Severe Thunderstorm Warning Issued for Central and East Central Illinois Until 7:15 PM

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Lincoln has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for portions of central and east central Illinois. The alert was issued at 6:37 PM CDT following radar-indicated threats in the area.

Affected Areas

The warning impacts the following regions:

• Central Illinois: Moultrie County, Eastern Shelby County, and Southern Piatt County.
• East Central Illinois: Western Coles County, Cumberland County, and Western Douglas County.

Specific communities in the path of these storms include Shelbyville, Sullivan, Bethany, Lovington, Findlay, Hammond, Windsor, Stewardson, Allenville, Arthur, Atwood, Mattoon, Neoga, Cooks Mill, Tuscola, Arcola, Humboldt, Lerna, Charleston, Toledo, Jewett, and Janesville. This warning also covers Interstate 57 between mile markers 169 and 217, and Interstate 70 between mile markers 105 and 115.

What You Should Do

For your protection, move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. Residents should remain alert for a possible tornado, as they can develop quickly from severe thunderstorms. If you spot a tornado, go at once to a basement or a small central room in a sturdy structure.

Expected Conditions

• Wind: Gusts of up to 60 mph are expected. Impact may include damage to roofs, siding, and trees.
• Hail: Nickel-sized hail has been detected via radar.
• Storm Movement: As of 6:37 PM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from Cerro Gordo to near St. Elmo, moving east at 55 mph.

Timeline

The Severe Thunderstorm Warning is effective until 7:15 PM CDT on March 15. A broader Tornado Watch remains in effect until 10:00 PM CDT for south central, central, southeastern, and east central Illinois.