An outflow boundary from early morning convection across Iowa and a lake-enhanced boundary from Lake Michigan combined to create a cluster of strong to severe thunderstorms across north-central Illinois during the afternoon and evening of May 6th.  The storms primarily impacted locations along and northeast of a Henry...to Rantoul...to Danville line.  One cell spawned an EF0 tornado southwest of Hoopeston in Vermilion County, while other storms produced strong winds that derailed part of a train near Toluca in Marshall County. In addition, very heavy rain produced flash flooding in northeast Vermilion County during the evening.

Hail in MARSHALL, ILLINOIS
From 06-MAY-12 14:24:00 to 06-MAY-12 14:25:00 (CST-6)
Location: HENRY
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in VERMILION, ILLINOIS
From 06-MAY-12 16:06:00 to 06-MAY-12 16:07:00 (CST-6)
Location: HOOPESTON
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in MARSHALL, ILLINOIS
From 06-MAY-12 14:20:00 to 06-MAY-12 14:21:00 (CST-6)
Location: HENRY
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in MARSHALL, ILLINOIS
From 06-MAY-12 14:20:00 to 06-MAY-12 14:21:00 (CST-6)
Location: HENRY
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Hail in VERMILION, ILLINOIS
From 06-MAY-12 16:17:00 to 06-MAY-12 16:18:00 (CST-6)
Location: ROSSVILLE
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

Hail in VERMILION, ILLINOIS
From 06-MAY-12 16:10:00 to 06-MAY-12 16:11:00 (CST-6)
Location: HOOPESTON
Magnitude: 2.50 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in VERMILION, ILLINOIS
From 06-MAY-12 16:24:00 to 06-MAY-12 16:25:00 (CST-6)
Location: HOOPESTON
Magnitude: 2.50 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Thunderstorm Wind in MARSHALL, ILLINOIS
From 06-MAY-12 14:45:00 to 06-MAY-12 14:50:00 (CST-6)
Location: TOLUCA
Magnitude: 70.00 EG
Property damage: 900.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Strong thunderstorm winds derailed approximately 30 train cars about 1.5 miles east of Toluca in Marshall County.

Flash Flood in VERMILION, ILLINOIS
From 06-MAY-12 17:00:00 to 06-MAY-12 22:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: EAST LYNN
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Nearly 3.00 of rain fell in northeast Vermilion County within 90 minutes during the early evening. Streets and rural roads from Hoopeston to 3 miles west of Hoopeston, and along Illinois Route 9 to the Indiana border were impacted by more than a foot of water.

Hail in VERMILION, ILLINOIS
From 06-MAY-12 16:30:00 to 06-MAY-12 16:31:00 (CST-6)
Location: HOOPESTON
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Thunderstorm Wind in VERMILION, ILLINOIS
From 06-MAY-12 17:20:00 to 06-MAY-12 17:25:00 (CST-6)
Location: NEWELL
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

A tree was blown down across Winter Avenue a quarter of a mile east of Bowman Avenue.

Thunderstorm Wind in MARSHALL, ILLINOIS
From 06-MAY-12 14:30:00 to 06-MAY-12 14:35:00 (CST-6)
Location: TOLUCA
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 8.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Power lines were blown down in Toluca.

Thunderstorm Wind in VERMILION, ILLINOIS
From 06-MAY-12 16:58:00 to 06-MAY-12 17:03:00 (CST-6)
Location: HOOPESTON
Magnitude: 61.00 EG
Property damage: 12.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Power poles were blown down near the junction of highways 1 and 9 near Hoopeston.

Thunderstorm Wind in CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS
From 06-MAY-12 16:15:00 to 06-MAY-12 16:20:00 (CST-6)
Location: RANTOUL
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 12.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Power lines were blown down in Rantoul.  In addition, an SUV window was broken.

Tornado in VERMILION, ILLINOIS
From 06-MAY-12 16:18:00 to 06-MAY-12 16:23:00 (CST-6)
Location: EAST LYNN
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Property damage: 65.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

A tornado touched down about 3.2 miles west-southwest of Hoopeston at 5:18 PM CDT.  The tornado tracked eastward, destroying a grain silo, throwing a grain auger into a 20 X 40 shed, and ripping shingles off two houses before lifting 1.1 miles southwest of Hoopeston at 5:23 PM CDT.

Hail in KNOX, ILLINOIS
From 06-MAY-12 13:23:00 to 06-MAY-12 13:24:00 (CST-6)
Location: VICTORIA
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter