Severe Weather of May 30, 2008
National Weather Service personnel surveyed the damage from a tornado near Waverly, affecting portions of Sangamon and Morgan Counties (click image to enlarge).
The tornado touched down in an open field 3 miles west-southwest of Waverly at 7:17 pm CDT. A tornado warning for this area had been issued at 6:58 pm, resulting in 19 minutes notice before the initial touchdown.
During the early part of the tornado track, the storm snapped trees along a 1.5 mile path, before producing minor damage to the roofs of a house and garage. The tornado then increased in width and intensity around 7:20 pm. It damaged two houses and a pole barn, and destroyed a garage, shed, pole barn, and two grain bins.
The tornado crossed Illinois route 111 about a mile south of Waverly, and continued southeast across 1.5 miles of open farm land, before crossing into Sangamon County around 7:23 pm. After crossing the county line, the tornado damaged a pole barn, house and several trees, and destroyed a garage and another pole barn, and snapped several trees and power poles. The tornado traveled for another mile across open farmland before dissipating 8 miles west-southwest of Auburn around 7:25 pm.
This picture of the Waverly tornado is courtesy of storm chaser Skip Talbot.
Several other reports of severe weather occurred across central Illinois on May 30, especially along and just south of the I-72 corridor. These included tree damage from high winds, which gusted to near 70 mph in some areas. Hail of nickel to golfball size was also reported in several locations, and was as large as softballs near Philo (southeast of Champaign) and baseballs near New Berlin (west of Springfield) .
