Flash Flood in Fulton County, Illinois

Torrential rainfall of 4.00 to 8.00 inches resulted in damage to nearly 2000 houses in the county. Several homes had to be evacuated in the town of London Mills. Every creek and stream in the county was flooded, which damaged a few levees and culverts. Nearly every road in the county was impassable, and numerous water rescues were made. This rainfall lead to record or near record flooding on the Spoon River from April 18th through the 24th.

A nearly stationary frontal boundary interacting with an unseasonably warm and moist airmass brought widespread showers and thunderstorms to parts of central Illinois from the later afternoon of April 17th through the morning of April 18th. Several rounds of thunderstorms impacted west-central and central Illinois producing torrential rainfall and major flash flooding along and west of a Rushville to Minonk line. Rainfall totals ranged from 5 to 8 inches across most of this area. In addition, periodic severe thunderstorms produced large hail and damaging winds.