A field fire developed south-southeast of Ogden in Champaign County shortly before 3pm on October 29th. Thanks to very low fuel moisture, relative humidity values less than 30 percent, and strong southerly winds gusting over 40mph, the fire was able to rapidly expand northeastward into Vermilion County and across I-74.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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 field fire developed south-southeast of Ogden in Champaign County shortly before 3pm on October 29th. Thanks to very low fuel moisture, relative humidity values less than 30 percent, and strong southerly winds gusting over 40mph, the fire was able to rapidly expand northeastward into Vermilion County and across I-74. Based on Sentinel-2 satellite data, the fire scar was approximately 2.5 miles in length with a maximum width of about 1 mile. While no structures were directly impacted, I-74 was closed for a little over 2 hours between the St. Joseph exit (mile marker 192) and Fithian exit (mile marker 200).
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 Oct 28, 10:36 PM CST, 3 hours 24 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion...Updated Aviation National Weather Service Lincoln IL 1136 PM CDT Mon Oct 28 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - Warm, windy, and dry conditions will continue through most of Wednesday, resulting high fire danger, especially Tuesday afternoon. Wind gusts will be near 40 mph on both Tuesday and Wednesday. - Record warmth tonight into Wednesday, as highs get into the 80s and lows are in the 60s. - A cold front will bring showers and thunderstorms Wednesday night into Thursday. Around a half inch of rain is expected in central and southeast IL. && .UPDATE... Issued at 856 PM CDT Mon Oct 28 2024 Increasing pressure gradients will take place overnight as low pressure continues to deepen in the Plains, while a shortwave crosses the area overnight, strengthening a low level jet and enhancing the surface pressure gradient. We have already seen an uptick in winds as a result, with a breezy 10-15 mph across most of central IL. The forecast continues to ramp up winds to 15-20 mph with gusts 25-30 mph, and this looks consistent with the latest guidance. The breezy winds will limit temperature falls overnight, and it temperatures should only be able to fall to lower to mid 60s from values currently in the upper 60s to lower 70s. Otherwise, high clouds clouds should continue to stream across the area much of the night. Only adjustments made to forecast were to increase cloud cover overnight. 37 && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 333 PM CDT Mon Oct 28 2024 Low pressure developing into the central IL will bring strong southerly winds into Wednesday night, with paltry moisture expected. A period of dry air aloft mixing down Tuesday afternoon expected to bring Relative humidity close to 25 percent, although there is still some uncertainty about exact efficiency off this mixing, and relative humidity ranging from around 25 to 40 percent from various models. With ongoing drought conditions and any rainfall from a few days ago evaporated, high fire danger is expected, especially Tuesday afternoon, and a Fire Weather Watch has been issued. The associated cold front looks to arrive late Wednesday night, bringing a wide band of showers and thunderstorms into Thursday morning. Around a half inch rainfall is expected most areas, however there will likely be some variation with at least a few embedded thunderstorms. Instability looks to be minimal at this point in central IL, however several hundred J/KG CAPE an deep layer shear exceeding 40 kts is expected as it moves into the Mississippi Valley Wednesday evening, and there could potentially be some strong to severe storms west of I-55 until diminishing instability takes place with eastward extent overnight. SPC has extended a Marginal Risk for severe storms with wind and hail threats in this area. Rain should end by late morning for most of central IL, although it could linger into the afternoon east of I-55. Friday and Saturday will likely be dry as high pressure builds into the area, then late in the weekend chances for precipitation return as a long wave trough sets up to the west and a few disturbances eject into the Midwest, potentially bringing more showers and thunderstorms. Temperatures will be near record warm tonight and Tuesday, reaching only lower to mid 60s tonight and highs of lower 80s Tuesday afternoon. As warm southerly flow continues Tuesday night into Wednesday, not much change in the temperatures are