A seasonably hot and humid airmass across central Illinois resulted in high instability, but weak shear favored short-lived thunderstorms that were prone to collapsing and producing strong wind gusts. An outflow boundary helped initiate scattered thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening of Wednesday, June 25th, one of which produced a damaging microburst in Shelby County.
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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 seasonably hot and humid airmass across central Illinois resulted in high instability, but weak shear favored short-lived thunderstorms that were prone to collapsing and producing strong wind gusts. An outflow boundary helped initiate scattered thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening of Wednesday, June 25th, one of which produced a damaging microburst in Shelby 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 Jun 25, 1:47 PM CST, 3 hours 6 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lincoln IL 247 PM CDT Wed Jun 25 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Heat wave that started this past weekend continues into this weekend over central and southeast IL. The highest heat index readings of 100 to 108 degrees will occur this afternoon and Thursday afternoon, but will remain in the upper 90s to around 100 degrees through Sunday afternoon. - Thunderstorm chances will be fairly isolated into mid evening and again Thursday afternoon and evening (20-40% areal coverage), but will increase markedly by Friday into Saturday and again Monday as a cold front moves into Illinois. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 245 PM CDT Wed Jun 25 2025 Isolated to scattered convection had fired up over central IL past few hours and currently focused north of I-70 and south of I-80. A large outflow boundary was spreading southward from Lincoln area into nearby counties and seeing a few isolated cells developing along it between Bloomington and Farmer City. Very unstable air mass in place with MLCapes 2500-3000 j/kg and SB CAPES of 3500-4500 j/kg and topping 5000 j/kg over parts of central and southeast Iowa. Wind shear is weak over IL with Bulk Shear of 30 kts or higher north of IL over WI. Main synoptic frontal boundary was in far northeast IL into southern MN and extending to 1014 mb low pressure in se SD. Temps were in the low to mid 90s outside of thunderstorms (except lower 80s at rain cooled Galesburg and Lacon) while heat indices were 99-106F at 230 pm. The cells are pulsey type and could briefly become strong to potentially severe for wind gusts along with locally heavy rains of 1-2 inches per hour (tropical air mass has PW values of 1.8-2 inches). SPC day1 outlook has marginal risk of severe storms over central and northern IL from Macomb to Decatur to Terre Haute northward until sunset. The frontal boundary should mostly stay north of IL through Thu night as low pressure moves east of Green Bay by sunrise Fri. The better chances of convection will be focused north of CWA along with stronger risk of severe storms. Our weather on Thursday should be similar to today with isolated to scattered convection Thu afternoon into Thu evening. SPC Day2 has marginal risk of severe storms for damaging winds from Quincy to Lincoln to Danville north on Thu afternoon/early Thu evening along with locally heavy rains possible again. Lows overnight in the mid 70s with highs Thu similar to today's in the low to mid 90s. This combined with dewpoints in the low to mid 70s to give peak heat indices of 100-108F again Thu afternoon. We continued the heat advisory for CWA (except far northern 3 counties of Knox, Stark and Marshall) through 7 pm Thu and may need to be extended into Friday for southeast IL counties. Cold front to push se into IL river valley Friday morning and a boundary pushing into southeast IL by Fri evening. This will bring increased chances of convection Fri especially Fri afternoon. Highs Fri in the mid to upper 80s over the IL river valley and lower 90s in eastern IL and possibly near 95F in Lawrenceville and heat indices reaching near 100F or higher. Areas from Champaign to Shelbyville se may need to have heat advisory extended through Fri afternoon and will depend on evolution of convection with frontal boundary movement. Still a good chance of convection on Saturday though best chances of convection starting to shift into southeast IL by late Saturday and Sat night. Highs Sat in the upper 80s to around 90F with afternoon heat indices in the mid 90s to near 100F. Tropical air mass to linger over central/se IL this weekend along with continued chances of convection especially during afternoon and early evening hours. Highs in the lower 90s Sunday with afternoon heat indices around 100F or higher. So we will likely need to monitor possible heat advisory headline or a special weather statement. A stronger cold front to push se into IL on Monday and likely brings convection chances along with the risk of strong to severe storms. Convection chances shift southeast on Tue with 20-30% pops from I-72 south, chance pops se of I-70. Drier and a bit cooler and less humid conditions Tue night and Wed as temps and humidity levels return to more normal early summer levels. 07 && .AVIATION... (For the 18z TAFs through 18z Thursday Afternoon) Issued at 1245 PM CDT Wed Jun 25 2025 Isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms have developed in past hour over central IL, especially from I-55 east and tracking slowly ENE in a very unstable tropical air mass with SB CAPES of 3500-4500 j/kg, and PW values of 1.8-1.9 inches. Continued prob30 of TS this afternoon and early evening until 00-01Z for MVFR conditions possible (and possibly lower vsby conditions if heavier rains move in. Could also be gusty winds over 30 kts with any thunderstorms this afternoon. Otherwise fairly light SSW to SW gradient winds less than 10 kts next 24 hours over central IL airports. Diurnally driven cumulus cloud field with scattered to broken bases of 3-5k ft to diminish after sunset and redevelop by late Thu morning, with isolated convection again possible Thu afternoon. 07 && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Heat Advisory until 7 PM CDT Thursday for ILZ029-031-036>038- 040>057-061>063-066>068-071>073. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Lincoln IL 218 PM CDT Wed Jun 25 2025 ILZ027>031-036>038-040>057-061>063-066>068-071>073-261930- Knox-Stark-Peoria-Marshall-Woodford-Fulton-Tazewell-McLean-Schuyler- Mason-Logan-De Witt-Piatt-Champaign-Vermilion-Cass-Menard-Scott- Morgan-Sangamon-Christian-Macon-Moultrie-Douglas-Coles-Edgar-Shelby- Cumberland-Clark-Effingham-Jasper-Crawford-Clay-Richland-Lawrence- 218 PM CDT Wed Jun 25 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Illinois, east central Illinois, southeast Illinois and west central Illinois. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Scattered thunderstorms are possible through this evening. A few of these storms could become strong to severe with damaging wind gusts the primary concern. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. A persistent stretch of hot and humid weather continues through Thursday. High temperatures will peak in the low to mid 90s with afternoon heat indices ranging from 95 to 105. The prolonged nature of the heat, and lack of nocturnal cooling, will increase the risk for heat-related illness, especially for those without effective cooling or hydration. Daily chances for afternoon and evening scattered thunderstorms will be possible through the weekend. An isolated severe thunderstorm is possible mainly north of a Quincy to Champaign line Thursday. The primary hazard will be damaging wind gusts. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed through this evening. Expected storm motion is toward the east-northeast at around 25 mph. NMA
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Several large trees were blown down or completely uprooted by a suspected thunderstorm microburst.
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, June 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: 1261371.