Overview
On Friday, March 14th, an unseasonably strong low pressure system lifted across the Great Plains and into the Midwest. The resulting tight pressure gradient ahead of that cyclone resulted in strong southerly winds that advected an unseasonably warm airmass into the region. In fact, a high temperature record was broken in Peoria and tied in Lincoln and Springfield, hitting 82 and 83 degrees respectively. Preliminary findings from our damage survey determined there were 3 tornadoes. One EF-2 that started south of Neoga, IL and ended a couple miles south of the Charleston/Mattoon airport. And two EF-1 tornadoes, one that was short and located roughly 3 miles north of Mattoon, IL and the other in Paris, IL. Additional information on these tornadoes will be provided in the coming days. **Stay tuned for further updates in the coming days** |
![]() Radar loop from the night of Friday, March 14 into the early morning hours of Saturday, March 15. |
Tornadoes
Select a tornado from the table to zoom into the track and view more information. The default table view is limited to 8 tracks, but can be scrolled by a mouse wheel or dynamically expanded. Additionally, the table can fill the entire window by clicking the small circular expanding arrow icon at the very top right of the table and returned to its original size by clicking the button again. The side information panel that opens over the map can be closed using the "X" on the upper right corner of the pop-up. Zoom into the map and click damage points to see detailed information and pictures from the surveys.
NOTE: times shown below are local to your device's time zone. |
The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:
EF0 Weak 65-85 mph |
EF1 Moderate 86-110 mph |
EF2 Significant 111-135 mph |
EF3 Severe 136-165 mph |
EF4 Extreme 166-200 mph |
EF5 Catastrophic 200+ mph |
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Tornadoes that fail to impact any ratable structures on the EF-Scale are rated EF-Unknown (EF-U) |
Storm Reports
Preliminary Local Storm Report...Summary National Weather Service Lincoln IL 356 PM CDT Sat Mar 15 2025 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0216 AM Hail 2 SW Bridgeport 38.69N 87.78W 03/15/2025 M0.75 Inch Lawrence IL Public Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.). 0215 AM Hail 4 W Prairieton 39.37N 87.55W 03/15/2025 M0.75 Inch Clark IL Public 0153 AM Funnel Cloud Annapolis 39.15N 87.82W 03/15/2025 Crawford IL Trained Spotter 1258 AM Tstm Wnd Dmg Gifford 40.31N 88.02W 03/15/2025 Champaign IL Emergency Mngr a few trailers flipped. 1251 AM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 SSE Paris 39.60N 87.68W 03/15/2025 Edgar IL Public Delayed report. Relayed from social media. Time estimated by radar. Multiple power poles down east side of Paris along US 150. 1250 AM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 S Paris 39.60N 87.69W 03/15/2025 Edgar IL Broadcast Media Trees uprooted, structural damage to a trailer home, and a roof uplifted from a single residence home. 1242 AM Hail 1 NE Sidney 40.04N 88.06W 03/15/2025 M0.75 Inch Champaign IL Public Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.). 1232 AM Tstm Wnd Gst Willard Airport 40.04N 88.28W 03/15/2025 M64 MPH Champaign IL ASOS REPORTED AT CMI. 1231 AM Tstm Wnd Dmg 3 N Mattoon 39.53N 88.37W 03/15/2025 Coles IL Emergency Mngr power poles broken and powerlines down. 1227 AM Tstm Wnd Gst Tolono 39.99N 88.26W 03/15/2025 M55 MPH Champaign IL Fire Dept/Rescue relayed via emergency manager. 1220 AM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 SE Charleston 39.47N 88.15W 03/15/2025 Coles IL Emergency Mngr power poles and lines down. Time estimated from radar. 1215 AM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 WNW Lerna 39.42N 88.31W 03/15/2025 Coles IL Emergency Mngr power lines down. Time estimated from radar. 1208 AM Tornado 1 W Trilla 39.38N 88.38W 03/15/2025 Coles IL Broadcast Media Outbuilding destroyed. Time estimated from radar with a radar confirmed tornado. 1202 AM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 NE Neoga 39.33N 88.43W 03/15/2025 Cumberland IL Law Enforcement Semis blown over on I-57. 1200 AM Tstm Wnd Dmg Neoga 39.32N 88.45W 03/15/2025 Cumberland IL Public Report from social media. Porch and portion of roof torn off of home. 1159 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Hammond 39.80N 88.59W 03/14/2025 Piatt IL Broadcast Media Gutters and roofing material ripped off of house, small outbuilding demolished, large limbs and cell tower blown down. Time estimated from radar. 1155 PM Funnel Cloud 3 NW Watson 39.06N 88.61W 03/14/2025 Effingham IL Trained Spotter Corrects previous funnel cloud report from 3 NW Watson. 1155 PM Funnel Cloud 4 NW Watson 39.06N 88.63W 03/14/2025 Effingham IL Trained Spotter 1153 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Hammond 39.80N 88.59W 03/14/2025 Piatt IL Broadcast Media Delayed report. Relayed from broadcast media. Time estimated by radar. Large 12 in tree limbs down on a house. Shingles peeled upward on roofing. 