Tornado Outbreak of April 2, 2006
Severe weather reports around the area
Storm surveys by the National Weather Service and emergency personnel indicated that 25 tornadoes touched down across central Illinois, on April 2. The tornadoes caused 5 injuries, including 3 near the Decatur airport, 1 in Taylorville and 1 near Riverton.
These tornadoes formed on the leading edge of a squall line of severe thunderstorms. As the squall line raced northeast at 60 mph through Central Illinois, producing straight-line wind damage, small circulations developed which produced the frequent, mainly small, short-lived tornadoes. The 24 tornadoes in Central Illinois all occured in less than a 2 hour period between 5:46 PM and 7:27 PM with the strongest being an F2 tornado in Macon with 120 mph winds.
Information on each of the tornadoes follows. Click on links for more specific survey results.
| Time | County | Location | Details |
| 5:46 to 5:48 | Sangamon | 4 miles southwest of Loami | Path length 0.5 mile, width 200 yards. F1 intensity (80 mph). Knocked down 12 power poles and large trees. |
| 5:49 to 5:53 | Sangamon | Just north of Berlin to 1.5 miles northeast of Berlin | Path length 2 miles, width 100 yards. F1 intensity (100 mph). Destroyed a grain bin and 2 pole barns, and damaged a third pole barn. |
| 5:56 to 5:59 | Sangamon | 2 miles north of Chatham | Path length 1 mile, width 100 yards. F1 intensity (80 mph). Caused roof damage to a number of homes. |
| 5:58 to 6:01 | Sangamon | Springfield (southwest side): Koke Mill/Wabash Ave. intersection to just northeast of White Oaks Mall |
Path length 1 mile, width 100 yards. F1 intensity (80 mph). Caused damage to businesses and light poles. |
| 5:59 to 6:00 | Sangamon | 2 miles southwest of Pawnee |
Path length 1.25 miles, width 50 yards. |
| 6:06 to 6:08 | Sangamon | Springfield (southeast side): Ash St/Dirksen Pkwy intersection to Long Bridge Trail |
Path length 3/4 mile, width 50 yards. F1 intensity (80 mph). Caused roof damage and crossed I-55 near the IDOT building. |
| 6:08 to 6:16 | Christian | 6 miles west-southwest of Taylorville to 1 mile north of downtown Taylorville | Path length 6.3 miles, width 300 yards. F1 damage (90-100 mph). Caused extensive damage to businesses and homes. *** 1 injury *** |
| 6:13 to 6:16 | Sangamon | 2 miles southeast of Riverton to 2 miles south-southeast of Riverton | Path length 1.5 miles, width 100 yards. F1 intensity (110 mph). Caused significant damage to mobile home park. *** 1 injury *** |
| 6:14 to 6:20 | Shelby, Christian | 3 miles north-northwest of Oconee to 1 mile east-northeast of Pana | Path length 5.5 miles, width 150 yards. F1 intensity (75-90 mph). Caused damage to trees and buildings. |
| 6:17 | Christian | 4 miles northeast of Taylorville | Path length 0.1 mile, width 50 yards. F0 intensity. |
| 6:20 to 6:21 | Christian | East side of Assumption | Path length 1 mile, 100 yards wide. F1 intensity (75-90 mph). Caused damage to businesses and trees. |
| 6:22 | Menard | Greenview | Path length 1/4 mile, 40 yards wide. F0 intensity (60 mph). Sighted by spotter and caused minor siding damage to home. |
| 6:30 | Macon | East of Niantic |
Path length 0.1 mile, 30 yards wide. |
| 6:30 to 6:34 | Macon | 1 mile southwest of Macon to 4 miles east of Macon | Path length 4.5 miles, width 300 yards. F2 intensity (115-120 mph). Completely destroyed 6600 square foot barn and damage a house roof and trees. |
| 6:32 to 6:33 | Logan | 2.5 miles southeast of Lincoln to 3 miles east-southeast of Lincoln | Path length 1 mile, 80 yards wide. F0 intensity (60-70 mph). Damaged a barn and grain storage bin and blew down a large tree. Tornado sighted by eyewitness with ground scouring along track. |
| 6:36 to 6:39 | Logan | 1.25 miles west southwest of Chestnut to 1.25 miles north of Chestnut | Path length 2.5 miles, 50 yards wide. F0 intensity (60-70 mph). Roof damage to several barns with a few trees down and shingle damage to several homes |
| 6:36 to 6:45 | Macon | 1.5 miles southwest of Elwin to 1 mile south of Decatur Airport | Path length 7.5 miles, width 150 yards. F1 intensity (90-100 mph). Damaged sheds, snapped power poles, damaged roofs of businesses. *** 3 injuries *** |
| 6:42 to 6:43 | Cumberland | Neoga | Path length 0.75 miles, width 100 yards. F0 intensity (70 mph) Roof damage to school and blew down several large trees. |
| 7:01 | De Witt | 2 miles north-northeast of Weldon | Path length 0.1 mile, width 30 yards. F0 intensity (60 mph). No damage. Sighted by spotter. |
| 7:08 | McLean | South of Towanda | Path length 0.1 mile, 30 yards wide. F0 intensity (60 mph). No damage. Sighted by spotter. |
| 7:12 to 7:13 | McLean, Woodford | 2 miles southwest of Kappa 1.5 miles southwest of Kappa | Path length 1/2 mile, 50 yards wide. F0 intensity (70 mph). Caused damage to pole barn. |
| 7:13 to 7:16 | McLean | 5 to 4 miles south of Arrowsmith | Path length 1 mile, 50 yards wide F1 intensity (100 mph) Destroyed a 35 foot high barn with one piece blown 1.5 miles north of farm. Destroyed three 60 foot concrete grain silos. Tore part of metal roof off a barn. |
| 7:15 | Champaign | Champaign: Oak St., west of Assembly Hall and south of Kirby Ave. | Path length 0.1 mile, width 30 yards. F0 intensity (60 mph). No damage. Sighted by University police. |
| 7:22 to 7:23 | McLean, Livingston | 3 miles west of Gridley to 2 miles west-northwest of Gridley | Path length 2.25 miles, width 50 yards. F0 intensity (70 mph). |
| 7:25 to 7:27 | Champaign | Flatville | Path length 1/4 mile, width 50 yards. F0 intensity (70 mph). Caused minor structural damage. |
Fujita Scale:
- F0: 40 to 72 mph
- F1: 73 to 112 mph
- F2: 113 to 157 mph
- F3: 158 to 207 mph
- F4: 208 to 260 mph
- F5: 261 to 318 mph
