Alert archive / Illinois / Tornado Warnings in 1986

Tornado Warning 19, NWS Paducah, KY

July 1, 1986Franklin County, Illinois

NWS Paducah, KY issued this tornado warning at Jul 1, 1986, 5:28 PM CDT for Franklin County, Illinois. It was in force for 47 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 1, 1986, 5:28 PM CDT (22:28 UTC)
Expired
Jul 1, 1986, 6:15 PM CDT
In force
47 min
Issued by
NWS Paducah, KY
Area
Whole counties

County Franklin County, IL

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

The nearest sounding before it

Salem-Leckrone, IL (KSLO), launched 12:00Z, 10.5 hours before the alert went out and 73 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Salem-Leckrone, IL at 12:00Z on 1986-07-01Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1991 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Salem-Leckrone, IL at 12:00Z on 1986-07-01The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 57 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
1991 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-9 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
566 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
23 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
57 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
59 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KPAH 012230
TORPAH
ILC055-012315-

BULLETIN EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
528 PM CDT TUE JUL 01 1986

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE   
UNTIL 615  PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE  COUNTY OF FRANKLIN               

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS..FRANKLIN

AUTHORITIES/PUBLIC HAVE SIGHTED A TORNADO
NEAR BENTON IN FRANKLIN COUNTY ILLINOIS MOVING TO THE EAST.

PERSONS IN FRANKLIN COUNTY SHOULD TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY..ESPECIALLY
IN AND NEAR   BENTON          ILLINOIS.

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO...YOU SHOULD GO TO A BASEMENT
SHELTER IF AVAILABLE.  OTHERWISE GO TO A CENTRAL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE
LOWEST FLOOR POSSIBLE.  ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOR A REINFORCED
BUILDING.

RAMSDELL

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 1, 2:35 PM CDT, 2 hours 53 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
235 PM CDT TUE JUL 01 1986

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 325 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT
FOR PARTS OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI..SOUTH ILLINOIS AND WEST KENTUCKY...

AT 230 PM CDT WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT PADUCAH KENTUCKY INDICATED
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AND SOUTH ILLINOIS..WITH A FEW
SCATTERED SHOWERS OVER WEST KENTUCKY.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN A LINE 20 MILES WIDE WHICH EXTENDED FROM 35
MILES NORTHWEST OF CAPE GIRARDEAU MISSOURI WHICH IS NEAR PERRYVILLE IN
PERRY COUNTY MISSOURI THROUGH MARION ILLINOIS TO 25 MILES EAST OF
OWENSBORO KENTUCKY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE THE LEADING OR SOUTH EDGE
OF A LARGER AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT EXTENDS NORTH INTO
CENTRAL ILLINOIS.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 30 MPH. DAMAGING
WINDS..PERIODS OF HEAVY..RAIN DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND HAIL ARE
POSSIBLE AS THESE THUNDERSTORMS MOVE ACROSS AN AREA.

PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO SEEK
SAFE SHELTER SHOULD THREATENING WJEATHER APPROACH.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL TELEVISIOS OR RADIO STATIONS
FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

RAMSDELL
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 2:39 PM CDT, 2 hours 49 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EVANSVILLE IN
235 PM CDT TUE JUL 1 1986

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS
..ALL OF SOUTHWEST INDIANA AND A PART OF NORTHWEST KENTUCKY..UNTIL 9 PM
CDT.

AT 230 PM CDT..THERE WERE SEVERAL LARGE..STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTH
EAST ILLINOIS..AND PARTS OF SOUTHWEST INDIANA AND WESTERN KENTUCKY.

IN SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS..THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THUNDERSTORMS..WITH REPORTED
STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND VERY HEAVY RAIN WERE FROM FAIRFIELD..IN WAYNE
COUNTY .. TO MARION.   IN SOUTHWEST INDIANA..STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE
JUST EAST OF THE WABASH RIVER..FROM PRINCETON TO THE VICINITY OF MT.
VERNON../.THESE WERE MOVING TOWARD EVANSVILLE AT ABOUT 25 TO 30 MILES AN
HOUR.

IN WESTERN KENTUCKY..STRONG THUNDERSTOMS WERE FROM OWENSBORO TO HAWES-
VILLE..AND IN THE GREATER LOUISVILLE AREA.                  WILLIAMS
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 3:30 PM CDT, 1 hour 58 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
325 PM CDT TUE JUL 01 1986

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 325 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT
FOR PARTS OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI..SOUTH ILLINOIS AND WEST KENTUCKY...

AT 325 PM CDT WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT PADUCAH KENTUCKY INDICATED
THUNDERSTORMS SCATTERED ACROSS SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AND SOUTH
ILLINOIS..WITH ONE SHOWER IN WEST KENTUCKY NEAR MURRAY.

IN SOUTH ILLINOIS..THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PART OF A LARGE AREA OF
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WHICH EXTENDED FROM HARDIN COUNTY ILLINOIS
WHICH IS 40 MILES NORTHEAST OF PADUCAH KENTUCKY..TO NEAR EVANSVILLE
INDIANA AND NORTH TO NEAR SALEM IN MARION COUNTY ILLINOIS.

IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI..THE HEAVIER THUNDERSTORMS WERE PART OF AN AREA
THAT EXTENDED FROM 50 MILES SOUTHEAST OF ST LOUIS TO 80 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF ST LOUIS MISSOURI.

THE THUNDERSTORMS APPEAR TO BE DECREASING SLIGHTLY IN INTENSITY BUT
SPREADING IN AREA COVERED AS THEY MOVE TO THE EAST AT 30 MPH.

PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO SEEK
SAFE SHELTER SHOULD THREATENING WJEATHER APPROACH.

REMEMBER..A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS THAT SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
ARE POSSIBLE IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL TELEVISION OR RADIO STATIONS
FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

RAMSDELL
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 4:35 PM CDT, 53 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
425 PM CDT TUE JUL 01 1986

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 325 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT
FOR PARTS OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI..SOUTH ILLINOIS AND WEST KENTUCKY...

AT 420 PM CDT WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT PADUCAH KENTUCKY INDICATED
THUNDERSTORMS PREVIOUSLY IN THE EASTERN PART OF SOUTH ILLINOIS HAD
MOVED MOSTLY OUT OF THE STATE. HOWEVER THE AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS IN
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI HAD SPREAD INTO WESTERN PARTS OF SOUTH ILLINOIS.

IN SOUTH ILLINOIS..THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER MOST OF
WASHINGTON..PERRY AND RANDOLPH COUNTIES.

IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI..THE HEAVIER THUNDERSTORMS WERE JUST TO THE
NORTHWEST OF POPLAR BLUFF IN BUTLER COUNTY..OVER WAYNE AND BOLLINGER
COUNTIES AND SHOULD BE APPROACHING CAPE GIRARDEAU AND STODDARD COUNTY
AREAS WITHIN THE HOUR.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 35 MPH. PERIODS OF HEAVY
RAIN..DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND HAIL ARE POSSIBLE AS THESE THUNDERSTORMS
MOVE ACROSS AN AREA. DUE TO THE RELATIVLY FAST FORWARD MOVEMENT OF THE
THUNDERSTORMS..DAMAGING WINDS IN THE 40 MILE AN HOUR RANGE ARE
PROBABLE.

PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO SEEK
SAFE SHELTER SHOULD THREATENING WEATHER APPROACH.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL TELEVISION OR RADIO STATIONS
FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

RAMSDELL
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 4:40 PM CDT, 48 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EVANSVILLE IN
335 PM CDT TUE JUL 1 1986

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS
..ALL OF SOUTHWEST INDIANA AND A PART OF NORTHWEST KENTUCKY..UNTIL 9 PM
CDT.

AT 430 PM CDT..THERE WERE ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS..A FEW OF THEM STRONG
IN SOUTHWEST INDIANA..SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS AND WESTERN KENTUCKY.

THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE BETWEEN OWENSBORO KENTUCKY AND TELL
CITY INDIANA..ALSO ONE NEAR CORYDON KENTUCKY..TO THE SOUTH OF HENDERSON.
IN ILLINOIS THERE WAS A STRONG THUNDERSTORM JUST NORTHWEST OF LAWRENCE-
VILLE.

IN ADDITION TO THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS THERE WERE WIDELY SCATTERED
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OF LESSER INTENSITY THROUGHOUT THE TRI-STATE
AREA..AND SEVERAL AREAS OF LIGHT RAIN.
.
ALL OF THE SHOWERS..THUNDERSTORMS AND AREAS OF LIGHT RAIN WERE
MOVING TO THE EAST AT ABOUT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

THERE WAS A GENERAL DECREASE IN THE INTENSITIES OF MOST OF THE
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS BETWEEN 330 AND 430 PM CDT.
WILLIAMS
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 4:41 PM CDT, 47 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EVANSVILLE IN
440 PM CDT TUE JUL 1 1986

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS
..ALL OF SOUTHWEST INDIANA AND A PART OF NORTHWEST KENTUCKY..UNTIL 9 PM
CDT.

AT 430 PM CDT..THERE WERE ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS..A FEW OF THEM STRONG
IN SOUTHWEST INDIANA..SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS AND WESTERN KENTUCKY.

THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE BETWEEN OWENSBORO KENTUCKY AND TELL
CITY INDIANA..ALSO ONE NEAR CORYDON KENTUCKY..TO THE SOUTH OF HENDERSON.
IN ILLINOIS THERE WAS A STRONG THUNDERSTORM JUST NORTHWEST OF LAWRENCE-
VILLE.

IN ADDITION TO THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS THERE WERE WIDELY SCATTERED
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OF LESSER INTENSITY THROUGHOUT THE TRI-STATE
AREA..AND SEVERAL AREAS OF LIGHT RAIN.
.
ALL OF THE SHOWERS..THUNDERSTORMS AND AREAS OF LIGHT RAIN WERE
MOVING TO THE EAST AT ABOUT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

THERE WAS A GENERAL DECREASE IN THE INTENSITIES OF MOST OF THE
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS BETWEEN 330 AND 430 PM CDT.
WILLIAMS

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Illinois, 1986Every tornado warning in 1986Tornadoes in 1986

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.