![NOAA NWS](https://cdn.arcgis.com/sharing/rest/content/items/c3c979052c58420ebf9a1fa7fa6b7468/resources/H_uMPDXQ7g6O4cEPAk3iF.png?w=200)
A History of the Central Illinois National Weather Service
November 27, 1993:
Groundbreaking is held at the Logan County Airport outside of Lincoln, Illinois, for a new National Weather Service office. The "Weather Forecast Office" is part of the NWS's modernization efforts, and will replace the nearby existing offices in Peoria and Springfield. Construction begins the following month.
![Groundbreaking for Lincoln NWS office](https://cdn.arcgis.com/sharing/rest/content/items/1b750414ce9b41c2acab6839147cb782/resources/1600373755521.png?w=20)
November 1994:
The new NWS Weather Forecast Office in Lincoln is accepted by the government. Initial staff was limited to only a few people, and thus did not have any operational responsibilities.
![Early picture of the NWS office, before full-time operations began](https://cdn.arcgis.com/sharing/rest/content/items/1b750414ce9b41c2acab6839147cb782/resources/1600369200540.png?w=20)
February 9, 1995:
Upper-air equipment from the NWS office in Paducah, KY, is moved to Lincoln. The first upper-air observation in Lincoln is taken on the 15th. Observations are taken twice a day. Because this is the only function of the office at the time, it is not staffed 24 hours a day.
![Installation of the tracking antenna](https://www.weather.gov/images/ilx/Office_History/ua_build.jpg)
April 1995:
Construction begins on the WSR-88D Doppler radar at the Logan County Airport.
May 9, 1995:
A tornado passes approximately 2 miles southeast of the new Lincoln NWS office, visible to several staff members at the office. The early stages of this tornado are also visible from the Springfield NWS office, when the tornado is northwest of the city.
May 14, 1995:
The first 5 meteorologists report to the Lincoln NWS office. Since warning and forecast responsibilities remain at the Peoria and Springfield offices, these 5 forecasters train on the new WSR-88D radar system and on future forecasting responsibilities.
September 26, 1995:
Equipment is moved from the NWS offices in Peoria and Springfield to the new Lincoln office. The transfer also includes warning responsibility for 10 counties that had been covered by the Peoria NWS office, 18 counties covered by the Springfield office, 2 counties covered by the St. Louis office, and 5 counties from the Evansville, IN, NWS. Programming of the Peoria, Springfield and Champaign NOAA Weather Radio stations also is transferred to Lincoln. The Lincoln NWS office is initially responsible for severe weather warnings and local short-term forecasts for 35 counties.
January 3, 1996:
The new WSR-88D Doppler radar is officially commissioned.
April 1, 1996:
The Lincoln NWS office assumes responsibility for aviation forecasts for airports at Peoria, Springfield, Decatur, and Champaign. These were previously issued by the Chicago NWS office. A forecast for the Bloomington airport is added in February 2005.
October 17, 1997:
The Lincoln NWS Internet home page makes its debut.
June 1998:
Installation of the Console Replacement System (CRS) begins. CRS, nicknamed "NOAA Weather Radio 2000," is designed to replace the labor-intensive, magnetic tape system used for the NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts, by utilizing a synthesized voice and a computer-based console. Phase-in of the automated broadcasts takes place the following winter.
September 12, 1998:
The Lincoln NWS conducts an open house of its facilities. Approximately 1,000 people take advantage of a beautiful day to tour the office.
November 16, 1998:
The Advanced Weather Information Processing System (AWIPS) is installed at the Lincoln NWS office. AWIPS allows for greatly increased monitoring capabilities of weather, satellite, and computer model data by forecasters.
July 6, 1999:
The Lincoln NWS assumes public forecast responsibility for its 35 counties in central Illinois. These forecasts were previously issued by the Chicago NWS office.
July 23, 2007:
Balloon tracking equipment is upgraded to utilize Global Positioning Satellites instead of radio signals. Computers involved in the tracking are upgraded from vintage 1985 models to state-of-the-art PC's. This is part of the nationwide modernization of the upper-air observation network.
September 29, 2007:
The Lincoln NWS conducts its first open house in 9 years. Approximately 700 visitors tour the facility and watch special balloon launches.
October 2012:
The Lincoln WSR-88D radar is upgraded with dual polarization technology, the most significant upgrade to the radar since it was installed in 1995.
April 14, 2015:
The second generation of the AWIPS software (AWIPS-2) is installed.
July 12, 2016:
The next generation of the NOAA Weather Radio software, the Broadcast Message Handler (BMH), replaces the 1998-vintage Console Replacement System. BMH integrates the NWR into the AWIPS-2 system, rather than being a separate computer network.
September 27, 2020
The NWS office observes its 25th anniversary of full-time operations.