Severe Thunderstorm Warning Issued for Central Illinois Counties Including Macon and Sangamon

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Lincoln has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for portions of central Illinois. The warning is effective as of 5:44 PM CDT and is scheduled to expire at 6:30 PM CDT on March 15, 2026.

Affected Areas

The warning covers the following geographic regions in central Illinois:

• Southern Logan County
• Northwestern Christian County
• Northeastern Sangamon County
• Central Macon County

Specific locations in the path of these storms include Decatur, Mount Pulaski, Illiopolis, Niantic, Mount Auburn, Harristown, Latham, Chestnut, Warrensburg, Forsyth, Maroa, and Oreana. This warning also affects Interstate 55 between mile markers 110 and 115, and Interstate 72 between mile markers 111 and 146.

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 tornadoes can develop quickly from severe thunderstorms. If you spot a tornado, go at once into a basement or a small central room in a sturdy structure. A Tornado Watch remains in effect for central Illinois until 10:00 PM CDT.

Expected Conditions

At 5:44 PM CDT, radar indicated severe thunderstorms located along a line extending from near Elkhart to near Edinburg, moving northeast at 55 mph.

• Wind: Gusts of up to 60 mph are expected.
• Hail: Nickel size hail (0.88 inches) is possible.
• Impact: Residents should expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.

Timeline

The Severe Thunderstorm Warning is in effect until 6:30 PM CDT. The storms were moving northeast at 55 mph as of 5:44 PM CDT.