Severe Thunderstorm Alerts Issued for Illinois Residents

Lincoln, Illinois — More than 130,000 people in Illinois are under severe thunderstorm warnings Tuesday afternoon as storms move across the state. According to National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist Ben Deubelbeiss, Illinois experiences a secondary severe weather season in the fall, although it is less frequent than in spring.

The NWS issued an urgent warning shortly after detecting a severe thunderstorm within the Lincoln forecast area. Meteorologists stress the importance of immediate action for residents in impacted areas.

The first warning was issued at 1:20 p.m. Central time for northern Moultrie County, southern Piatt County, southwestern Champaign County, northwestern Douglas County, and southeastern Macon County. This warning will remain in effect until 2 p.m. Central time. At that time, a severe thunderstorm was located over Decatur, traveling east at 45 mph, with quarter-sized hail expected to cause damage to vehicles.

Another warning followed at 1:23 p.m. for northwestern Crawford, northeastern Jasper, Clark, and southeastern Cumberland counties. This storm was located near Hidalgo, also moving east at 45 mph. The forecast suggests potential for hail of similar size, which can lead to property damage and injuries.

The warning highlights that the severe thunderstorm will mainly affect rural areas, including Hazel Dell, Lincoln Trail State Park, Darwin, Rose Hill, West Union, and Yale. Specific roadways, including Interstate 70 between mile markers 117 and 129, are also impacted.

NWS Lincoln advises to “move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building” for safety. They also provided a hazardous weather outlook stating, “Isolated thunderstorms are possible this afternoon south of I-74, but severe weather is not anticipated.”

Though the current severe thunderstorm warnings are expected to expire shortly after their issuance, additional alerts could follow as the storms progress through the region. Residents are encouraged to maintain awareness and heed local weather advice.