March 15, 2016 Severe Weather Event

Overview

Storms developed across far western Illinois during late Tuesday afternoon and expanded in coverage as they tracked northeast, reaching northern Illinois between 8:30 pm and 11:00 pm.

The most common form of severe weather reported by far was hail due to a cool mid-March atmosphere and favorable supercell storm structure. The largest hail to golf ball size or larger was reported in western to central Illinois, with northern Illinois seeing scattered reports as large as half dollar size. In addition, there were multiple reports in northern Illinois of small hail covering the ground, including in Rochelle and Chatsworth, Illinois.

Storms had a favorable environment to rotate in their first several hours. Across western and parts of central Illinois, there were multiple tornado reports.

Storm Reports

Preliminary Storm Reports

Storm Reports Prototype

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
420 AM CDT THU MAR 17 2016

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0847 PM     HAIL             3 W LOSTANT             41.14N 89.12W
03/15/2016  M1.25 INCH       LA SALLE           IL   PUBLIC

0912 PM     HAIL             MOUNT MORRIS            42.05N 89.43W
03/15/2016  M0.88 INCH       OGLE               IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            LASTED FOR ABOUT TWO MINUTES.

0927 PM     HAIL             PERU                    41.34N 89.13W
03/15/2016  M1.25 INCH       LA SALLE           IL   PUBLIC

            TIME ESTIMATED PER RADAR.

0936 PM     HAIL             1 E TROY GROVE          41.47N 89.06W
03/15/2016  M0.88 INCH       LA SALLE           IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            REPORTED AT THE INTERSECTION OF I-39 AND U.S. HIGHWAY 52
            BY NIU STAFF METEOROLOGIST.

0945 PM     HEAVY RAIN       POLO                    41.98N 89.58W
03/15/2016  M0.77 INCH       OGLE               IL   CO-OP OBSERVER

            ALSO PEA SIZE HAIL.

0945 PM     HAIL             CHATSWORTH              40.75N 88.29W
03/15/2016  M1.25 INCH       LIVINGSTON         IL   CO-OP OBSERVER

0953 PM     HAIL             ROCKFORD AIRPORT        42.20N 89.10W
03/15/2016  M0.50 INCH       WINNEBAGO          IL   OTHER FEDERAL

0955 PM     HEAVY RAIN       5 NW ROCKFORD           42.32N 89.13W
03/15/2016  M1.49 INCH       WINNEBAGO          IL   PUBLIC

            DIME SIZE HAIL OBSERVED.

1003 PM     HAIL             MORRIS                  41.37N 88.43W
03/15/2016  M0.75 INCH       GRUNDY             IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

1008 PM     HAIL             ASHKUM                  40.88N 87.95W
03/15/2016  E0.88 INCH       IROQUOIS           IL   PUBLIC

1020 PM     HAIL             ST. ANNE                41.02N 87.72W
03/15/2016  M1.25 INCH       KANKAKEE           IL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TIME ESTIMATED BASED ON RADAR.

1022 PM     HAIL             BEAVERVILLE             40.95N 87.65W
03/15/2016  M1.00 INCH       IROQUOIS           IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

1025 PM     HAIL             ROCKFORD                42.27N 89.06W
03/15/2016  M0.75 INCH       WINNEBAGO          IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            AT ALPINE ROAD AND HARRISON AVENUE.

1034 PM     HAIL             3 SE ROCKFORD           42.24N 89.03W
03/15/2016  M1.00 INCH       WINNEBAGO          IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            HAIL OF VARIOUS SIZES MAINLY BETWEEN 1/4 INCH AND 3/4
            INCH WITH THE LARGEST STONE MEASURED AT ONE INCH
            DIAMETER.

1037 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 NW ST. ANNE           41.03N 87.73W
03/15/2016                   KANKAKEE           IL   PUBLIC

            SILO BLOWN ONTO POWER LINES. WHAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE
            POSSIBLE TORNADO DAMAGE WAS DETERMINED TO BE CAUSED BY
            STRAIGHT LINE WINDS THANKS TO INFORMATION FROM EMERGENCY
            MANAGER AND NWS SURVEY.