expected, however records for October 30th (Wednesday) are a few to several degrees warmer and will be harder to reach. The cold front Wednesday night will bring much cooler temperatures, with a return to near normal expected by Halloween evening. Highs on the 31st/Halloween/Thursday should range from around 60 in Galesburg to 72 in Lawrenceville, then lows should dip into the 30s Thursday night for most of the area. 37 && .AVIATION... (For the 06z TAFs through 06z Tuesday Night) Issued at 1136 PM CDT Mon Oct 28 2024 Tight MSLP gradient remains in place, keeping strong/gusty south to southwest winds in the forecast. Gusts will frequently exceed 20 kt tonight, and will keep LLWS in due to a 50 kt low level jet overhead, which has veered winds (near 210 degrees) compared to 180 degrees at the surface. Mixing deepens with daytime heating and will likely see a jump in gusts to 30-35 kt by mid morning as the low level jet fades. Winds Tuesday evening will be similar to this evening with another round of LLWS developing. VFR through the period with BKN high clouds. 25 && .CLIMATE... Issued at 917 PM CDT Sun Oct 27 2024 Temperatures are forecast to warm into the 80s Tuesday 10/29 and Wednesday 10/30 while overnight lows stay in the 60s. Here is a look at how that compares to the daily records across central Illinois: October 29th ------------- Record High --------- Record Warm Low ------------ Peoria........ 82 (1922) 65 (1946) Springfield... 83 (2016, 2004, 1937) 66 (1946) Lincoln....... 84 (1937) 65 (1946) October 30th ------------- Record High --------- Record Warm Low ------------ Peoria........ 86 (1950) 62 (1927) Springfield... 89 (1950) 61 (1974) Lincoln....... 87 (1950) 59 (2004, 1974, 1924) Deubelbeiss && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Fire Weather Watch from Tuesday afternoon through Tuesday evening for ILZ031-037-038-041>046-048-051>057-061. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Lincoln IL 311 PM CDT Mon Oct 28 2024 ILZ027>030-036-040-047-049-050-062-063-066>068-071>073-292015- Knox-Stark-Peoria-Marshall-Fulton-Schuyler-Cass-Scott-Morgan- Cumberland-Clark-Effingham-Jasper-Crawford-Clay-Richland-Lawrence- 311 PM CDT Mon Oct 28 2024 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Illinois, east central Illinois, southeast Illinois and west central Illinois. .DAY ONE...Tonight. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. An extended period of windy conditions is expected Tuesday through Wednesday, with southwest winds gusting to near 40 mph. This will bring elevated fire danger to the region each afternoon, along with difficult travel for lightweight high profile vehicles. Scattered thunderstorms will affect the area Wednesday night. A few strong storms are possible west of I-55, with gusty winds and small hail. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated tonight. ILZ031-037-038-041>046-048-051>057-061-292015- Woodford-Tazewell-McLean-Mason-Logan-De Witt-Piatt-Champaign- Vermilion-Menard-Sangamon-Christian-Macon-Moultrie-Douglas-Coles- Edgar-Shelby- 311 PM CDT Mon Oct 28 2024 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Illinois and east central Illinois. .DAY ONE...Tonight. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. An extended period of windy conditions is expected Tuesday through Wednesday, with southwest winds gusting to near 40 mph. This will bring elevated fire danger to the region each afternoon. A Fire Weather Watch in effect Tuesday afternoon into early evening. Strong winds will also create difficult travel for lightweight high profile vehicles. Scattered thunderstorms will affect the area Wednesday night. A few strong storms are possible west of I-55, with gusty winds and small hail. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated tonight. NMA
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</html>The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
A field fire started about 1 mile south-southeast of Ogden between IL-49 and County Road 2800 East shortly before 3pm CDT. The fire then raced northeastward across open fields before crossing into Vermilion County just east of Ogden.
A field fire crossed from Champaign County into Vermilion County just east of Ogden shortly after 3pm CDT. The fire crossed I-74 before eventually being contained in an open field. No structures were impacted: however, I-74 was closed between mile markers 192 and 200 for a little over 2 hours.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, October 2024
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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1218687, 1218688.