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Storms leave damage in central Illinois

Sherman Tornado 1
Landon Moeller
Tornado damage in Sherman

A stormy day on Friday included a tornado that is believed to have struck part of the village of Sherman in Sangamon County, damaging several homes and businesses. County authorities say there was also reports of additional structural damage in Riverton, Dawson and other locations.

Sheriff Jack Campbell said the only storm related injury reported so far was from a traffic accident. The person suffered what are believed to be non-life-threatening injuries.

Storm damage in Sherman
Landon Moeller
Storm damage in Sherman

A horse breeder in the area said several animals were loose due to fence damage.

The storm system that spawned numerous tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings also brought heavy rain that produced flooding in several communities.

Large hail and damaging winds were reported. Many area residents reported downed trees and power lines, resulting in numerous outages.

Brad Schaive with the Laborers International Union was among those called out to help. The Laborers Disaster Response Team, which also includes the Operating Engineers, brought heavy equipment to use for cleanup and other needs.

Several storm chasers said the Sherman tornado was rain wrapped, making it difficult to see as it approached.

Radar showing rotation in the storm that struck Sherman
NWS Lincoln
Radar showing rotation in the storm that struck Sherman

National Weather Service Preliminary Storm Report from Friday 3/31/23

0525 1.25 INCH HAIL CHAPIN

0527 PM TORNADO CHAPIN 39.77N 90.40W - SPOTTER SAW TORNADO ON THE GROUND.

0535 PM TORNADO 5 N JACKSONVILLE AIRPORT - TRAINED SPOTTER
POSSIBLY DROVE THROUGH TORNADO. SAID THERE WAS STRONG WINDS AND POSSIBLE DEBRIS AS IT PASSED.

0542 PM 1.00 INCH HAIL JACKSONVILLE - ONE HALF MILE FROM MORTON AVE EXIT ON I-72.

0545 PM 1.75 INCH HAIL W PRENTICE

0554 PM TORNADO SHERMAN- TRAINED SPOTTER SAW WHAT LOOKS LIKE A TORNADO 20 MILES WSW OF SHERMAN.

0604 PM 0.75 INCH HAIL ATHENS

0610 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 SW DELAVAN - POWER POLE AND LINES BLOWN DOWN AT 1817 MORRIS MILL ROAD.

0610 PM TSTM WND DMG WASHINGTON - POWER LINES AND TREE BLOWN DOWN ON ROAD AT 22219 GROSENBACH RD.

0615 PM TORNADO SHERMAN - TORNADO ON GROUND NEAR COUNTRY MARKET IN SHERMAN.

0619 PM TORNADO RIVERTON - STORM CHASER REPORTING A STOVE - PIPE TORNADO TOUCHDOWN N OF TACO JOHNS OUTSIDE OF RIVERTON THAT HIT SEVERAL HOMES. SAW SEVERE DAMAGE ON THE HOMES WHILE TRAVELLING E ON I-72.

0626 PM TORNADO DAWSON - DAWSON FPD REPORTING TORNADO TOUCHDOWN ON ROUTE 36/172 OVERPASS.

0628 PM TORNADO SHERMAN - HEAVY DAMAGE TO STRUCTURES IN SHERMAN BY OLD BUSINESS 55 BY FIRE STATION.

0629 PM TORNADO DAWSON - SANGAMON IL FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
REPORTING AND CONFIRMED BY FIRE DEPARTMENT ROUTE 36 AND WASHINGTON IN DAWSON HIT BY TORNADO.

0638 PM TORNADO 6 SSW MOUNT PULASKI - HAM RADIO OPERATOR REPORTING THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ON SCENE OF DAMAGE NEAR 6 MILES SSW OF MT. PULASKI. 2 SHEDS, 2 GRAIN BINS DAMAGED. ADJACENT HOME HAS BROKEN WINDOWS.

0647 PM TSTM WND GST LATHAM - M65 MPH LOGAN IL EMERGENCY MNGR

0647 PM TORNADO LATHAM - LOGAN IL EMERGENCY MNGR - ROOF DAMAGE TO SEVERAL BUILDINGS IN LATHAM.

0651 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 3 ENE LATHAM - UNCONFIRMED FUNNEL AT LINCOLN MEMORIAL PARKWAY AND POLAND RD IN MACON COUNTY.
DEPUTY WAS UNABLE TO CONFIRM DUE TO RAIN.

0655 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 1 WNW MORRISONVILLE - TRAINED SPOTTER
SPOTTER REPORTING CYCLING FUNNELS WITH WALL CLOUD 1 MILE WEST OF MORRISONVILLE.

0701 PM TORNADO E DAWSON - SPOTTER REPORTING TORNADO AND DEBRIS ON TELSTAR AND SCULLY RD JUST E OF DAWSON.

0706 PM TORNADO MORRISONVILLE - SPOTTER REPORTING REPEATED BRIEF TOUCHDOWNS OF SMALL ROPE TORNADO N OF MORRISONVILLE.

0713 PM TORNADO 2 SE TAYLORVILLE AIRPORT - 20 POWER POLES BLOWN DOWN ALONG THE TAYLORVILLE NOKOMIS BLACKTOP SOUTH OF
TAYLORVILLE TOWARD THE POWER SUB-STATION.

0733 PM HAIL N TAYLORVILLE - 1.25 INCH CHRISTIAN IL PUBLIC

0742 PM HAIL 3 S STONINGTON - 1.00 INCH CHRISTIAN IL TRAINED SPOTTER

0751 PM HAIL SE MOUNT ZION - 1.25 INCH MACON IL TRAINED SPOTTER

0758 PM HAIL 1 SSE MOUNT ZION - 1.25 INCH MACON IL PUBLIC REPORT FROM MPING: HALF DOLLAR (1.25 IN.).

03/31/2023 MASON IL TRAINED SPOTTER CORRECTS PREVIOUS TORNADO REPORT FROM MANITO. LOCATION UPDATED TO BE 5.5 MILES NW
OF MANITO. NO EF RATING IS AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. BRIEF TORNADO TOUCHDOWN NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF STATE PARK RD AND SPRING
LAKE RD.

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