March 15, 2026 Severe Weather Review

News Headlines

Overview

A strong low pressure system (987 mb) moved across Illinois during the afternoon on Sunday, March 15, 2026. The environment was characterized by high shear and weak instability. A line of storms swept across the state, producing scattered wind damage and a few tornadoes. Following the cold frontal passage, much colder air moved into the region, resulting in rain changing to snow. Snow accumulations of 1-4" occurred along and west of I-55. Strong westerly winds gusting 40-50 mph led to blowing snow and near white out conditions at times through the day on Monday, March 16th.

NWS damage surveys and other event information are still being finalized. Be sure to check back frequently for additional updates. All data are considered preliminary and subject to change.

Surface Map from 4 PM CDT on March 15, 2026.

Tornado
Storm Reports
Radar
Environmental
Snow/Ice

Tornadoes

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EF-Scale

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

Tornadoes that fail to impact any ratable damage indicators on the EF-Scale are rated EF-Unknown (EF-U)

Storm Reports

Note: This storm report summary does not include potential tornado damage survey information.

Preliminary Local Storm Report...Summary
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
943 AM CDT Mon Mar 16 2026

..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..

0514 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 2 S Chatham 39.64N 89.70W
03/15/2026 Sangamon IL Emergency Mngr

Powerlines down.

0530 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 2 SSE Grandview 39.79N 89.62W
03/15/2026 M55 MPH Sangamon IL Mesonet

Mesonet station NGC53 Lincoln Land Community
College.

0540 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Lincoln 40.15N 89.36W
03/15/2026 Logan IL Fire Dept/Rescue

Large tree downed by thunderstorm winds.
Delayed report. Time estimated from radar.

0602 PM Hail 1 N Taylorville 39.56N 89.30W
03/15/2026 E1.25 Inch Christian IL Public

Report from mPING: Half Dollar (1.25 in.).

0603 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 7 WSW Rosamond 39.35N 89.29W
03/15/2026 M59 MPH Christian IL Mesonet

SWOP report.

0603 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 8 WSW Rosamond 39.35N 89.30W
03/15/2026 Christian IL Mesonet

Photo of portion of high school roof torn
off. SWOP report.

0603 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 8 WSW Rosamond 39.35N 89.31W
03/15/2026 M56 MPH Christian IL Mesonet

SWOP report.

0610 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 1 ENE Rosamond 39.39N 89.14W
03/15/2026 M70 MPH Christian IL Trained Spotter

0617 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Pana 39.39N 89.08W
03/15/2026 Christian IL Public

Large, softwood tree uprooted. Relayed via
broadcast media with photo.

0618 PM Funnel Cloud 1 SW Maroa 40.03N 88.97W
03/15/2026 Macon IL Trained Spotter

0620 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Assumption 39.52N 89.05W
03/15/2026 Christian IL Fire Dept/Rescue

Corrects previous tstm wnd dmg report from
Assumption. Tree down on a car. Multiple
power lines downed throughout town.

0632 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 E Shelbyville 39.41N 88.79W
03/15/2026 Shelby IL Law Enforcement

Large tree limb down, about 8 inches in
diameter, in the city of Shelbyville.
Delayed report. Time estimated from radar.

0633 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 1 WSW Decatur Airport 39.83N 88.87W
03/15/2026 M53 MPH Macon IL ASOS

ASOS station KDEC Decatur Arpt.

0644 PM Tstm Wnd Gst Sullivan 39.60N 88.61W
03/15/2026 E60 MPH Moultrie IL Trained Spotter

Estimated winds at least 50-60 mph. Video
shared via social media.

0658 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 2 SE Arthur 39.70N 88.45W
03/15/2026 M61 MPH Douglas IL Public

8 inch diameter tree branches down.

0658 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 2 SE Arthur 39.70N 88.45W
03/15/2026 Douglas IL Public

8 inch diameter branches down.

0659 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 2 SE Arthur 39.70N 88.44W
03/15/2026 Douglas IL Public

Roof blown off barn and tops of trees
carried a couple hundred feet. Possible
tornado.

0705 PM Tstm Wnd Gst Coles County Airport 39.47N 88.27W
03/15/2026 M51 MPH Coles IL ASOS

ASOS station KMTO Coles Co. Mem AP.

0712 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 ESE Tolono 39.98N 88.25W
03/15/2026 Champaign IL Emergency Mngr

tree fell on a home.

0725 PM Tstm Wnd Gst Louisville 38.77N 88.51W
03/15/2026 E60 MPH Clay IL Trained Spotter

Estimated winds at least 50-60 mph.

