A sudden early afternoon storm blasted part of Jacksonville, snapping utility poles, downing trees and traffic lights, and plunging several thousand into darkness.
Witnesses reported seeing a funnel cloud about 12:25 p.m. Saturday as intense winds pounded a 1½-mile stretch in the vicinity of West Morton Avenue between U.S. 67 and Massey Lane.
Winds were strong enough to topple a cargo trailer in a West Morton Avenue parking lot.
The Storm Prediction Center listed it as a wind event, one of eight reported in Illinois as thunderstorms moved through Saturday.
“The best indication we have is that a corridor of damaging straight line winds impacted parts of Jacksonville,” according to the National Weather Service office in Lincoln.
Meteorologists said the wind occurred on the back side of a decaying line of showers.
“Observers indicated the wind damage occurred after the rain ended. We received pictures and videos of the damage, and coordinated with the [Jacksonville/Morgan County Office of Emergency Management]. A picture of a funnel cloud was received east of Jacksonville around 12:34 p.m., but it did not appear to touch down or be associated with the damage,” according to the weather service.
Radar gave no indication of a tornado, WCIA News meteorologist Jacob Dickey said.
“The combination of an unsupportive radar image and the high-based skinny funnel … leads me to believe if this is confirmed tornado damage, it’s from a landspout tornado,” he posted on social media. “A landspout tornado is a type of tornado not associated with a rotating updraft of a storm. That explains [why] radar never saw it.”
Such an occurrence is “quite unusual, but not unheard of,” he said.
At its peak, several thousand people were without electricity, including a number of Jacksonville businesses. Power was restored to most houses within a few hours and to most businesses by about 4:30 p.m.
Repair work took longer. A snapped electrical pole and traffic signal blocked the main entrance to Walmart and Jacksonville firefighters responded to a handful of calls involving downed trees.
No injuries were reported, however.
The storms may be a preview of the start of the week in west-central Illinois.
Severe thunderstorms are possible Monday and Tuesday with the potential for damaging wind gusts of 60 mph or greater and hail 1 inch in diameter or larger, according to the National Weather Service in Lincoln. The timing of the storms both days is morning for west of Interstate 55 and evening west of the interstate.
“Multiple rounds of severe thunderstorms will move into the region Monday, bringing a primary threat of damaging winds and large hail. This hazardous weather impacts west-central Illinois starting Monday morning but could extend through the night,” according to the weather service. “Severe storms remain a threat Tuesday afternoon and evening, targeting areas near and south of Interstate 72. Heavy morning cloud cover introduces high uncertainty, which may dictate the ultimate strength and position of the Tuesday afternoon/evening storms.”