1042 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 NE ST. ANNE           41.04N 87.69W
03/15/2016                   KANKAKEE           IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            POWER FLASHES SEEN FROM MULTIPLE SPOTTERS AND PUBLIC FROM
            NEAR ST ANNE...HOPKINS PARK...AND GRANT PARK. INFORMATION
            FROM EMERGENCY MANAGER AND AN NWS SURVEY DETERMINED THIS
            WAS CAUSED BY STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.

1042 PM     HAIL             GRANT PARK              41.24N 87.64W
03/15/2016  M1.25 INCH       KANKAKEE           IL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TIME ESTIMATED BASED ON RADAR.

1058 PM     HAIL             GENOA                   42.10N 88.69W
03/15/2016  E0.88 INCH       DEKALB             IL   PUBLIC

0615 AM     HEAVY RAIN       PARK FOREST             41.48N 87.69W
03/16/2016  M1.10 INCH       COOK               IL   TRAINED SPOTTER


&&

$$

MTF

Rainfall Amounts

24-hour rainfall amounts as of 9 am CDT Wednesday, March 16th

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
1022 AM CDT WED MAR 16 2016

...MORNING RAINFALL ROUNDUP...

   THE FOLLOWING ARE RAIN AMOUNTS FOR THE PREVIOUS 24-HOURS
   AS MEASURED IN THE MORNING BY NWS COOPERATIVE OBSERVERS
   AND COCORAHS OBSERVERS.

   OBSERVATIONS ARE USUALLY TAKEN BETWEEN 6 AND 8 AM.

   24-HOUR RAINFALL AMOUNTS
       FOR WEDNESDAY(03/16/16)...


ILLINOIS                                       RAIN
  LOCATION (COUNTY):                           FALL (IN)

