Several rounds of showers and thunderstorms occurred across southeast Illinois in advance of a warm front on April 1st into the early morning of April 2nd. 00.
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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 rounds of showers and thunderstorms occurred across southeast Illinois in advance of a warm front on April 1st into the early morning of April 2nd. Rainfall amounts of 1.50 to 2.50 were common...with a few spots approaching 3.00. Thanks to the heavy rainfall occurring on already saturated soils, numerous creeks and streams overflowed their banks. Indian Creek flooded, causing the closure of South Main Street in Bridgeport in Lawrence 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 Apr 2, 2:54 AM CST, 2 hours 6 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lincoln IL 354 AM CDT Wed Apr 2 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - A significant severe weather event will unfold later today. The highest probabilities (greater than 10% chance) for tornadoes continue to be focused along/southeast of a Champaign to Taylorville line this afternoon. - Very strong southerly winds will develop today...with gusts reaching as high as 50-55mph along the I-57 corridor. - Multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms will lead to a risk for excessive rainfall and flooding issues along and south of I-70...where a Flood Watch is in effect from this afternoon through Sunday morning. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 354 AM CDT Wed Apr 2 2025 ...Severe Weather Today... 08z/3am surface analysis shows a warm front extending from Kansas to western Tennessee. Clusters of non-severe elevated convection have developed well north of the boundary across central Illinois. These storms will continue to shift steadily northward and will be mostly N/NE of the KILX CWA by daybreak. Meanwhile further west, a more significant line of convection has formed along a cold front from eastern Kansas into Oklahoma. This line is expected to continue tracking E/NE into the Illinois River Valley after 8am. Forecast soundings suggest the convection will be elevated by the time it arrives here: however, gusty winds and hail will be likely with the strongest cells. Based on 06z HRRR/RAP data, it appears the line will shift eastward to the I-55 corridor and weaken somewhat by late morning...before renewed convection fires along the leading edge/outflow by mid-afternoon. As has been seen by the past several model runs, the most significant severe weather risk will likely unfold east of the I-55 corridor this afternoon as the cells become surface-based and interact with a moderately unstable and highly sheared environment. While wind profiles will become more unidirectional after the warm front lifts into the southern Great Lakes, a very strong jet streak aloft will contribute to impressive speed shear. As a result, think initial storm mode will be supercellular...with a resulting large hail and tornado risk. The cells will rapidly grow upscale into a line as they push across the I-57 corridor...with a continued threat of damaging wind gusts and embedded tornadoes. Some of the tornadoes could potentially be strong, with the latest SPC outlook highlighting a 10% or greater chance for an EF-2 or stronger tornado along/southeast of a Champaign to Taylorville line. The convective line will then rapidly push into Indiana and exit the KILX CWA by early evening. ...Strong Winds Today... A Wind Advisory remains in effect for all of central Illinois this afternoon and for locations along/east of I-55 into the evening. Wind gusts have consistently been in the 25-35mph range since last evening and will remain at this magnitude through mid-morning when forecast soundings indicate the low-level inversion will break and higher momentum air from aloft will mix to the surface. Latest regional VAD wind profilers show the 850mb jet streak has increased to 65-70kt from the Ozarks northeastward into central Illinois. The 00z NAM shows this powerful jet translating northeastward today, and as the inversion erodes in the warm sector...very strong winds will reach the surface. Based on the expected location of the jet core, think wind gusts will be maximized along the I-57 corridor from mid-morning through mid- afternoon. HRRR has consistently shown gusts in the 45-50mph range across this area, but would not be surprised to see a few gusts perhaps as high as 60mph. Considered upgrading locations along/east of I-57 to a High Wind Warning, but opted instead to maintain the current Advisory and highlight peak wind gusts as high as 55mph. ...Flood Risk Across Southeast Illinois... The cold front will settle southward and stall across the Ohio River Valley tonight as it becomes parallel to the upper level flow. The boundary will remain quasi-stationary from tonight through Saturday night before a pattern change pushes it well south of the region by Sunday. Individual short-wave troughs interacting with the boundary in conjunction with the nocturnal low-level jet will lead to numerous rounds of showers and thunderstorms focused across the Ohio River Valley. While the GFS tends to keep the front locked in place and produces