Scattered strong to severe thunderstorms developed along residual outflow boundaries from previous convection during the late afternoon and evening of May 25th. Despite weak wind shear and slow storm-movement, some of the cells produced wind gusts of 50-60 mph which created pockets of wind damage.
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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 along residual outflow boundaries from previous convection during the late afternoon and evening of May 25th. Despite weak wind shear and slow storm-movement, some of the cells produced wind gusts of 50-60 mph which created pockets of wind damage. In addition, locally heavy rainfall of 2 to 3 inches caused flash flooding from East Peoria eastward to near Roanoke in Woodford 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 25, 2:10 PM CST, 2 hours 15 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lincoln IL 310 PM CDT Mon May 25 2020 .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 310 PM CDT Mon May 25 2020 Summer like heat and humidity, along with scattered showers and thunderstorms, will continue across central and southeast Illinois through the middle of the week. Highs in the 80s are expected each day with lows in the 60s. Showers and thunderstorms become likely Wednesday through Thursday night as a front slowly moves through the area. Dry, cooler and less humid weather will arrive for the weekend. && .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Tuesday) ISSUED AT 310 PM CDT Mon May 25 2020 Isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms will remain possible this evening but then diminish over most of the area after midnight. Northwest of the Illinois river, the isolated showers will continue during the overnight hours. The frontal boundary and airmass responsible for the scattered activity will slowly push toward the area tomorrow and a repeat of this afternoon is possible tomorrow afternoon. Overnight lows are expected to be in the 60s with tomorrow afternoon highs again reaching into the 80s. && .LONG TERM...(Tuesday night through Monday) ISSUED AT 310 PM CDT Mon May 25 2020 Tue night will be another repeat of Mon night with scattered showers and storms diminishing across the area with only a chance of precip remaining in the western part of the CWA. Then as the boundary gets closer to the CWA Wed and Wed night, shower and storm chances will increase across the area with the highest chances initially in the west. The boundary is expected to slowly move through the state Thur through Thur night and models seem to be trending slower with this, so lingering precip is possible Friday morning in the southeast parts of the CWA. Once this system moves through the area, dry weather is expected through the weekend. Temps will remain summer-like ahead of the front for Wed and Thur, but then become cooler behind the front, when afternoon highs will be more seasonable, in the 70s and overnight lows in the 50s. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Tuesday afternoon) Issued at 1237 PM CDT Mon May 25 2020 Convection has already started to develop across the area, seemingly along north to south lines. One line is near CMI, while the second line is west of BMI and DEC, while the last line is well west of the IL river. Thinking is these will continue this afternoon and effect all sites at some point in the late afternoon and into the early evening. So have VCTS at sites when think best chance of storm near the sites. Possibility of storm at sites should continue through early evening and then diminish with loss of heating. Then just cirrus til tomorrow, when another round of CU develops over the area, affecting each site. Chance for thunder is there, but not great enough to warrant any mention in TAFs at this time. Winds will be generally out of the south through the period with speeds of around 10kts or less. && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SYNOPSIS...Auten SHORT TERM...Auten LONG TERM...Auten AVIATION...Auten
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Lincoln IL 300 PM CDT Mon May 25 2020 ILZ027>031-036-037-040-041-047-049-050-261100- Cass-Fulton-Knox-Marshall-Mason-Morgan-Peoria-Schuyler-Scott- Stark-Tazewell-Woodford- 300 PM CDT Mon May 25 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Illinois and west central Illinois. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... Major flooding will continue on the Illinois River near Havana...while moderate flooding persists along the remainder of the river. Scattered thunderstorms will be possible through this evening. Some of the storms could be strong...with gusty winds and heavy downpours. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... Major flooding will continue on the Illinois River near Havana...while moderate flooding persists along the remainder of the river. Scattered thunderstorms will occur on Tuesday...then will become more numerous Wednesday and Thursday as a cold front slowly approaches from the northwest. Widespread severe weather is not expected. