
A winter-like pattern will continue over much of the Lower 48 over the next few days, with snow stretching from the Rockies today into the Middle Mississippi Valley on Monday. Showers and thunderstorms will develop along the Gulf Coast and Southeast on Monday. As the storm moves northward late Monday into Tuesday, winter weather is possible from the Central Appalachians to Interior New England. Read More >
Central Illinois
Weather Forecast Office
Sunday, September 27th marks our 25 year anniversary of full-time operations in Lincoln.
Weather balloon observations had begun in February of 1995, but because that was the only function of the office at the time, our office was initially only open part time. It wasn't until September 27, 1995, that the equipment and operations of the Springfield and Peoria NWS offices were relocated to Lincoln, and we began operations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We took over aviation forecasts for central Illinois from the Chicago NWS office in April 1996, and public forecasts in July 1999.
The first employee of our office was Ernie Goetsch, who was named the Meteorologist in Charge in 1994, while the office was still under construction. He remains the only Meteorologist in Charge we have had. Four other staff members have also been here for the last 25 years.
Click here for a pictorial history of our office.

US Dept of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Weather Service
Central Illinois
1362 State Route 10
Lincoln, IL 62656
217-732-7321 (forecast recording) or 217-732-3089
Comments? Questions? Please Contact Us.

