Scattered thunderstorms developed along an outflow boundary and north of a warm front during the afternoon of June 27th. Storms were most numerous south of I-70.
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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 thunderstorms developed along an outflow boundary and north of a warm front during the afternoon of June 27th. Storms were most numerous south of I-70. One brief tornado touched down in Crawford County while several funnel clouds occurred further north along the outflow boundary. Pockets of heavy rain led to a few flash flood reports, with the most significant in Charleston in Coles 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 27, 11:54 AM CST, 1 hour 6 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lincoln IL 1254 PM CDT Sat Jun 27 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - A marginal risk of severe thunderstorms and localized heavy rainfall exists south of Interstate 70 this afternoon, while a stalled front south of Interstate 72 presents a risk for funnel clouds. - An extended period of dangerous heat and humidity begins Sunday, with a Heat Advisory active and likely requiring extensions through much of the upcoming workweek. - Dry conditions dominate through midweek before thunderstorm chances return late next week. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 1254 PM CDT Sat Jun 27 2026 Current surface analysis reveals a weak, stalled frontal boundary positioned just south of the Interstate 72 corridor. High-resolution convective guidance indicates an environment characterized by localized low-level vorticity and weak vertical shear along this boundary. The Non-Supercell Tornado Parameter (NSTP) highlights values between 2 and 4, which justifies a mention of funnel clouds stretched along a Jacksonville to Paris corridor through this afternoon (see recently issued Special Weather Statement). In fact, a brief funnel was reported at noon south of Decatur. If enough cloud breaks can be sustained, an increase in low level lapse rates paired with low LCLs would make a few landspout tornadoes possible, though higher boundary layer friction due to crop height make this less likely than a month or two ago. South of the Interstate 70 corridor, a more unstable airmass is present, characterized by mid-upper 70s dewpoints and MLCAPE values near 2000 J/kg. Effective bulk shear remains low at 25 kt or less, making organized/widespread severe weather unlikely. The Storm Prediction Center has placed this southern tier under a Marginal Risk for severe thunderstorms into early evening. Convective elements within this zone are capable of producing isolated damaging wind gusts due to precip loading and torrential rainfall. HREF hourly probability fields show a 40% chance of localized rainfall amounts exceeding 1 inch, which raises the potential for isolated/localized flash flooding Sunday morning, a warm front swings north across the CWA, bringing a low (20-30%) chance of an isolated shower or storm. Behind the front, winds veer southeast to south through afternoon and upper-level heights rise rapidly as a sub- tropical ridge expands northward from the Gulf Coast. NBM guidance indicates high temperatures climbing into the lower 90s over the southwest half of the CWA. Paired with high ambient humidity, heat index values are projected to exceed 100 degrees across much of the forecast area, with values up to 105 degrees in southeast and west central Illinois. A Heat Advisory goes into effect Sunday afternoon southwest of a Peoria to Robinson line to address these conditions. An intense and prolonged heat wave will dominate the weather pattern across central and southeast Illinois through midweek. Strong multi-model consensus among the GEFS and ECMWF ensembles shows a core 594 dam ridge anchoring over the Mississippi and Ohio River Valleys. The ECMWF Extreme Forecast Index (EFI) highlights values between 0.8 and 0.9 for maximum temperatures Monday through Wednesday, signifying that the magnitude of this heat event is unusual in a climatological context for the end of June. Furthermore, given low-mid 70s forecast dewpoints, peak heat index values exceeding 105 degrees are likely during this timeframe. High confidence exists regarding the severity and medium confidence in the longevity of this heat event, and the Heat Advisory will likely require extension through at least Wednesday for the entire CWA. A forecast challenge emerges late week regarding the breakdown of the ridge and the return of precipitation. Notable disagreements exist among medium range ensemble guidance. The GFS presents a faster and more progressive upper-level trough shifting across the Northern Plains by Thursday, which acts to suppress the ridge and introduce thunderstorm chances ahead of a cold front. In contrast, the ECMWF Ens/ECMWF-AI maintain a stronger ridge over the eastern United States, holding precipitation chances at bay until Friday or Saturday. Due to these discrepancies, confidence is below normal regarding the exact timing of storm chances late next week. