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Weather provides wild ride for residents

Posted January 07, 2008 10:00 pm

Frank Radosevich II and Scott Hilyard

The National Weather Service in Lincoln confirmed two tornadoes touched down briefly Monday evening as a line of violent thunderstorms rolled through central Illinois.

But while Monday night stayed wet and worrisome, most of the day consisted of high temperatures and calm skies. The mercury climbed statewide as Peoria flirted with setting a new record high on Monday - 30 minutes before sunrise - and surpassed the 1887 record later in the day. It was 59 degrees at 7 a.m. and 66 degrees at 2 p.m.

"We are dealing with some rather extreme weather conditions for January in central Illinois," weather service meteorologist Heather Stanley said. "It's all part of the pattern shift we're in. Last week in was one big wave of cold air. This week the wave pattern has shifted and we're in the warmer air."

Damage from the violent storms was minimal, the weather service said, even as hail and estimated 60 mph wind gusts struck parts of Tazewell County.

"(The tornadoes) were fast moving but had brief touch downs," meteorologist Kirk Huettl said. The rough weather passed through the area between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. at speeds of 40 to 60 mph.

One tornado in rural Topeka pulled an unanchored porch from a home about 4:40 p.m., leaving a 19-year-old man with minor cuts and bruises, the weather service said. The second reported tornado, spotted 2 miles southeast of Mackinaw about 5:20 p.m., destroyed a barn and damaged a nearby home.

Another funnel cloud was seen northwest of Armington, though it was not reported to have touched the ground. Peoria County sustained no major damage.

"They do happen, but it's rare to have them this far north," Huettl said of the two tornadoes. "It's like spring weather in the dead of winter."

The line of thunderstorms, stretching from St. Louis to Chicago, triggered a tornado warning for Tazewell, Woodford and northwestern McLean County and prompted meteorologists to issue a flood watch for 16 central Illinois counties late Monday that will remain in effect until 4 p.m. Tuesday.

It was warmer in Peoria Monday afternoon than it was in Las Vegas - by almost 20 degrees. It was the second straight day of record temperatures. The record for Jan. 7 in Peoria was 65 degrees, set in 1887.

Not fearing stinging winds and biting chills, residents headed outdoors in light jackets or short-sleeved shirts. Will and Janet Williams of Peoria enjoyed a morning tee-time at the Peoria Park District's Golf Learning Center on Radnor Road.

"This is really unbelievable," Janet Williams said between thwacks of a teed-up golf ball at the driving range. "We golf just about every day between March and November. But January? Unheard of."

The possibility of overnight thunderstorms is to give way today to periods of rain, falling temperatures and gusty winds upwards of 21 mph. Tonight is expected to be blustery and cold with Wednesday's and Thursday's high temperatures in the low to mid 40s. There is a chance of snow and rain on Thursday.

Frank Radosevich II can be reached at (309) 686-3142 or fradosevich@pjstar.com. Scott Hilyard can be reached at (309) 686-3244 or at shilyard@pjstar.com.

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