Severe weather hit the Regional Radio listening area Wednesday afternoon into Wednesday evening, with high winds and damage in several areas.

Reports coming into the National Weather Service Office in Lincoln indicated many trees and power poles were blown down, and barns or barn roofs blown off, in the Maroa, Warrensburg, and Argenta areas of Macon County, as well as just across the Sangamon-Christian County line near Illiopolis.  

Ameren reported numerous power outages thru-out the Regional Radio listening area, including Decatur, Taylorville, Shelbyville, Mattoon, Windsor, and Gays just west of Mattoon where several power poles were snapped off due to high winds.

Several trained spotters across Central Illinois reported hail as large as an inch and a half in diameter, as well as winds as high as 60 miles an hour.

The weather should calm down and turn cool for at least the next week.