  BEECHER 3SSE (WILL)..........................1.52
  ROCKFORD (WINNEBAGO).........................1.37
  BYRON 3N (OGLE)..............................1.32
  ROCHELLE (OGLE)..............................1.26
  AMBOY (LEE)..................................1.18
  ROCKFORD 1NW (WINNEBAGO).....................1.05
  OREGON (OGLE)................................1.05
  AMBOY (LEE)..................................1.03
  SUBLETTE (LEE)...............................1.01
  ROCKFORD 2ENE (WINNEBAGO)....................1.00
  POLO (OGLE)..................................0.99
  MACHESNEY PARK 3ENE (WINNEBAGO)..............0.94
  ROCKFORD 3NE (WINNEBAGO).....................0.90
  BELVIDERE (BOONE)............................0.89
  ROSCOE 2ESE (WINNEBAGO)......................0.87
  ROSCOE 2SE (WINNEBAGO).......................0.87
  DIXON (LEE)..................................0.85
  EARLVILLE 3S (LA SALLE)......................0.80
  ROCHELLE (OGLE)..............................0.78
  CHATSWORTH (LIVINGSTON)......................0.75
  DIXON 2SW (LEE)..............................0.75
  CHATSWORTH (LIVINGSTON)......................0.75
  WOODSTOCK 4SW (MCHENRY)......................0.75
  CAPRON (BOONE)...............................0.72
  WONDER LAKE 1WNW (MCHENRY)...................0.69
  ASHTON (LEE).................................0.67
  STEWARD (LEE)................................0.67
  BULL VALLEY 2WNW (MCHENRY)...................0.65
  WOODSTOCK 5NW (MCHENRY)......................0.63
  YORKVILLE 2SE (KENDALL)......................0.63
  HARVARD (MCHENRY)............................0.62
  ELBURN (KANE)................................0.61
  CORTLAND (DE KALB)...........................0.59
  WOODSTOCK (MCHENRY)..........................0.56
  DE KALB (DE KALB)............................0.54
  PAW PAW (LEE)................................0.53
  DE KALB 2NNE (DE KALB).......................0.52
  LAKEMOOR 2NW (MCHENRY).......................0.52
  JOLIET 2N (WILL).............................0.52
  ST CHARLES 1SW (KANE)........................0.50
  STREATOR (LIVINGSTON)........................0.50
  MENDOTA (LA SALLE)...........................0.48
  MONTGOMERY 1SSE (KENDALL)....................0.47
  MCHENRY (MCHENRY)............................0.47
  AURORA 4NE (DU PAGE).........................0.46
  LA SALLE (LA SALLE)..........................0.46
  MENDOTA 2SE (LA SALLE).......................0.46
  ELGIN 8WSW (KANE)............................0.45
  OTTAWA 2N (LA SALLE).........................0.45
  PEOTONE (WILL)...............................0.45
  MARSEILLES (LA SALLE)........................0.45
  PEOTONE (WILL)...............................0.45
  PERU (LA SALLE)..............................0.45
  BATAVIA 1WNW (KANE)..........................0.44
  ST. CHARLES 6NW (KANE).......................0.43
  BATAVIA 2WNW (KANE)..........................0.42
  GENEVA 1SSW (KANE)...........................0.42
  WINTHROP HARBOR 1SSW (LAKE)..................0.42
  LAKEMOOR 2SE (LAKE)..........................0.42
  ALSIP (COOK).................................0.41
  BURR RIDGE 2SW (DU PAGE).....................0.41
  AURORA (KANE)................................0.40
  ELGIN 2WNW (KANE)............................0.40
  BATAVIA 1WSW (KANE)..........................0.40
  ROMEOVILLE (WILL)............................0.40
  BATAVIA (KANE)...............................0.38
  DARIEN (DU PAGE).............................0.38
  CAROL STREAM (DU PAGE).......................0.38
  LINCOLNSHIRE 1N (LAKE).......................0.38
  GENOA (DE KALB)..............................0.37
  PALATINE 1E (COOK)...........................0.37
  OAK LAWN (COOK)..............................0.36
  CHICAGO RIDGE (COOK).........................0.36
  DE KALB (DE KALB)............................0.35
  NORTH AURORA 2NE (KANE)......................0.35
  WAUKEGAN 2N (LAKE)...........................0.35
  GURNEE 2W (LAKE).............................0.35
  LAKE VILLA 2WSW (LAKE).......................0.35
  CHANNAHON 2SSE (WILL)........................0.35
  OTTAWA (LA SALLE)............................0.35
  SCHAUMBURG  2E (COOK)........................0.34
  MOUNT PROSPECT 3NE (COOK)....................0.34
  ROSELLE 1W (DU PAGE).........................0.34
  LAKE VILLA 1SSW (LAKE).......................0.34
  ALGONQUIN 1N (MCHENRY).......................0.34
  MORRIS (GRUNDY)..............................0.34
  MUNDELEIN (LAKE).............................0.34
  ELGIN (KANE).................................0.33
  ROLLING MEADOWS 1ESE (COOK)..................0.33
  SOMONAUK 2NE (DE KALB).......................0.32
  FOX LAKE 2SE (LAKE)..........................0.32
  LAKE ZURICH (LAKE)...........................0.32
  WAUKEGAN (LAKE)..............................0.32
  BONFIELD 4WSW (KANKAKEE).....................0.31
  WEST CHICAGO (DU PAGE).......................0.30
  ARLINGTON HEIGHTS 1SW (COOK).................0.30
  MARSEILLES 5WNW (LA SALLE)...................0.30
  BARRINGTON (LAKE)............................0.29
  ROSELLE 1ESE (DU PAGE).......................0.29
