An unseasonably warm and humid airmass was in place across central Illinois on February 28th...with afternoon high temperatures soaring to record levels in the upper 60s and lower 70s.  Thanks to these extremely warm temperatures and dewpoints surging into the upper 50s and lower 60s, Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE) values exceeded 1500J/kg across Missouri and the western half of Illinois by late afternoon.  In addition, a strong mid-level jet streak enhanced 0-6km wind shear to an impressive 60-70kt.  While the airmass within the warm sector was initially capped, an approaching upper wave helped weaken the cap and set the stage for strong to severe thunderstorms into the evening.  As a cold front pushed across the Mississippi River, supercell thunderstorms initiated across west-central Illinois during the late afternoon and lingered into the evening.  These storms produced a total of 4 tornadoes in the National Weather Service Lincoln County Warning Area (CWA), including an EF-3 tornado that touched down west of Washburn in Woodford County.  Other storms produced scattered reports of large hail and damaging winds across the area.

Hail in KNOX, ILLINOIS
From 28-FEB-17 21:20:00 to 28-FEB-17 21:25:00 (CST-6)
Location: GILSON
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue

Tornado in PEORIA, ILLINOIS
From 28-FEB-17 17:10:00 to 28-FEB-17 17:11:00 (CST-6)
Location: DUNLAP
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A tornado briefly touched down in an open field about 3.6 miles east of Dunlap at 5:10 PM CST.  No damage occurred.

Hail in MCLEAN, ILLINOIS
From 28-FEB-17 23:05:00 to 28-FEB-17 23:10:00 (CST-6)
Location: BLOOMINGTON
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Hail in KNOX, ILLINOIS
From 28-FEB-17 17:04:00 to 28-FEB-17 17:09:00 (CST-6)
Location: WILLIAMSFIELD
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue

Hail in PEORIA, ILLINOIS
From 28-FEB-17 16:58:00 to 28-FEB-17 17:03:00 (CST-6)
Location: PRINCEVILLE
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Hail in MCLEAN, ILLINOIS
From 28-FEB-17 22:53:00 to 28-FEB-17 22:58:00 (CST-6)
Location: BLOOMINGTON
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Hail in CASS, ILLINOIS
From 28-FEB-17 21:45:00 to 28-FEB-17 21:50:00 (CST-6)
Location: BEARDSTOWN
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in MENARD, ILLINOIS
From 28-FEB-17 22:12:00 to 28-FEB-17 22:17:00 (CST-6)
Location: OAKFORD
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Hail in PEORIA, ILLINOIS
From 28-FEB-17 16:45:00 to 28-FEB-17 16:50:00 (CST-6)
Location: ELMWOOD
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: County Official

Hail in KNOX, ILLINOIS
From 28-FEB-17 16:10:00 to 28-FEB-17 16:15:00 (CST-6)
Location: ALTONA
Magnitude: 1.25 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Hail in CLAY, ILLINOIS
From 28-FEB-17 20:01:00 to 28-FEB-17 20:06:00 (CST-6)
Location: XENIA
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Hail in SHELBY, ILLINOIS
From 28-FEB-17 18:45:00 to 28-FEB-17 18:50:00 (CST-6)
Location: SHELBYVILLE
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 800.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Hail in CLAY, ILLINOIS
From 28-FEB-17 19:54:00 to 28-FEB-17 19:59:00 (CST-6)
Location: XENIA
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Hail in PEORIA, ILLINOIS
From 28-FEB-17 17:04:00 to 28-FEB-17 17:09:00 (CST-6)
Location: EDELSTEIN
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Tornado in MARSHALL, ILLINOIS
From 28-FEB-17 17:31:00 to 28-FEB-17 17:49:00 (CST-6)
Location: WILBERN
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Property damage: 500.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

The tornado crossed from Woodford County into Marshall County at 5:31 PM CST.  It tracked northeastward through southern Marshall County...destroying outbuildings and damaging house roofs and trees, as it widened to about 600 yards southwest of La Rose.  The tornado weakened in southeast Marshall County as it crossed I-39 west of Rutland, then crossed into LaSalle County in the National Weather Service Chicago County Warning Area (CWA) at 5:49 PM CST.

Tornado in STARK, ILLINOIS
From 28-FEB-17 16:12:00 to 28-FEB-17 16:19:00 (CST-6)
Location: CASTLETON
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 100.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A tornado touched down 0.8 miles southwest of Castleton at 4:12 PM CST.  The tornado then tracked northeastward...damaging trees, an outbuilding, and a few homes before crossing into extreme southwestern Bureau County in the National Weather Service Davenport County Warning Area (CWA) at 4:19 PM CST.

Tornado in PEORIA, ILLINOIS
From 28-FEB-17 17:15:00 to 28-FEB-17 17:17:00 (CST-6)
Location: EDGEWATER TERRACE
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Property damage: 75.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A weak tornado touched down 0.9 miles west-southwest of Rome at 5:15 PM CST.  The tornado tracked through Rome, before lifting just before reaching the Illinois River at 5:17 PM CST.  Minor damage occurred to a few buildings and several trees.

Hail in MCLEAN, ILLINOIS
From 28-FEB-17 23:00:00 to 28-FEB-17 23:05:00 (CST-6)
Location: BLOOMINGTON
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Hail in CLAY, ILLINOIS
From 28-FEB-17 20:07:00 to 28-FEB-17 20:12:00 (CST-6)
Location: XENIA
Magnitude: 1.25 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Tornado in WOODFORD, ILLINOIS
From 28-FEB-17 17:26:00 to 28-FEB-17 17:31:00 (CST-6)
Location: LOW PT
Tornado F-scale: EF3
Property damage: 1.50M
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A tornado touched down in an open field about 3.7 miles west of Washburn in extreme northern Woodford County at 5:26 PM CST.  The tornado broke windows and did roof damage to a house and destroyed several outbuildings about a mile from its origin.  The tornado rapidly widened to more than 1/4 mile across and increased in intensity to EF-3 as it destroyed a house about 2.5 miles west of Washburn.  One mile to the east, the tornado tore the roof off a house before moving into Washburn.  The tornado damaged 8 houses in town...doing significant damage to roofs, garages, automobiles, and trees before crossing into extreme southern Marshall County at 5:31 PM CST.

Thunderstorm Wind in WOODFORD, ILLINOIS
From 28-FEB-17 22:25:00 to 28-FEB-17 22:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: DEER CREEK
Magnitude: 61.00 EG
Property damage: 15.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

A semi was blown over on I-74 east of Deer Creek.

Hail in SCHUYLER, ILLINOIS
From 28-FEB-17 21:38:00 to 28-FEB-17 21:43:00 (CST-6)
Location: RUSHVILLE
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Hail in SCOTT, ILLINOIS
From 28-FEB-17 16:40:00 to 28-FEB-17 16:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: ALSEY
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Hail in KNOX, ILLINOIS
From 28-FEB-17 15:18:00 to 28-FEB-17 15:23:00 (CST-6)
Location: ALTONA
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Hail in PEORIA, ILLINOIS
From 28-FEB-17 17:15:00 to 28-FEB-17 17:20:00 (CST-6)
Location: CHILLICOTHE
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager