EF2 Tornado — Coles, Illinois

2025-03-14 · near Trilla, Coles, 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 and continuing for an additional 7.7 miles, where it also produced EF-2 damage. The tornado crossed into Coles County just over a half mile west of US Route 45. The tornado damaged several power poles along county road 1400N as it entered Coles County. As the tornado continued northeast, it completely destroyed seven grain bins, littering the adjacent farm fields with debris. Additional damage to grain bins, power poles, and trees occurred along the tornado path until it dissipated east of Lerna Road and south of east CR 450N, approximately 1.7 miles northwest of Lerna.

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 1240126. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.