Tornado Warning Issued for Douglas, Coles, and Moultrie Counties in Illinois

Source: NOAA · East Central Illinois

This alert is no longer in effect.

NOAA issued it on April 3, 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.

The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Warning for parts of east central and central Illinois until 7:30 PM CDT after radar indicated a rotating storm near Arthur.

Read this weather record in 30 seconds

Record type
Tornado Warning
Affected area
East Central Illinois
Issued
April 3, 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 East Central Illinois.

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Lincoln has issued a Tornado Warning effective until 7:30 PM CDT on March 15, 2026. The warning was triggered by a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado, which was located near Arthur (approximately 7 miles northeast of Sullivan) at 6:54 PM CDT.

Affected Areas

The warning covers the following regions in east central and central Illinois:

  • Douglas County
  • Northwestern Coles County
  • East central Moultrie County

Specific locations in the path of the storm include Arcola and Arthur (around 7:00 PM CDT), Tuscola (around 7:05 PM CDT), Camargo (around 7:10 PM CDT), and Villa Grove. The alert also includes a stretch of Interstate 57 between mile markers 200 and 215.

What You Should Do

Residents in the warned area are advised to TAKE COVER NOW. Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building and stay away from windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, you should move to the closest substantial shelter immediately to protect yourself from flying debris. This cluster of thunderstorms is capable of producing tornadoes and widespread significant wind damage; do not wait to see or hear the tornado before taking action.

Expected Conditions

The storm is moving northeast at a speed of 60 mph. Radar has indicated rotation within the storm. Hazards include the potential for a tornado and widespread significant wind damage. Expected impacts include dangerous flying debris, destruction of mobile homes, and damage to roofs, windows, vehicles, and trees. Maximum hail size is estimated up to .75 inches.

Timeline

  • Issued: 6:54 PM CDT, March 15, 2026
  • Effective: Immediately
  • Expiration: 7:30 PM CDT, March 15, 2026

Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗

All Weather Alerts →

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this NWS weather alert.

What is this NWS weather alert about?
The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Warning for parts of east central and central Illinois until 7:30 PM CDT after radar indicated a rotating storm near Arthur.
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 East Central 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.