Overview
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An early-season severe weather outbreak took shape across southeast Illinois during the afternoon of February 19 and persisted into the evening hours. The region along and immediately south of Interstate 70 saw the highest concentration of severe weather with preliminary reports indicating at least a couple tornadoes were observed across Effingham and Crawford counties. The most severe structural damage was reported near New Hebron in Crawford County. |
 February 19, 2026 radar loop with National Weather Service warnings overlayed. |
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.
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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 damage indicators on the EF-Scale are rated EF-Unknown (EF-U) | |||||
Storm Reports
Preliminary Local Storm Report...Summary
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
1139 PM CST Fri Feb 20 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0259 PM Tornado 1 SSE Edgewood 38.91N 88.66W
02/19/2026 Clay IL NWS Storm Survey
EF0, peak wind speed 75 mph, path length 3.0
miles. The tornado touched down just south
of the Clay and Effingham county line, near
the Edgewood Rd. curve, and tracked
northeast. Damage was limited to tree
branches.
0309 PM Tornado 3 NNW Chauncey 38.88N 87.89W
02/19/2026 Crawford IL NWS Storm Survey
EFU, brief touch down in an open field.
0316 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1.5 SW Watson 39.01N 88.59W
02/19/2026 Effingham IL Broadcast Media
*** 1 INJ ***
Corrects previous tstm wnd dmg report from
1.5 SW Watson. Seven vehicle accident due to
thunderstorm winds. 1 injury.
0323 PM Tornado 2 SW Wheeler 39.02N 88.34W
02/19/2026 Jasper IL NWS Storm Survey
EFU, brief touch down in an open field.
0337 PM Hail Dieterich 39.06N 88.38W
02/19/2026 M2.50 Inch Effingham IL Public
Delayed report. Time estimated by radar.
Report relayed by broadcast media.
0338 PM Hail Dieterich 39.06N 88.38W
02/19/2026 M2.00 Inch Effingham IL Broadcast Media
0338 PM Hail 1 W Dieterich 39.06N 88.40W
02/19/2026 E1.00 Inch Effingham IL Public
Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.).
0339 PM Hail Dieterich 39.06N 88.38W
02/19/2026 E1.25 Inch Effingham IL Public
Report from mPING: Half Dollar (1.25 in.).
0344 PM Hail Dieterich 39.06N 88.38W
02/19/2026 M1.75 Inch Effingham IL Broadcast Media
Half dollar to ping pong size hail with some
golf ball size hailstones.
0346 PM Funnel Cloud Wheeler 39.04N 88.32W
02/19/2026 Jasper IL Storm Chaser
Social media report with photo of funnel
cloud.
0401 PM Hail 1 NNE Casey 39.31N 87.99W
02/19/2026 M1.00 Inch Clark IL Public
Pea to quarter size hail for about 4 minutes
and covering the ground.
0407 PM Funnel Cloud 4 W Chauncey 38.84N 87.95W
02/19/2026 Richland IL Storm Chaser
Delayed report. Video shows a well-defined
funnel cloud at least halfway to the ground,
viewed from County Road 10 looking west from
near Chauncey. NWS damage survey team will
be investigating this area.
0412 PM Hail Yale 39.12N 88.03W
02/19/2026 M1.25 Inch Jasper IL Public
Delayed report. Time estimated by radar.
Report relayed by broadcast media.
0416 PM Hail 1 S Martinsville 39.32N 87.88W
02/19/2026 E1.00 Inch Clark IL Public
Delayed report. Quarter size hail reported
via social media. Time estimated from radar.
0416 PM Hail Hardinville 38.92N 87.84W
02/19/2026 M1.00 Inch Crawford IL Public
0420 PM Tornado 3 NW Flat Rock 38.93N 87.71W
02/19/2026 Crawford IL NWS Storm Survey
*** 1 INJ ***
EF1, 110 mph, path length 5.0 miles. The
most significant damage occurred to two
homes, one mobile home was thrown off its
foundation and wrapped around a tree
injuring an elderly woman who was taken to
the hospital with serious injuries.
0421 PM Hail 1 N Bellair 39.15N 87.95W
02/19/2026 E1.00 Inch Crawford IL Public
Social media report. Time estimated from
radar.
0425 PM Hail 4 S Robinson 38.95N 87.74W
02/19/2026 M1.00 Inch Crawford IL Public
Social media report. Copious amounts of
hail.
0432 PM Tornado 1 NNE Annapolis 39.16N 87.81W
02/19/2026 Crawford IL NWS Storm Survey
EFU, Video of a brief touchdown in an open
field from a storm chaser.
0438 PM Tstm Wnd Gst Robinson Municipal Airp 39.01N 87.65W
02/19/2026 M51 MPH Crawford IL AWOS
Robinson airport measured westerly wind gust
of 51 mph.
0439 PM Hail York 39.17N 87.64W
02/19/2026 M0.88 Inch Clark IL Trained Spotter
0443 PM Funnel Cloud York 39.17N 87.64W
02/19/2026 Clark IL Public
Delayed report from social media. Time
estimated from radar.
0615 PM Tornado 3 NNW Bible Grove 38.91N 88.46W
02/19/2026 Clay IL NWS Storm Survey
EF0, 75 mph, path length 4.1 miles. Much of
the damage was concentrated at a farmstead
along the Clay/Effingham county line east of
1800th St. Metal from the top of a silo was
blown off, and a barn was damaged with roof
pieces blown northeast for about a half
mile. Tracks through corn stubble in fields
was found until reaching E. 200th Ave. west
of county road 2200.
0628 PM Hail Ray 40.21N 90.48W
02/19/2026 M1.00 Inch Schuyler IL Emergency Mngr
0658 PM Funnel Cloud 2 W Newton 38.99N 88.20W
02/19/2026 Jasper IL Storm Chaser
0725 PM Hail 4 SW Manito 40.39N 89.83W
02/19/2026 M1.25 Inch Mason IL Broadcast Media
Half dollar size hail at Sand Ridge State
Forest.
0745 PM Hail Bellevue 40.68N 89.68W
02/19/2026 M1.00 Inch Peoria IL Trained Spotter
0759 PM Hail 2 W Tremont 40.53N 89.53W
02/19/2026 M1.00 Inch Tazewell IL Broadcast Media
&&
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Radar
Header
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| Reflectivity (left) and Storm Relative Velocity (right) at 2200Z/4 PM showing four severe or tornado warned supercells in southeast IL. | Reflectivity (left) and Storm Relative Velocity (right) at 2225Z/4:25 PM from KVWX showing strong rotation NW of Flat Rock, IL | Caption | Caption |
Photos & Video
Header
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| Funnel cloud around 3:43 PM southeast of Wheeler, IL. (Owen Szarley) |
Tornado West of Flat Rock ~425 PM. (Brian Emfinger) |
Tornado West of Flat Rock ~425 PM. (Brian Emfinger) |
Damage from the EF-1 Flat Rock tornado. (NWS Survey) |
Additional Information
The Forecast
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| SPC Day 1 12Z Categorical Outlook | SPC Day 1 1630Z Categorical Outlook - Upgraded to Enhanced Risk | SPC Day 1 1630Z Probabilistic Tornado Outlook | SPC Day 1 1630Z Probabilistic Wind Outlook |
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| SPC Day 1 Categorical Outlook | Tornado Watch Issued during the afternoon hours of Feb 19 | Graphical Outlook sent out by NWS Lincoln around 4 PM Feb 19 | 12Z RAP forecast sounding for a location south of I-70 (COD Meteorology) |
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