Little Wabash River at Clay City through this evening, in addition to the Embarras River at Lawrenceville. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY... Minor flooding on the Embarras River at Lawrenceville will continue through the week. Scattered thunderstorms are possible this weekend. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated through tonight. Baker
The Lincoln radar (KILX), 68 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:06 UTC.
1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
A landspout tornado touched down beneath a developing shower 3.8 miles northeast of La Place at 6:07 PM CDT. The tornado tracked very slowly northeastward through an open field for about 1 mile before dissipating at 6:15 PM CDT. No damage was reported.
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, 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: 891312.