UPDATE: Early December Storm System Brings Rare Tornado Outbreak to Illinois
InstantWeather
Tornado in Beardstown, Illinois. December 1st, 2018. Photo credit: Andrew Pritchard (@skydrama)
The same storm system that brought widespread thunderstorms to Southern Ontario yesterday afternoon and evening had a much more profound impact south of the border. On Saturday afternoon in Illinois, 26 confirmed tornadoes touched down across the state, making this the biggest December outbreak in Illinois since 1957.
The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center indicated a ‘slight risk’ of severe weather in Illinois, having the potential for development of afternoon thunderstorms with the possibility of isolated supercell thunderstorms.It was also mentioned there was a possibility of a few tornadoes, damaging wind gusts and hail.
SPC Categorical Outlook for December 1st, 2018. Source: National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center.
Two large clusters of storms formed as the system tracked across the state. The cluster to the west produced eleven separate tornadoes; five EF0s and size EF1s. There were no reported injuries or fatalities from this group of tornadoes.
Fifteen more confirmed tornadoes touched down from the group of storms to the east; four EF0s, seven EF1s, three EF2, and one EF3. The EF3 hit Taylorville, a city of 11,000, sending 26 to hospital, but luckily there have been no reported deaths.
The National Weather Service monitored these spin ups very carefully and was able to give the City of Taylorville, a forty-one minute advanced warning ahead of the tornado, likely saving many lives. Unfortunately there will be considerable cleanup in the coming days and weeks from the damage caused by these storms. In Taylorville alone, approximately 100 buildings received major damage or were completely destroyed.
On top of the tornadoes in Illinois, the National Weather Service have also confirmed three tornadoes in Arkansas and one tornado each in Missouri and Oklahoma.
Alannah F.
Sources
https://fox2now.com/2018/12/02/taylorville-il-got-41-minute-warning-of-december-tornado/
https://foxillinois.com/news/local/26-injured-6-in-serious-condition-after-taylorville-tornado
https://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/archive/2018/day1otlk_20181201_1630.html