Counties to the north and south of Wayne County appeared to take the brunt of severe storms that moved through the region Monday night, prompting tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings.
While Wayne County experienced brief strong winds, small hail in some areas and heavy rainfall at times, neighboring counties reported more significant impacts, including downed trees, blocked roadways, and widespread power outages.
In Edwards County, officials responded to a large tree that fell across both lanes of Illinois Route 130 at 600N, temporarily blocking traffic. The roadway was cleared and reopened just before 1:30 a.m.
Despite the storms, Wayne-White Electric Cooperative in Fairfield reported no major power outages locally as of 3:41 a.m. However, surrounding counties—including Jefferson, Hamilton, Gallatin, and Franklin—did see customers without electricity.
Rainfall totals in Wayne County were notable, with WFIW studios recording approximately 1.54 inches of rain over a 12-hour period.
Emergency crews in Marion County tracked the storm as it moved across the area, beginning near Sandoval. Authorities reported strong winds and a large tree down in the 2200 block of Tonti Road, though no structural damage was noted.
Power outages were more significant in other parts of the region. Ameren reported 193 customers without power in Central City following the storm, along with several downed power lines. An additional 116 customers in the Walnut Hill area were also affected.
In Clinton County, outages were more widespread, with Ameren reporting approximately 414 customers without power between Carlyle and Hoffman.
The Clinton County Sheriff’s Department reported significant storm damage in several communities, including Trenton, Germantown, Beckemeyer, Bartelso, and Carlyle. Despite the damage, no major injuries or fatalities were reported as emergency crews worked through the night to assess conditions and provide assistance.
Further south, Jackson County saw around 2,500 residences without power, while Southeastern Illinois Electric reported more than 1,000 customers affected in Saline County.
Crews across the region continue cleanup and restoration efforts as damage assessments remain ongoing.