EF1 tornado in Effingham County, Illinois

This tornado continued from Fayette County in National Weather Service St. Louis' County Warning Area (CWA). The tornado crossed into Effingham County 3.2 miles WNW of Altamont at 12:28 PM CST before tracking northeastward and dissipating 2.9 miles NNW of Altamont at 12:32 PM CST. About a dozen outbuildings were damaged and minor damage occurred to the roofs of 3 homes. Several power poles were blown down as well. The tornado dissipated near North 200th Street and East 1300th Avenue in rural Effingham County.

A powerful low pressure system tracked from the central Rockies toward the southern Great Lakes on November 17th. As the system approached central Illinois, unseasonably warm and humid air was pulled northward into the area, resulting in high temperatures soaring into the 70s. This very unstable airmass coupled with strong jet stream level winds aloft created numerous strong to severe thunderstorms. Many of the storms became supercells, producing damaging long-track tornadoes. A total of 10 tornadoes touched down across central Illinois, including an EF4 tornado that severely impacted the community of Washington in Tazewell County. Three people were killed and 142 others were injured as the storms tracked through the area. Total damage was estimated at 1.06 billion dollars across central Illinois.