Tornado Warning Issued for Clay, Effingham, and Jasper Counties in Illinois

Source: NOAA · South Central and Southeastern Illinois

This alert is no longer in effect.

NOAA issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).

Areazine synthesizes this NWS weather alert directly from NOAA's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.

A Tornado Warning is in effect for parts of south central and southeastern Illinois until 7:30 PM CST following radar-indicated rotation near Bible Grove.

Read this weather record in 30 seconds

Record type
Tornado Warning
Affected area
South Central and Southeastern Illinois
Issued
April 6, 2026
Issuing authority
NWS Lincoln IL

Tornado warnings are short-window notices for the named area. The issuing office is the authority on whether the warning remains active or has been replaced.

Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in South Central and Southeastern Illinois.

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Lincoln has issued a Tornado Warning for portions of south central and southeastern Illinois. The alert was triggered by a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado, with rotation indicated by radar.

Affected Areas

The warning specifically impacts the following regions:

  • Southwestern Jasper County in southeastern Illinois
  • North central Clay County in south central Illinois
  • Southeastern Effingham County in south central Illinois

At 6:38 PM CST, the storm was located near Bible Grove, or 13 miles south of Effingham. The system is expected to be near Bogota around 6:55 PM CST.

What You Should Do

TAKE COVER NOW! Residents in the affected area should move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid all windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter immediately to protect yourself from flying debris.

Expected Conditions

  • Hazards: Tornado and quarter-size hail (up to 1.00 inch).
  • Movement: The storm is moving east at 35 mph.
  • Potential Impact: Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes are likely to be damaged or destroyed. Residents should expect damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles, as well as likely tree damage.

Timeline

The alert was issued at 6:38 PM CST on February 19, 2026, and is effective until 7:30 PM CST.

Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this NWS weather alert.

What is this NWS weather alert about?
A Tornado Warning is in effect for parts of south central and southeastern Illinois until 7:30 PM CST following radar-indicated rotation near Bible Grove.
Which agency issued this alert?
This alert was issued by NOAA. The original notice is available at the source link at the bottom of this article.
How severe is this alert?
This alert is classified as "high" severity. Take precautions and monitor for updates.
What area is affected?
This alert affects South Central and Southeastern Illinois. Check with NOAA for the most current geographic scope.
Where can I find more Weather Alerts updates?
Browse the full Weather Alerts feed on Areazine at areazine.com/weather/ for the latest updates from NOAA and other agencies.