  GIBSON 3WNW (FORD)...........................0.29
  BRACEVILLE (GRUNDY)..........................0.29
  CHICAGO 5NE (COOK)...........................0.28
  BEACH PARK 1W (LAKE).........................0.28
  PONTIAC (LIVINGSTON).........................0.28
  BOLINGBROOK 3NE (DU PAGE)....................0.27
  MONEE (WILL).................................0.26
  LOMBARD 1NNW (DU PAGE).......................0.25
  GLEN ELLYN 1NE (DU PAGE).....................0.25
  LAKE FOREST 2NNE (LAKE)......................0.25
  STREATOR 4ENE (LA SALLE).....................0.25
  LOCKPORT 1SE (WILL)..........................0.25
  NAPERVILLE 4SSW (WILL).......................0.25
  CHICAGO 6ESE (COOK)..........................0.24
  SHERIDAN 3SSE (LA SALLE).....................0.24
  PLAINFIELD 1SW (WILL)........................0.24
  JOLIET (WILL)................................0.24
  KANKAKEE (KANKAKEE)..........................0.24
  WHEELING (COOK)..............................0.24
  LA GRANGE PARK 1SSW (COOK)...................0.23
  ELK GROVE VILLAGE 2WSW (COOK)................0.22
  MORRIS 5NNW (GRUNDY).........................0.22
  MIDWAY (COOK)................................0.22
  ELGIN (KANE).................................0.21
  ELMHURST 1ESE (DU PAGE)......................0.21
  LISLE (DU PAGE)..............................0.21
  BONFIELD 4NNE (KANKAKEE).....................0.21
  ELGIN 1S (KANE)..............................0.21
  RIVERWOODS (LAKE)............................0.21
  PLAINFIELD 3SE (WILL)........................0.21
  MANHATTAN 2SE (WILL).........................0.21
  WILLOW SPRINGS (COOK)........................0.21
  COAL CITY 4NNW (GRUNDY)......................0.20
  WORTH (COOK).................................0.20
  CARBON HILL 3.1N (GRUNDY)....................0.20
  MINOOKA (GRUNDY).............................0.20
  HIGHWOOD 1S (LAKE)...........................0.20
  PONTIAC 1SE (LIVINGSTON).....................0.20
  HOMER GLEN 1ENE (WILL).......................0.20
  WILMINGTON 6NW (WILL)........................0.20
  MIDWAY COOP (COOK)...........................0.20
  HOFFMAN ESTATES 5W (COOK)....................0.19
  PARK RIDGE 1WNW (COOK).......................0.19
  OAK PARK 1SW (COOK)..........................0.19
  OAK PARK 1NNE (COOK).........................0.19
  ELMHURST (DU PAGE)...........................0.19
  MORRIS 6ESE (GRUNDY).........................0.19
  JOLIET LOCK/DAM (WILL).......................0.19
  PLAINFIELD (WILL)............................0.19
  BOURBONNAIS (KANKAKEE).......................0.18
  PARK RIDGE (COOK)............................0.18
  OAK LAWN 2WNW (COOK).........................0.18
  LINCOLNWOOD 3E (COOK)........................0.18
  BURNHAM-HEGEWISCH 2NNW (COOK)................0.18
  ELMHURST 2SE (DU PAGE).......................0.18
  MORRIS 2SSE (GRUNDY).........................0.18
  CHENOA 4NNW (LIVINGSTON).....................0.18
  MANHATTAN 5ENE (WILL)........................0.18
  MANHATTAN (WILL).............................0.18
  AURORA (KANE)................................0.17
  HARWOOD HEIGHTS 2NNE (COOK)..................0.17
  ELK GROVE VILLAGE 1ESE (COOK)................0.17
  DOWNERS GROVE 0.4NNE (DU PAGE)...............0.17
  NEW LENOX 4SE (WILL).........................0.17
  MOMENCE (KANKAKEE)...........................0.17
  ROGERS PARK 2SW (COOK).......................0.16
  NAPERVILLE 1NW (DU PAGE).....................0.16
  COAL CITY (GRUNDY)...........................0.16
  PLAINFIELD 5SW (KENDALL).....................0.16
  MANHATTAN 1ESE (WILL)........................0.16
  PLAINFIELD 2SSE (WILL).......................0.16
  ST ANNE (KANKAKEE)...........................0.16
  WINFIELD (DU PAGE)...........................0.16
  OAK PARK 2S (COOK)...........................0.15
  PARK FOREST 1NNE (COOK)......................0.15
  LINCOLNWOOD 2E (COOK)........................0.15
  LISLE 1SE (DU PAGE)..........................0.15
  PLANO (KENDALL)..............................0.15
  OSWEGO 5SSE (KENDALL)........................0.15
  OHARE (COOK).................................0.15
  LISLE MORTON ARB (DU PAGE)...................0.15
  PARK FOREST 1SW (COOK).......................0.14
  AURORA 4SE (DU PAGE).........................0.14
  DWIGHT 4NNW (GRUNDY).........................0.14
  SUGAR GROVE 1NE (KANE).......................0.14
  SUGAR GROVE 1ENE (KANE)......................0.13
  WILMINGTON 3SE (WILL)........................0.13
  PARK FOREST (COOK)...........................0.13
  NEW LENOX 3E (WILL)..........................0.12
  HOMEWOOD (COOK)..............................0.11
  ASHKUM 5.6E (IROQUOIS).......................0.11
  AURORA 4SE (DU PAGE).........................0.10
  LANSING (COOK)...............................0.10
  NEW LENOX 2SE (WILL).........................0.09
  DWIGHT (LIVINGSTON)..........................0.07
  LANSING (COOK)...............................0.06
  CRETE 3E (WILL)..............................0.05
  WATSEKA 6.9WNW (IROQUOIS)....................0.03