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SUNDAY/... Issued at 1157 AM CDT Sat Jun 27 2026 Current batch of IFR ceiling over central IL is forecast to lift into MVFR category early this afternoon, then above the MVFR threshold late afternoon. However, IFR ceilings are forecast to redevelop overnight near a slow moving boundary along the I-72 corridor, then expand north over all central IL terminals. These ceilings should improve by late morning as a warm front lifts across the area. A few SHRA/TSRA could accompany the front, however coverage is too low to include in TAFs at this point. Winds will generally be light easterly through tonight, then firming from the southeast around 10 kt by late morning. && .ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Heat Advisory from 1 PM to 7 PM CDT Sunday for ILZ027>029-036- 037-040>042-047>054-061-062-066>068-071>073. && KEY MESSAGES...25 DISCUSSION...25 AVIATION...25
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Lincoln IL 1142 AM CDT Sat Jun 27 2026 ILZ030-031-038-043>046-055>057-063-281645- Marshall-Woodford-McLean-De Witt-Piatt-Champaign-Vermilion-Douglas- Coles-Edgar-Clark- 1142 AM CDT Sat Jun 27 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Illinois and east central Illinois. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. There is a 30% chance for isolated thunderstorms today and tonight. The primary hazards with any such activity will be brief heavy rainfall, cloud-to-ground lightning, and gusty thunderstorm winds up to 60 mph. Residual flooding along the Illinois River will persist. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. Dangerous heat will span from Monday through Friday with daily temperatures forecast to reach the lower 90s and heat index values up to 105 degrees. The prolonged period of the heat and the fact that warm nighttime temperatures will offer limited relief make this a potentially dangerous situation. Residual flooding along the Illinois River will persist. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated through tonight. ILZ027>029-036-037-040>042-047>054-061-062-066>068-071>073-281645- Knox-Stark-Peoria-Fulton-Tazewell-Schuyler-Mason-Logan-Cass-Menard- Scott-Morgan-Sangamon-Christian-Macon-Moultrie-Shelby-Cumberland- Effingham-Jasper-Crawford-Clay-Richland-Lawrence- 1142 AM CDT Sat Jun 27 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Illinois, east central Illinois, southeast Illinois and west central Illinois. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. There is a 30% chance for isolated thunderstorms today and tonight. The primary hazards with any such activity will be brief heavy rainfall, cloud-to-ground lightning, and gusty thunderstorm winds up to 60 mph. Residual flooding along the Embarras and Little Wabash rivers will persist. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. Dangerous heat will span from Sunday through Friday with daily temperatures forecast to reach the lower 90s and heat index values up to 105 degrees. The prolonged period of the heat and the fact that warm nighttime temperatures will offer limited relief make this a potentially dangerous situation. Residual flooding along the Embarras and Little Wabash rivers will persist. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated through tonight. MJA
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Lincoln IL 1231 PM CDT Sat Jun 27 2026 ILZ049>057-061>063-280000- Scott-Morgan-Sangamon-Christian-Macon-Moultrie-Douglas-Coles-Edgar- Shelby-Cumberland-Clark- Including the cities of Winchester, Jacksonville, Springfield, Taylorville, Decatur, Sullivan, Tuscola, Charleston, Mattoon, Paris, Shelbyville, Greenup, and Marshall 1231 PM CDT Sat Jun 27 2026 ...FUNNEL CLOUDS SIGHTED OVER CENTRAL ILLINOIS... Atmospheric conditions exist that favor the possible formation of weak circulations along a pre-existing boundary. Some of these circulations are occurring underneath developing showers and thunderstorms, where a funnel cloud may develop. Once the rain begins, the funnel cloud usually dissipates. Low hanging clouds can also appear to dip up and down at times, but they will not show signs of any rapid rotation. An actual funnel cloud will exhibit spinning in a counter-clockwise direction. In rare instances these funnels may briefly touch down. Stay alert and be prepared to move to a safe shelter if a funnel cloud approaches the ground. MJA
The Evansville,IN radar (KVWX), 83 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:02 UTC.
2 flash flood, 1 tornado, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Trained spotters provided video of a tornado touching down just north of Stoy, near the intersection of IL-33 and North 600th Street. They provided images of damage to tree branches that were several inches in diameter.
The Xenia Fire Department reported flooding along Fairfield Road south of Xenia.
A photo showed significant flooding in Charleston at the intersection of 4th Street and Lincoln Avenue.
Significant flooding occurred as water flowed into an apartment building. The fire department was dispatched to the scene on 4th Street in Charleston.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Illinois, 2026Warnings in Illinois, June 2026
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: 1351612, 1351616, 1351613, 1351615.