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Weather

Blog Posts

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Read article: Summer cools down but stays stormy
Summer cools down but stays stormy
Monthly report by Trent Ford,...
Two tornadoes touch down over plains
Read article: Watch out for Twisters! (Not the movie)
Watch out for Twisters! (Not the movie)
At the time I’m writing this, Twisters, the sequel to the cow-flying film Twister released in 1996, just hit the movie theatres....
Stormy clouds moving across a windmill in a Midwest pasture.
Read article: Warm spring and a hot and active start to summer
Warm spring and a hot and active start to summer
This month's weather information from Trent Ford, Illinois State Climatologist, 217-244-1330,  twford@...
a weather map
Read article: An occluded front is the beginning of the end
An occluded front is the beginning of the end
Most people who read this blog know most of the symbols on a weather map, such as warm and cold fronts, high- and low-pressure areas, and stationary...

News Releases

A tornado in a field with a graphic of a warning sign with a tornado on it.
Help protect your community as a trained storm spotter
BENTON, Ill. – In preparation for peak weather season, Illinois Extension is partnering with the Franklin County Emergency Management Agency and the US National Weather Service-Paducah to offer storm...

Videos

Electrical Hazards During and After a Storm

It is important to prepare in advance for a severe storm or natural disaster. Gathering emergency kit items, having a communication plan in place and knowing when, how and where to take shelter saves lives. It is easy to be complacent about storms or think that they won’t strike close to home....

Caught in a Storm: Lightning Safety

As the sun heats the air, energy is created with air movement, and lightning typically comes from towering storm clouds. Fortunately, accidents involving lightning are very avoidable. Safe Electricity has the following suggestions to stay safe from the dangers of lightning:

  • There...

Staff

Duane Friend

Duane Friend

State Master Naturalist Coordinator and Climate Change Specialist