National Weather Service Confirms EF-1 Tornado in New Athens

Tornado touched down for about a minute, causing damage to structures and trees

Mar. 16, 2026 at 4:51pm

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The National Weather Service has confirmed that a weak EF-1 tornado touched down just west of New Athens, Illinois on Sunday evening around 5:47 pm. The tornado remained on the ground for approximately one minute, with peak winds reaching around 90 mph, and caused damage to several structures and trees before lifting just east of the town.

Why it matters

Tornado touchdowns, even relatively weak ones, are significant weather events that can pose risks to public safety and property. Confirming the details of this tornado will help the National Weather Service improve its future severe weather warnings and preparedness efforts in the region.

The details

According to the National Weather Service, the tornado touched down just west of New Athens and remained on the ground for about a minute. The tornado had peak winds of around 90 mph and caused damage to a few structures and trees before lifting just east of the town. Meteorologists have to conduct on-site surveys to determine if damage was caused by a tornado or other severe weather phenomena like a microburst.

  • The tornado touched down around 5:47 pm on Sunday, March 16, 2026.
  • The tornado remained on the ground for approximately 1 minute.

The players

National Weather Service

The federal agency responsible for weather forecasting and issuing severe weather warnings in the United States.

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The takeaway

This tornado touchdown serves as a reminder of the importance of heeding severe weather warnings and being prepared for the possibility of tornadoes, even in relatively weak storms. The National Weather Service's efforts to confirm the details of this event will help improve future forecasting and preparedness in the region.