0755 PM Tstm Wnd Gst Flora Municipal Airport 38.67N 88.45W
03/15/2026 M54 MPH Clay IL AWOS

AWOS station KFOA Flora Arpt.

0855 PM Tstm Wnd Gst Robinson Municipal Airp 39.01N 87.65W
03/15/2026 M58 MPH Crawford IL AWOS

AWOS station KRSV Robinson Arpt.

Radar


Radar reflectivity showing a line of broken thunderstorms between the Illinois River and I-55 corridor, as of 4:37 pm on March 15, 2026.	Radar reflectivity showing a line of severe thunderstorms east of I-55 at 6:35 pm on March 15, 2026.	Radar reflectivity (left) and velocity (right) showing a line-embedded circulation at 6:42 pm on March 15, 2026.	Caption

Environment

A strong low pressure system moved across Illinois on Sunday, March 15, 2026. Southerly winds gusted 45-55 mph ahead of the system, pushing temperatures into the 60s across central Illinois. At the same time, temperatures behind a strong cold front were in the 20s and 30s across Iowa.


Figure 1: Surface map from 4PM on March 15, 2026.	Figure 2: Caption	Figure 3: Caption

In the warm sector of the system, strong wind shear was present (60-70 knots of deep layer shear), along with weak to modest instability (less than 1000 J/kg of surface-based CAPE). A broken line of thunderstorms developed and swept east across the state. Scattered wind damage was the primary concern, but strong low level wind shear (30-40 knots in the lowest kilometer) allowed a few embedded tornadoes to develop. NWS Lincoln released a 21Z sounding, which sampled the high shear, low CAPE environment.


Figure 4: NWS Lincoln 21Z Sounding	Figure 5: Low-level wind shear (0-1 km)	Figure 6: Mixed-layer CAPE (red contours) and convective inhibition (CIN; blue shading)

Additional environmental data.


Figure 7: Caption	Figure 8: Caption	Figure 9: Caption

Snow/Ice

Into the evening of Sunday, March 15, 2026, a strong cold front resulted in rain changing to snow. Snowfall amounts of 1 to 4 inches were common in areas along and northwest of I-55, with higher amounts occurring northwest of the NWS Lincoln forecast area (5 to 9 inches across eastern Iowa). Below is a map of snowfall reports focused on central Illinois:

Preliminary Local Storm Report...Summary
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
1215 PM CDT Mon Mar 16 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0700 AM     Snow             1 ESE Canton            40.56N 90.02W
03/16/2026  M2.1 Inch        Fulton             IL   Cocorahs



0700 AM     Snow             2 ESE Chatham           39.67N 89.67W
03/16/2026  M1.4 Inch        Sangamon           IL   Cocorahs



0700 AM     Snow             1 SSW Morton            40.60N 89.47W
03/16/2026  M1.6 Inch        Tazewell           IL   CO-OP Observer



0700 AM     Snow             Havana                  40.30N 90.06W
03/16/2026  M2.5 Inch        Mason              IL   CO-OP Observer



0700 AM     Snow             Peoria                  40.68N 89.69W
03/16/2026  M3.2 Inch        Peoria             IL   Official NWS Obs



0700 AM     Snow             2 NNW Central Illinois  40.50N 88.93W
03/16/2026  M1.5 Inch        McLean             IL   Cocorahs



0700 AM     Snow             1 SSW Germantown Hills  40.76N 89.47W
03/16/2026  M2.4 Inch        Woodford           IL   Cocorahs



0700 AM     Snow             2 NNE Carlock           40.61N 89.12W
03/16/2026  M3.0 Inch        McLean             IL   Cocorahs



0730 AM     Snow             3 N Towanda             40.60N 88.90W
03/16/2026  M1.3 Inch        McLean             IL   Trained Spotter

            total snowfall as of 0730 with snow still
            falling at time of report.

0739 AM     Snow             3 S Camp Grove          41.03N 89.63W
03/16/2026  M2.0 Inch        Marshall           IL   Public

            Snowfall total as of 0739 with more snow
            falling at time of report.

0746 AM     Snow             3 ESE Central Illinois  40.46N 88.87W
03/16/2026  M1.8 Inch        McLean             IL   NWS Employee

            Total snowfall as of report with more light
            snow falling at time of report.

0800 AM     Snow             2 N West Peoria         40.72N 89.64W
03/16/2026  M4.0 Inch        Peoria             IL   Mesonet



0800 AM     Snow             2 N Alexander           39.77N 90.04W
03/16/2026  M1.0 Inch        Morgan             IL   Mesonet



1130 AM     Snow             Washington              40.71N 89.39W
03/16/2026  M2.0 Inch        Tazewell           IL   Mesonet

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