INDIANA                                        RAIN
  LOCATION (COUNTY):                           FALL (IN)

  GARY 5ENE (LAKE).............................0.73
  SCHERERVILLE 1E (LAKE).......................0.54
  CROWN POINT 2WSW (LAKE)......................0.52
  CROWN POINT 1N (LAKE)........................0.45
  CROWN POINT (LAKE)...........................0.42
  (WV90)HOBART 1ENE (LAKE).....................0.34
  HOBART 2E (LAKE).............................0.30
  HOBART 1NNW (LAKE)...........................0.30
  GARY 4SSW (LAKE).............................0.29
  (KB9F)VALPARAISO 4S (PORTER).................0.21
  PORTAGE 1ESE (PORTER)........................0.17
  LOWELL (LAKE)................................0.15
  VALPARAISO 1SE (PORTER)......................0.13
  VALPARAISO (PORTER)..........................0.13
  VALPARAISO 6S (PORTER).......................0.12
  CHESTERTON 4E (PORTER).......................0.12
  VALPARAISO 2NW (PORTER)......................0.11
  MOROCCO (NEWTON).............................0.10
  VALPARAISO 7WSW (PORTER).....................0.09
  DE MOTTE 1NNW (JASPER).......................0.08
  BROOK 4W (NEWTON)............................0.08
  RENSSELAER 2SSW (JASPER).....................0.07
  DE MOTTE 4SW (JASPER)........................0.07
  VALPARAISO 2WNW (PORTER).....................0.07
  WHEATFIELD 3S (JASPER).......................0.06
  RENSSELAER 8NE (JASPER)......................0.06
  VALPARAISO 4SW (PORTER)......................0.06
  (W9OPR)WHEATFIELD 1ENE (JASPER)..............0.05
  (W9MAL)MERRILLVILLE 2NNW (LAKE)..............0.05
  HEBRON 4NE (PORTER)..........................0.05
  LAKES OF THE FOUR SEASONS (PORTER)...........0.05
  RENSSELAER 5NW (JASPER)......................0.04
  VALPARAISO 6WSW (PORTER).....................0.03
  LAKE VILLAGE (NEWTON)........................0.03
  DE MOTTE 6S (JASPER).........................0.02
  MOUNT AYR 2NNE (NEWTON)......................0.02
  RENSSELAER (JASPER)..........................0.02
  RENSSELAER 4N (JASPER).......................0.01
  REMINGTON (JASPER)..........................TRACE
  REMINGTON (JASPER)..........................TRACE

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