EF0 tornado in Sangamon County, Illinois

The tornado touched down about 1.5 miles west of Pawnee Junction

near the I-55 exit, then traveled east across I-55 affecting

Commanche Village and the town of Pawnee before dissipating

0.75 miles southeast of Pawnee. During its time on the ground it

produced mainly EF0 tree damage, along with minor damage to home

soffits and roofs. No injuries were reported during its 5.7 mile

path.

Several rounds of significant convection impacted central Illinois on June 17th, 2026. Clusters of thunderstorms initially formed on the nose of a strong low-level jet streak across Iowa during the pre-dawn hours, then tracked southeastward along a warm frontal boundary into central Illinois through midday. Scattered damaging wind gusts were reported in north-central Illinois, with the most concentrated corridor of 60-70 mph winds focused along a Galesburg, to Peoria, to Chenoa line.

Thunderstorms re-developed along a remnant outflow boundary from the morning convection by mid to late afternoon, with the most intense cells materializing along and south of a Springfield to Paris line where several tornadoes occurred and hail larger than baseballs (3 diameter) was reported across portions of Moultrie, Douglas, and Coles counties. An EF2 tornado impacted the Mattoon to Charleston area, and an EF3 tracked just north of Effingham.