Alert archive / Illinois / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1987

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 72, NWS Lincoln, IL

August 16, 1987Logan County, Menard County, Sangamon County, Illinois

NWS Lincoln, IL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 16, 1987, 9:17 PM CDT for Logan County, Menard County, Sangamon County, Illinois. It was in force for 58 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Aug 16, 1987, 9:17 PM CDT (02:17 UTC)
Expired
Aug 16, 1987, 10:15 PM CDT
In force
58 min
Issued by
NWS Lincoln, IL
Area
Whole counties

Counties Logan County, IL, Menard County, IL, Sangamon County, IL

The radar

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

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Aug 16, 9:32 PM CDTThunderstorm Wind 70Sangamon, IL

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.

The nearest sounding before it

Peoria Regional, IL (KPIA), launched 00:00Z, 2.3 hours before the alert went out and 78 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, Peoria Regional, IL at 00:00Z on 1987-08-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2574 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, Peoria Regional, IL at 00:00Z on 1987-08-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 44 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
2574 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-5 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1422 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
32 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
44 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
185 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.7
Supercell composite
6.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KSPI 170217
SVRSPI
ILC129-167-107-170315-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED 
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL
917 PM CDT SUN AUG 16 1987

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1015 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING 
COUNTIES OF

CENTRAL ILLINOIS...MENARD...SANGAMON AND LOGAN

AT 910 PM CDT WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDER
STORMS FROM 30 MILES NORTH OF SPRINGFIELD TO 20 MILE WEST OF
SPRINGFIELD.

THE LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

IF YOU ARE IN AN AREA THREATENED BY THE STORM..GO TO A REINFORCED
SHELTER AND PREPARE FOR DAMAGING WIND...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY
RAIN AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

REMEMBER...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE
A TORNADO WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT.

THIS SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORM MAY CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL STREAMS
AND UNDERPASSES.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY.

 ATTN ISP DIST...9
 HILLIARD

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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, Aug 16, 3:51 PM CDT, 5 hours 26 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEORIA IL
350 PM CDT SUN AUG 16 1987

...TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES FOR WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS...

A TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR
HENDERSON AND HANCOCK COUNTINES IN WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAD BEEN REPORTED IN THESE COUNTIES UP
UNTIL 345 PM.

WARM..UNSTABLE AIR OVER NORTHERN MISSOURI..EASTERN IOWA AND
WESTERN ILLINOIS WAS AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT MOVING EAST THROUGH
IOWA.  THIS CONDITION COULD SEE A RAPID DEVELOPEMENT OF
THUNDERSTORMS OVER WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS BETWEEN 400 PM AND 600 PM.

KEEP AN EYE ON THE SKY FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPEMENT AND WATCH
TELEVISION OR LISTEN TO RADIO FOR ADDITIONAL STATsEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.

PALMER

ATTN ISP DIST 14
Special weather statement, Aug 16, 5:42 PM CDT, 3 hours 35 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEORIA IL
540 PM CDT SUN AUG 16 1987

...THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS SOUTH OF
BURLINGTON IOWA...

AT 535 PM..RADAR INDICATED A RAPIDLY DEVELOPING BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS
IN AN AREA FROM KIRKSVILLE MISSOURI TO OTTUMA IOWA TO BURLINGTON
IOWA AND BACK TO KIRKSVILLE.

THE BAND OF STORMS WAS MOVING EAST AT ABOUT 20 TO 25 MPH TOWARD THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND SHOULD BE EDGING INTO WESTERN ILLINOIS BY
AROUND 630 PM.

HANCOCK AND HENDERSON COUNTIES IN WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS ARE IN A
TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 1000 PM CDT.

PEOPLE IN THESE COUNTIES SHOULD STAY ALERT FOR THE APPROACH OF THESE
THUNDERSTORMS AND HAVE A PLAN OF SAFETY IN MIND SHOULD YOU NEED TO
QUICKLY MOVE TO A SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER.

THESE STORMS WILL BRING DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..POSSIBLE BRIEF
GUSTY WINDS TO 50 MPH..HAIL AND HEAVY RAIN.

PALMER

ATTN ISP DIST 14
Special weather statement, Aug 16, 6:54 PM CDT, 2 hours 23 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEORIA IL
655 PM CDT SUN AUG 16 1987

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM ENTERING WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS NEAR
   BURLINGTON IOWA...

AT 645 PM..RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM ON THE WEST
EDGE OF BURLINGTON IOWA.  THIS STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT
45 MPH AND WILL BE MOVING ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF OF HENDERSON
COUNTY AND THE COMMUNITY OF OQUAWKA BETWEEN 655 PM AND 730 PM.

PEOPLE IN THE NORTHERN HALF OF HENDERSON COUNTY SHOULD TAKE SHELTER
IN A SUBSTANTIAL BUILDING AS THIS STORM APPROACHES.  EXPECT FREQUENT
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..BRIEF GUSTY WINDS TO AROUND 50 MPH..HAIL AND
HEAVY RAIN.

OTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE ENTERING THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF
HANCOCK COUNTY SOUTH OF WARSAW ILLINOIS AND KEOKUK IOWA.  THESE STORMS
WERE ALSO MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH TOWARD CARTHAGE AND THE CENTRAL
AND EASTERN PARTS OF HANCOCK COUNTY.  PEOPLE IN THESE
AREAS SHOULD ALSO TAKE SHELTER IN A SUBSTANTIAL BUILDING
AS THESE STORMS APPROACH.

...HANCOCK AND HENDERSON COUNTIES REMAIN IN A TORNADO WATCH
UNTIL 900 PM CDT...

...MUCH OF THE REMAINDER OF NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS IS IN A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

PALMER

ATTN ISP DIS#TS 14 AND 7
Special weather statement, Aug 16, 7:39 PM CDT, 1 hour 38 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEORIA IL
740 PM CDT SUN AUG 16 1987

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS WEST OF GALESBURG
AND MACOMB...

AT 730 PM..RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN WEST CENTRAL
ILLINOIS BETWEEN MONMOUTH ILLINOIS AND BURLINGTON IOWA.

OTHER STRONG STORMS WERE FROM CARTHAGE ILLINOIS WHICH IS ABOUT
30 MILES WEST SOUTHWEST OF MACOMB SOUTHWEST TO QUINCY ILLINOIS.

THESE WERE PART OF A 10 MILE WIDE BAND OF STORMS THAT EXTENDED
FROM THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF ILLINOIS TO JUST EAST OF MOLINE
TO QUINCY AND INTO EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI.

THE BAND OF STORMS WAS MOVING EAST AT ABOUT 20 MPH WHILE THE
INDIVIDUAL STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..BRIEF GUST WINDS TO 45 OR 50 MPH..SMALL HAIL
AND HEAVY RAIN ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THESE STORMS.

PEOPLE IN HANCOCK..MC DONOUGH..WARREN..KNOX AND SCHUYLER COUNTIES
SHOULD TAKE SHELTER AS THESE STORMS APPROACH.  WINDS WILL BE STRONG
ENOUGH TO BREAK TREE BRANCHES AND CAUSE POSSIBLE DOWNING OF SOME
POWER AND TELEPHONE LINES.

A TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR HENDERSON AND HANCOCK
COUNTIES UNTIL 900 PM CDT.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF PNORTH CENTRAL
ILLINOIS UNTIL MIDNIGHT.

PALMER

ATTN ISP DISTS..7..8..14..AND 20
Special weather statement, Aug 16, 8:27 PM CDT, 50 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEORIA IL
825 PM CDT SUN AUG 16 1987

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS SOUTHWEST OF
   PEORIA...

AT 820 PM..RADAR INDICATED A 5 TO 10 MILE WIDE BAND OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS FROM ABOUT 35 MILES SOUTHWEST OF PEORIA ON THE
SOUTH EDGE OF CUBA EXTENDING TO RUSHVILLE AND PITTSFIELD.

THIS BAND OF STORMS WAS MOVING EAST AT ABOUT 25 TO 30 MPH AND
WILL BE MOVING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF FULTON COUNTY INTO
MASON AND SOUTHERN TAZEWELL COUNTIES BETWEEN 830 AND 930 PM.

BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IN A SUBSTANTIAL BUILDING AS THESE
STORMS APPROACH.  THEY WILL HAVE FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..
BRIEF GUSTY WINDS TO 45 TO 50 MPH..AND HEAVY RAIN.

...A TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT FOR
HANCOCK AND HENDERSON COUNTINES IN WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS...

...AND A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF
NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

OTHEzR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTEND IN A 35 MILE WIDE BAND
FROM JUST WEST OF PEORIA THROUGH BRADFORD AND PRINCETON INTO
NORTHERN ILLINOIS.

PALMER

ATTN ISP DISTS 7..8..9..14..17 AND 20
Special weather statement, Aug 16, 8:32 PM CDT, 45 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL
830 PM CDT SUN AUG 16 1987

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF
ILLINOIS NORTH OF PEORIA UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT...

AT 825 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERTORMS MOVING EAST INTO
CASS AND MORGAN COUNTIES ILLINOIS...NEAR MEREDOSIA AND NORTH OF
MEREDOSIA.  THESE WERE MOVING EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR AND MAY PRODUCE
STRONG WINDS...HEAVY RAIN...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY SOME HAIL.

OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM HARDIN TO CHANDLERVILLE
TO PEORIA AND ON INTO NORTHERN ILLINOIS. THESE WERE MOVING EAST AT
ABOUT 20 MILES AN HOUR.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...BE CAUTIOUS AND SEEK
SHELTER.

REEDY

The office that day

Everything else NWS Lincoln, IL issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 16, 10:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXDeWitt, Macon69 min
Aug 16, 10:31 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXMenard, Sangamon59 min
Aug 16, 10:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXChampaign, Piatt65 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Illinois, 1987Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1987

Sources

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