Alert archive / Illinois / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 22, NWS Lincoln, IL

May 15, 1990Christian County, Macon County, Sangamon County, Illinois

NWS Lincoln, IL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 15, 1990, 11:35 PM CDT for Christian County, Macon County, Sangamon County, Illinois. It was in force for 40 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 15, 1990, 11:35 PM CDT (04:35 UTC)
Expired
May 16, 1990, 12:15 AM CDT
In force
40 min
Issued by
NWS Lincoln, IL
Area
Whole counties

Counties Christian County, IL, Macon 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Paducah/Barkley, KY (KPAH), launched 00:00Z, 4.6 hours before the alert went out and 299 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, Paducah/Barkley, KY at 00:00Z on 1990-05-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1196 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, Paducah/Barkley, KY at 00:00Z on 1990-05-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 88 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
1196 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-25 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1228 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
88 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
286 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.8
Supercell composite
7.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KSPI 160435
SVRSPI
ILC167-021-115-160515-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL
1135 PM CDT TUE MAY 15 1990

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1215 AM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING 
COUNTIES

   IN THE CENTRAL PART OF ILLINOIS
      EASTERN SANGAMON...NORTHERN CHRISTIAN...WESTERN MACON

AT 1127 PM CDT...WINDS BRIEFLY GUSTED TO 67 MPH AT CAPITAL AIRPORT
IN SPRINGFIELD ILLINOIS.  NEARLY CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND VERY
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 40 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.

INTENSE LIGHTNING IS REPORTED WITH THIS STORM. IF OUTDOORS...
STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS. MOVE INDOORS IF POSSIBLE. WHEN
INDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS. AVOID USING TELEPHONES
AND ELECTRICAL EQUIPIMENT.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY.

 ATTN ISP DIST 9
 PALMER

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, May 15, 7:17 PM CDT, 4 hours 18 minutes before
ILZ009-010-150115-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL
715 PM CDT TUE MAY 15 1989

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT FOR SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF
CENTRAL AND EASTERN ILLINOIS..
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR TONIGHT AND EARLY WEDNESDAY...

AT 715 PM CDT AN AVERAGE 80 MILE WIDE AREAOF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
EXTENDED FRO THE INDIANA BORDER AROUND DANVILLE TO THE MISSISSIPPI
RIVER SOUTHWEST OF BELLEVILLE. THE HEAVIEST RAIN WAS IN A NARROW BAND
FROM 30 MILES SOUTHEAST OF DECATUR TO 30 MILES SOUTHEAST OF VANDALIA.

THUNDERSTORMS THAT WERE PRODUCING HAIL AND HIGH WINDS HAVE DIMINISHED
AND THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR CHRISTION...SHELBY AND
MONTGOMERY COUNTIgES HAS EXPIRED.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE SPRINGFIELD WEATHER OFFICE
IN SPRINGFIELD DURING THE LAST HOUR.

FS
Special weather statement, May 15, 8:18 PM CDT, 3 hours 17 minutes before
ILZ009-010-160200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL
810 PM CDT TUE MAY 15 1989

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT FOR SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF
CENTRAL AND EASTERN ILLINOIS..
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR TONIGHT AND EARLY WEDNESDAY...

AT 805 PM CDT AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE WEST OF
LINE FROM JUST NORTHWEST OF CHAMPAIGN ILLINOIS TO TO 20 MILE EAST OF
VANDALIA THEN ON INTO SOUTHERN ILLINOIS.

THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN CLARK COUNTY NEAR MARTINS-
VILLE ILLINOIS.
THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS
CAUSING FLOODING...BRIEF STRONG GUSTY WINDS...HAIL...AND DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING.
NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE SPRINGFIELD WEATHER OFFICE
IN SPRINGFIELD DURING THE LAST HOUR.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9PM CDT FOR PORTIONS OF
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN ILLINOIS.

HILLIARD
Special weather statement, May 15, 9:45 PM CDT, 1 hour 50 minutes before
ILZ009-010-160300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL
935 PM CDT TUE MAY 15 1989

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN WESTERN ILLINOIS...

AT 935 PM CDT AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDS 40 MILES
EITHER SIDE OF A LINE FROM 15MILES WEST OF SPRINGFIELD TO 45 MILE
NORTHWEST OF ST. LOUIS MISSOURI.