1145 PM Hail 1 E Moccasin 39.15N 88.75W 03/14/2025 M1.75 Inch Effingham IL Mesonet Hail lasted for approximately 5 minutes and partially covered the road. 1140 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 3 WNW Findlay 39.54N 88.81W 03/14/2025 Shelby IL Broadcast Media Barn with 2nd level torn off, near Findlay along Rt 128. Delayed Report. Time estimated by radar. 1125 PM Hail Altamont 39.06N 88.75W 03/14/2025 E1.25 Inch Effingham IL Mesonet 1120 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Niantic 39.86N 89.17W 03/14/2025 Macon IL Emergency Mngr Delayed Report. School bus barn roof was peeled off. Time estimated by radar. 1105 PM Hail 3 SE Taylorville 39.52N 89.25W 03/14/2025 M1.50 Inch Christian IL Public 1025 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 S Washington 40.69N 89.41W 03/14/2025 Tazewell IL Mesonet Large trees blown down on the south side of Washington. 1022 PM Tstm Wnd Gst Chillicothe 40.92N 89.49W 03/14/2025 M61 MPH Peoria IL Emergency Mngr 1019 PM Hail Athens 39.96N 89.73W 03/14/2025 M0.75 Inch Menard IL Public Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.). 1010 PM Tstm Wnd Gst New Berlin 39.73N 89.91W 03/14/2025 E70 MPH Sangamon IL Emergency Mngr 60 to 70 mph winds estimated from New Berlin to Loami. 1008 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 E Pekin 40.57N 89.63W 03/14/2025 Tazewell IL Emergency Mngr Tree down. Time estimated from radar. 1007 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 3 SE Brimfield 40.81N 89.83W 03/14/2025 Peoria IL Emergency Mngr Trees down. 1000 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Mossville 40.82N 89.57W 03/14/2025 Peoria IL Broadcast Media A couple trees downed by thunderstorm winds. Time estimated from radar. 1000 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Hanna City 40.69N 89.80W 03/14/2025 Peoria IL Broadcast Media Restaurant sign blown over. Time estimated from radar. 0959 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Pekin 40.57N 89.65W 03/14/2025 Tazewell IL Emergency Mngr Roofing material ripped off of a large building. Time estimated from radar. 0958 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 E Peoria Heights 40.74N 89.56W 03/14/2025 Peoria IL Broadcast Media Rotted tree snapped at its base at the Peoria Country Club Golf Course. Time estimated from radar. 0958 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 2 SE Alta 40.80N 89.61W 03/14/2025 Peoria IL Emergency Mngr A large section of sturdy fencing was knocked down across from the Kroger on Rt 40. 0957 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 SE West Peoria 40.68N 89.62W 03/14/2025 Peoria IL Broadcast Media Fence and a few ill-looking trees downed by thunderstorm winds. Time estimated from radar. 0957 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 4 SSW Alta 40.77N 89.66W 03/14/2025 Peoria IL Trained Spotter Large but decayed tree snapped near the base. Time estimated by radar. 0955 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 4 N Easton 40.30N 89.85W 03/14/2025 Mason IL Emergency Mngr Structural damage to a home porch. 0940 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 SSE Canton 40.55N 90.03W 03/14/2025 Fulton IL Emergency Mngr Metal carport blown down. Time estimated from radar. 0939 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Canton 40.56N 90.04W 03/14/2025 Fulton IL Emergency Mngr Decayed tree split, powerlines down, and pieces of roofing material blown off a couple buildings. Timing estimated from radar. 0915 PM Tstm Wnd Gst Galesburg Airport 40.94N 90.43W 03/14/2025 M69 MPH Knox IL AWOS REPORTED AT GBG. 0910 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 3 NE Rushville 40.15N 90.52W 03/14/2025 Schuyler IL Mesonet Several tree branches were blown down and power was out for about 6 hours. && $$
Environment
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The KILX sounding from the evening of March 14 (00Z March 15). | Infrared satellite imagery showing the powerhouse low pressure system as it pushed storms toward IL late Friday evening (March 14). | Figure 3: Caption |
Figure 4: Caption | Figure 5: Caption | Figure 6: Caption |
Photos & Video
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A composite of all the warnings issued by NWS Central IL between March 14-15, which included 16 Severe Thunderstorm Warnings and 15 Tornado Warnings. Image courtesy of Iowa State Mesonet. | Caption (source) |
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Radar
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Radar image near Lerna, IL at 12:13 AM CDT March 15 showing gate-to-gate rotation on storm relative velocity (upper right) co-located with a tornadic debris signature on correlation coefficient (lower left). | Caption | Caption | Caption |
Additional Information
The Forecast
SPC Day 3 Categorical Outlook | SPC Day 3 Probabilistic Outlook | SPC Day 2 Categorical Outlook | SPC Day 2 Probabilistic Outlook |
SPC Day 1 Categorical Outlook | SPC Day 1 Tornado Outlook | SPC Day 1 Hail Outlook | SPC Day 1 Wind Outlook |
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