Peoria, Ill. (WMBD) — Scattered strong to severe thunderstorms developed across Central Illinois on Thursday bringing damaging winds, hail and heavy rain to the region.
Fulton and McDonough Counties were the hardest hit as a few rounds of severe thunderstorms brought large hail and damaging winds to the area. One storm dropped golf ball size hail to Table Grove and half dollar size hail to Vermont in Fulton County.
Closer to Peoria the storms weren’t quite as strong, but one storm brought nickel to quarter size to areas from Peoria to Toluca.
Strong winds brought down a few trees and power lines across McDonough and Fulton Counties leading to hundreds of customers without power. In neighboring Schuyler County, severe wind gusts destroyed a few sheds and outbuildings in the small village of Littleton.
Parts of Fulton and McDonough Counties also saw heavy rain which lead to flooding in fields and county roads. Radar estimates that a few areas along and west of the Illinois River received 1-2 inches of rain, particularly in western Fulton and McDonough Counties.
The forecast calls for more storms next week with some severe weather possible on Tuesday and Wednesday. Once again, conditions could be favorable for damaging winds, large hail, heavy rain and perhaps a few tornadoes.
