A strong line of severe thunderstorms cross South Central Illinois at mid-afternoon Wednesday, but the only damage reported was some down tree limbs and one reported power line down in Iuka.
Strong straight line winds were the main concern with the storm system that resulted in a number of severe thunderstorm warnings being issued, but the top wind gust recorded at the Alma Weather Station of 49 miles per hour occurred at 11:29 Wednesday morning ahead of the storm system.
The Salem Water Plant recorded 61-hundredths of an inch of rain. The Centralia Water Plant recorded 56-hundredths of an inch of rain.
The rain filled Raccoon Lake to 1.3 inches below the spillway causing one gate to be opened eight inches on Thursday morning not enough to cause any downstream flooding concerns.
The Salem Reservoir is now 2.5 inches above the spillway.
Before the rain, temperatures at the Salem Water Treatment Plant set a new record high of 72 degrees, breaking the old record of 71 set in 2017.
Meanwhile, in the Chicago area, over 92,000 were still without power Thursday morning as a result of an ice storm that brought down power lines as well as trees. Roads were also slick and dangerous in the original aftermath of the storm.
A colorful sunset after severe storms moved out of the region Wednesday afternoon. Photo by Amy Mathena.
