Lake Wind Advisory in Effect Sunday for Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois Lakes
Boaters on five lakes across Missouri, Kentucky, and Illinois face dangerous conditions Sunday as a Lake Wind Advisory brings gusts up to 30 mph through 7 p.m. CDT.
PADUCAH, KENTUCKY — The National Weather Service in Paducah issued a Lake Wind Advisory Saturday night for several lakes across Missouri, Kentucky, and Illinois, warning boaters of hazardous conditions expected to persist through Sunday evening. The advisory took effect at noon CDT Sunday and remains in place until 7:00 p.m. CDT June 21, 2026.
South winds of 10 to 20 mph with gusts reaching up to 30 mph are expected to generate strong winds and rough waves across affected waterways, creating dangerous conditions for small watercraft, according to the National Weather Service.
Lakes Under the Advisory
The Lake Wind Advisory covers five bodies of water across three states. In Illinois, Crab Orchard Lake and Rend Lake are included. In Kentucky, Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley fall under the warning. Lake Wappapello in Missouri is also affected.
The National Weather Service cautioned that small craft operators should avoid venturing out onto these lakes during the advisory period, as the combination of strong winds and rough waves poses serious hazards.
Region Already Hit by Severe Weather This Week
This advisory follows a week of significant weather activity across the same region monitored by the NWS Paducah office. On June 17, a Wind Advisory was in effect until 8:00 p.m. CDT for portions of southern Illinois, southwest Indiana, western Kentucky, and southeast Missouri, where southwest winds of 20 to 30 mph and gusts up to 45 mph were recorded.
That advisory warned residents that gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects, knock down tree limbs, and cause scattered power outages, according to the National Weather Service.
Severe Thunderstorms Struck June 16
The week’s severe weather began June 16, when the National Weather Service in Paducah issued multiple Severe Thunderstorm Warnings for parts of southeastern Missouri and southern Illinois between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. CDT.
At 5:59 p.m. CDT, radar detected a severe thunderstorm near Perryville, Missouri, moving southeast at 30 mph. That storm threatened Perryville, Longtown, and Lithium with 60 mph wind gusts and quarter-size hail.
By 6:11 p.m. CDT, the warning had been expanded to cover northwestern Union County and southwestern Jackson County in southern Illinois, along with eastern Perry County and north central Cape Girardeau County in southeastern Missouri. The storm near Perryville, now moving southeast at 25 mph, carried half-dollar-size hail and 60 mph wind gusts. Communities threatened at that time included Perryville, Grand Tower, Altenburg, Frohna, Gorham, Longtown, and Old Appleton.
Two subsequent warnings updated the storm’s track as it continued southeast. At 6:26 p.m. CDT, the storm was located near Altenburg, still threatening Grand Tower, Altenburg, Frohna, Gorham, Longtown, and Old Appleton. A final update at 6:38 p.m. CDT placed the storm over Altenburg, moving southeast at 30 mph, with impacts expected in Grand Tower, Altenburg, and Frohna. All warnings cited the risk of hail damage to vehicles and wind damage to roofs, siding, and trees.
Residents near Lake Wappapello and other affected waterways are advised to monitor updated forecasts from the National Weather Service in Paducah for any changes to Sunday’s Lake Wind Advisory before heading out on the water.