JACKSONVILLE ILLINOIS POLICE IN MORGAN COUNTY REPORTED VERY HEAVY RAIN
WINDS TO AROUND 40 MPH AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.
S
THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AND NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

HILLIARD
Special weather statement, May 15, 10:16 PM CDT, 1 hour 19 minutes before
ILZ009-010-160345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL
1015 PM CDT TUE MAY 15 1989

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS NEAR SPRINGFIELD...

AT 1010 PM CDT A BAND OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS FROM 5 MILES SOUTH
OF MASON CITY ILLINOIS TO PETERSBURG TO 5 MILES WEST OF SPRINGFIELD TO
20 MILES WEST OF CARLINVILLE.   ANOTHER BAND OF STRONG STORMS WAS FROM
JUST SOUTH OF HAVANA ILLINOIS TO 15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF PITSFIELD.

THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH AND WILL
REACH FROM SAN JOSE ILLINOIS TO LINCOLN TO 15 MILES EAST OF SPRINGFIELD
TO CARLINVILLE BY ABOUT 1045 PM.

MENARD COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES REPORTED MARBLE SIZE HAIL EARLIERn AT
OAKFORD AND AT PETERSBURG.  THESE STORMS ALSO HAVE DANGEROUS CONTINOUS
LIGHTNING.
               ATTN ISP DISTS 9 AND 18       PALMER
Special weather statement, May 15, 10:52 PM CDT, 43 minutes before
ILZ009-010-160450-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL
1050 PM CDT TUE MAY 15 1989

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS...

AT 1045 PM CDT...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER CENTRAL ILLINOIS FROM
SOUTH OF PEORIA TO NEAR BLOOMINGTON TO CHAMPAIGN SOUTHWEST TO ST. LOUIS
TO QUINCY BACK TO SOUTH OF PEORIA.

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER LOGAN COUNTY NORTHWEST OF SPRINGFIELD
NEAR ATLANTA ILLINOIS AND JUST NORTH OF MT. PULASKI.  OTHER STRONG STORMS
WERE 35 MILES WEST AND 30 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SPRINGFIELD.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

THESE STORMS ARE PRODUCING DANGEROUS FREQUENT TO CONTINUOUS LIGHTNING
HEAVY RAINS...SMALL HAIL AND BRIEF GUSTY WINDS TO 45 MPH.

IF A THUNDERSTORM IS NEARBY...TAKE SHELTER IN A SUBSTANTIAL BUILDING.
DO NOT USE THE TELEPHONE OF ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNTIL THE STORM
HAS PASSED TO PREVENT POSSIBLE ELECTROCUTION BY LIGHTNING.

ATTN ISP DISTS 6...9..10..AND 18

PALMER
Special weather statement, May 15, 10:54 PM CDT, 41 minutes before
ILZ009-010-160450-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT................CORRECTION TO YEAR....
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL
1050 PM CDT TUE MAY 15 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS...

AT 1045 PM CDT...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER CENTRAL ILLINOIS FROM
SOUTH OF PEORIA TO NEAR BLOOMINGTON TO CHAMPAIGN SOUTHWEST TO ST. LOUIS
TO QUINCY BACK TO SOUTH OF PEORIA.

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER LOGAN COUNTY NORTHWEST OF SPRINGFIELD
NEAR ATLANTA ILLINOIS AND JUST NORTH OF MT. PULASKI.  OTHER STRONG STORMS
WERE 35 MILES WEST AND 30 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SPRINGFIELD.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

THESE STORMS ARE PRODUCING DANGEROUS FREQUENT TO CONTINUOUS LIGHTNING
HEAVY RAINS...SMALL HAIL AND BRIEF GUSTY WINDS TO 45 MPH.
IF A THUNDERSTORM IS NEARBY...TAKE SHELTER IN A SUBSTANTIAL BUILDING.
DO NOT USE THE TELEPHONE OF ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNTIL THE STORM
HAS PASSED TO PREVENT POSSIBLE ELECTROCUTION BY LIGHTNING.

ATTN ISP DISTS 6...9..10..AND 18

PALMER

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 15, 8:44 PM CDTTornado WarningILXDouglas31 min
May 16, 1:12 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXChristian, Macon, Sangamon48 min
May 16, 3:07 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningILXMacon, Sangamon6 hr

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Illinois, 1990Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1990

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.