repeated rains over the same locations, the ECMWF indicates the boundary will waver north/south, resulting in rainfall more evenly distributed. Whichever solution ultimately verifies, consensus suggests an extreme rainfall event across the Ohio River Valley. Current WPC QPF forecast keeps the most extreme rainfall amounts mostly south of the KILX CWA closer to the Ohio River:however, 7-day amounts potentially greater than 5 inches come as far north as a Danville to Taylorville line. Storm total rainfall steadily decreases further N/NW, with 7-day accumulations of just 1-2 inches across the Illinois River Valley. Due to high confidence for excessive rainfall and flooding, a Flood Watch will remain in effect for locations along/south of I-70 from this afternoon through Sunday morning. Barnes && .AVIATION... (For the 06z TAFs through 06z Wednesday Night) Issued at 1214 AM CDT Wed Apr 2 2025 Strong low pressure will track northwest of the area over the next 24 hours. This will cause southeast winds to gust near 30 kt tonight, gradually veering to south-southwest by midday. Gusts will increase to around 40 kt Wed afternoon as the pressure gradient tightens. Then gusts should lower under 30 kt by evening. LLWS will be in play through the morning due to a strong southerly low level jet. A period of MVFR ceilings is forecast later tonight into Wed afternoon before scattering out. Scattered showers and storms will mainly affect sites near I-74 tonight. Then another round of storms is forecast ahead of a cold front Wed afternoon. If these impact a terminal there is a potential for severe wind gusts and hail. 25 && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Wind Advisory from noon today to 7 PM CDT this evening for ILZ027>031-036-037-040>042-047>051. Wind Advisory from 8 AM this morning to midnight CDT tonight for ILZ038-043>046-052>057-061>063-066>068-071>073. Flood Watch from 1 PM CDT this afternoon through Sunday morning for ILZ062-063-066>068-071>073. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Lincoln IL 433 AM CDT Wed Apr 2 2025 ILZ027>031-036>038-040>043-047>051-031200- Knox-Stark-Peoria-Marshall-Woodford-Fulton-Tazewell-McLean-Schuyler- Mason-Logan-De Witt-Cass-Menard-Scott-Morgan-Sangamon- 433 AM CDT Wed Apr 2 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Illinois and west central Illinois. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. A line of thunderstorms will progress through the Illinois River Valley to the I-55 corridor this morning. Scattered damaging wind gusts and large hail will be possible. An isolated tornado cannot be ruled out. While widely scattered thunderstorms may re-develop behind the line this afternoon, the primary severe weather risk will materialize further east...generally east of I-55. In addition to the storms, southerly winds will gust 45-50mph today. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed today...particularly between 9am and 2pm. ILZ044>046-052>057-061-031200- Piatt-Champaign-Vermilion-Christian-Macon-Moultrie-Douglas-Coles- Edgar-Shelby- 433 AM CDT Wed Apr 2 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Illinois and east central Illinois. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. A significant severe weather event will unfold this afternoon. Damaging wind gusts in excess of 70mph, hail larger than quarters, and tornadoes will be possible. The latest SPC outlook suggests a 10% or greater chance for EF-2 or stronger tornadoes along and southeast of a Champaign to Taylorville line. In addition to the storms, southerly winds will gust 45-50mph today. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will likely be needed today...particularly between noon and 6pm. ILZ062-063-066>068-071>073-031200- Cumberland-Clark-Effingham-Jasper-Crawford-Clay-Richland-Lawrence- 433 AM CDT Wed Apr 2 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for east central Illinois and southeast Illinois. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. A significant severe weather event will unfold this afternoon into the early evening. Damaging wind gusts in excess of 70mph, hail larger than quarters, and tornadoes will be possible. The latest SPC outlook suggests a 10% or greater chance for EF-2 or stronger tornadoes along and southeast of a Champaign to Taylorville line. In addition to the storms, southerly winds will gust 45-55mph today. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. Several rounds of showers and thunderstorms will produce potentially 5-8 inches of rain along and south of the I-70 corridor from this afternoon through Saturday night. As a result, many area creeks and streams will experience significant rises and may spill out of their banks. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will likely be needed today...particularly between 2pm and 8pm. Barnes
The Evansville,IN radar (KVWX), 50 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 10:59 UTC.
1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
South Main Street on the south side of Bridgeport just south of the railroad tracks was closed due to flooding from Indian Creek.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, April 2025
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: 1249312.