EF2 Tornado — Cumberland, Illinois

2025-03-14 · near Neoga, Cumberland, Illinois

Event narrative

An EF-2 tornado began on the southeast side of Neoga, tracking through Cumberland County for 5.2 miles before continuing into Coles County for an additional 7.7 miles, where it also produced EF-2 damage. The tornado began south of county road 1000N, then moved into the southeast side of Neoga where it damaged the roof of a home, the roof of the high school, and caved in the front door of the elementary school. From there, it moved northeast and damaged a grain bin near the US Route 45 and I-57 intersection. Two injuries occurred to semi-truck drivers as their vehicles were overturned on I-57 at the US-45 exit. As the tornado continued northeast, additional damage occurred to trees, power poles, and farm outbuildings. Just south of the Cumberland-Coles County line, the tornado produced EF-2 damage to a home where large sections of the roof structure were removed. The tornado crossed into Coles County just over a half mile west of US Route 45.

Wider weather episode

A potent low pressure system progressed across the Midwest on Friday, March 14, 2025. Ahead of this system, temperatures soared nearly 30 degrees above normal with high temperatures reaching the low 80s across central Illinois. Into the evening and overnight hours, a cold front swept across Illinois, with a line of severe thunderstorms developing ahead of the front. These storms produced widespread damaging straight-line winds and eight tornadoes within the NWS Lincoln County Warning Area, all of which occurred in eastern Illinois. Two of these tornadoes were rated EF-2: one in Moultrie and Piatt counties, and another in Cumberland and Coles counties. The latter of these resulted in two injuries.

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Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1240125. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.