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated through tonight. ILZ038-042-043-048-051>053-261100- Christian-De Witt-Logan-Macon-McLean-Menard-Sangamon- 300 PM CDT Mon May 25 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Illinois. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... Scattered thunderstorms will be possible through this evening. Some of the storms could be strong...with gusty winds and heavy downpours. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... Scattered thunderstorms will occur on Tuesday...then will become more numerous Wednesday and Thursday as a cold front slowly approaches from the northwest. Widespread severe weather is not expected. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated through tonight. ILZ044>046-054>057-061-062-066-067-071-072-261100- Champaign-Clay-Coles-Cumberland-Douglas-Edgar-Effingham-Jasper- Moultrie-Piatt-Richland-Shelby-Vermilion- 300 PM CDT Mon May 25 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Illinois, east central Illinois and southeast Illinois. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... Scattered thunderstorms will be possible through this evening. Some of the storms could be strong...with gusty winds and heavy downpours. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... Scattered thunderstorms will occur on Tuesday...then will become more numerous Wednesday and Thursday as a cold front slowly approaches from the northwest. Storm chances will come to an end by late Friday as the front settles into the Ohio River Valley. Widespread severe weather is not expected. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated through tonight. ILZ063-068-073-261100- Clark-Crawford-Lawrence- 300 PM CDT Mon May 25 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of east central Illinois and southeast Illinois. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... Minor flooding will continue on the Wabash River from Terre Haute to Riverton. Scattered thunderstorms will be possible through this evening. Some of the storms could be strong...with gusty winds and heavy downpours. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... Minor flooding on the Wabash River from Terre Haute to Riverton will gradually subside over the next few days. Scattered thunderstorms will occur Tuesday and Wednesday...then will become more numerous Thursday into early Friday as a cold front slowly approaches from the northwest. Widespread severe weather is not expected. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated through tonight. Barnes
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Lincoln IL 430 PM CDT Mon May 25 2020 ILZ031-037-252215- Tazewell-Woodford- 430 PM CDT Mon May 25 2020 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN WOODFORD AND NORTHEASTERN TAZEWELL COUNTIES UNTIL 515 PM CDT... At 429 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near Eureka, moving north at 10 mph. Penny size hail and winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Eureka, East Peoria, Morton, Washington, Metamora, Germantown Hills, Minonk, Roanoke, Washburn, Deer Creek, Cazenovia, Benson and Low Point. This includes the following highways... Interstate 39 between mile markers 27 and 28. Interstate 74 between mile markers 96 and 97, and between mile markers 106 and 110. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. && LAT...LON 4061 8932 4065 8958 4092 8941 4092 8904 TIME...MOT...LOC 2129Z 192DEG 7KT 4077 8928 Shimon
The Lincoln radar (KILX), 73 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:23 UTC.
16 thunderstorm wind, 3 flash flood, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Six to eight inches of water was flowing over Highway 116 and nearby county roads west of Roanoke. Highway 116 was barricaded and remained closed for several hours due to water overflowing from Panther Creek.
A garage was damaged and a power pole was blown down.
Several tree limbs were blown down and a patio railing was broken.
Several 6 to 10-inch diameter trees were blown over in wet soil conditions.
Several 6 to 10-inch diameter trees were blown over in wet soil conditions.
A power pole was snapped and a large tree branch was blown down.
Several power poles were blown over.
Numerous large tree branches were blown down, some of which fell on power lines.
A power line was blown down.
A power line was blown down.
Several trees were blown down, including two that fell on houses.
An 8-inch diameter tree branch was blown down.
Power lines were blown down.
One foot of water was standing on Camp Street, with several cars stalling in the high water. Two feet of water was standing in front of UPS.
Two feet of water was standing at the intersection of Central Avenue and East Tripp Avenue.
A power line was blown down at the 9800 block of Brimfield-Jubilee Road.
Several large tree limbs were blown down on Scott Street, damaging a porch.
Numerous tree limbs were blown down.
A large tree limb was blown onto a fence.
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: 891321, 891326, 891327, 891328, 891329, 891330, 891331, 891332, 891333, 891334, 891335, 891336, 891337, 891323, 891324, 891338, 891339, 891340, 891325, 891341.