National Weather Service Pushes Back Flood Watch End Time Through Late Tonight
An official record from the National Weather Service Chicago IL shows the flood watch now runs longer than first issued across four counties in Illinois and Indiana.
4 reports on this incident · first at Aug 19, 2026, 5:11 a.m. ET
Earlier reports
Aug 19, 2026, 5:27 a.m. ET
Flood Watch for Illinois' Livingston, Iroquois and Ford Counties and Indiana's Benton County
A Flood Watch covering Livingston, Iroquois and Ford counties in Illinois and Benton County in northwest Indiana takes effect Wednesday afternoon, according to the watch record issued by National Weather Service Chicago IL and carried in the National Weather Service's raw text product archive.
The record was issued at 2:56 AM CDT on August 19, 2026. The watch begins at 1 PM CDT (2 PM EDT) that afternoon and runs through 1 AM CDT on August 20, 2026 — described in the record as "from 1 PM CDT /2 PM EDT/ this afternoon through late tonight." Four zones are covered.
The record states that flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible across portions of Illinois, including Ford, Iroquois and Livingston counties, and northwest Indiana, including Benton County. Cities named in the watch area are Oxford, Pontiac, Gibson City, Paxton, Fowler, Dwight, Gilman, Watseka and Fairbury.
On expected impacts, the record says creeks and streams may rise out of their banks and that roads and streets may be flooded.
The watch record also sets out precautions: "A Flood Watch for flash flooding means rapid-onset flooding is possible, but not yet certain, based upon the latest forecasts. Flash flooding is a dangerous situation. Persons with interests along area rivers, creeks, and other waterways should monitor the latest forecasts and be prepared to take action should flooding develop."
Aug 19, 2026, 5:26 a.m. ET
Flood Watch Issued for Livingston, Iroquois and Ford Counties in Illinois and Benton County, Indiana
Creeks and streams may rise out of their banks, and roads and streets may be flooded across Livingston, Iroquois and Ford counties in Illinois and Benton County in northwest Indiana, according to the Flood Watch product issued by National Weather Service Chicago IL at 2:56 AM CDT on August 19, 2026. The record states that flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible across the four zones covered by the watch.
The National Weather Service record sets the watch to begin at 1:00 PM CDT on August 19, 2026 — described in the product as "From 1 PM CDT /2 PM EDT/ this afternoon through late tonight" — and to expire at 1:00 AM CDT on August 20, 2026. The area described in the record is "Portions of Illinois, including the following counties, Ford, Iroquois and Livingston and northwest Indiana, including the following county, Benton."
Cities listed in the watch area are Oxford, Pontiac, Gibson City, Paxton, Fowler, Dwight, Gilman, Watseka and Fairbury.
The same record explains that a Flood Watch for flash flooding means rapid-onset flooding is possible, but not yet certain, based upon the latest forecasts, and that flash flooding is a dangerous situation. Persons with interests along area rivers, creeks, and other waterways should monitor the latest forecasts and be prepared to take action should flooding develop, the National Weather Service says.
Aug 19, 2026, 5:11 a.m. ETFirst report
Flood Watch Up for Livingston, Iroquois and Ford Counties, Plus Benton County, Indiana
A Flood Watch is in force for three east-central Illinois counties and one county in northwest Indiana, where flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible.
The alert record issued by National Weather Service Chicago IL at 2:56 a.m. CDT on August 19, 2026, puts the watch in effect from 1:00 PM CDT /2:00 PM EDT/ that afternoon through 1:00 a.m. CDT on August 20, 2026 — described in the record as "from 1 PM CDT /2 PM EDT/ this afternoon through late tonight."
The watch covers four zones: Ford, Iroquois and Livingston counties in Illinois, and Benton County in northwest Indiana. Cities named in the record are Oxford, Pontiac, Gibson City, Paxton, Fowler, Dwight, Gilman, Watseka, and Fairbury.
On expected impacts, the record states: "Creeks and streams may rise out of their banks. Roads and streets may be flooded."
The weather service record also sets out what the alert level means: "A Flood Watch for flash flooding means rapid-onset flooding is possible, but not yet certain, based upon the latest forecasts. Flash flooding is a dangerous situation. Persons with interests along area rivers, creeks, and other waterways should monitor the latest forecasts and be prepared to take action should flooding develop."
The alert is published in the National Weather Service raw text product archive.
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Revision history
- Version 119 Aug 2026, 10:27current
First published.
- Version 119 Aug 2026, 09:26current
First published.
- Version 119 Aug 2026, 09:11current
First published.
- Version 119 Aug 2026, 09:27current
First published.
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