Alert archive / Illinois / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 23, NWS Lincoln, IL
NWS Lincoln, IL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 16, 1990, 1:12 AM CDT for Christian County, Macon County, Sangamon County, Illinois. It was in force for 48 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- May 16, 1990, 1:12 AM CDT (06:12 UTC)
- Expired
- May 16, 1990, 2:00 AM CDT
- In force
- 48 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, 6.2 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.
- 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
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KSPI 160612
SVRSPI
ILC167-021-115-160700-
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL
112 AM CDT WED MAY 16 1990
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 200 AM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES
IN THE CENTRAL PART OF ILLINOIS
EASTERN SANGAMON...NORTHERN CHRISTIAN...WESTERN MACON
AT 106 AM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER SPRINGFIELD ILLINOIS
WITH A BRIEF WIND GUST TO 60 MPH AT CAPITAL AIRPORT.
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 ELECTRICALL EQUIPIMENT.
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY.
ATTN ISP DIST 9
PALMERWhat 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, 9:45 PM CDT, 3 hours 27 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, 2 hours 56 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 PALMERSpecial weather statement, May 15, 10:52 PM CDT, 2 hours 20 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, 2 hours 18 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
Special weather statement, May 15, 11:57 PM CDT, 1 hour 15 minutes before
ILZ009-010-160550- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL 1155 PM CDT TUE MAY 15 1990 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS... AT 1145 PM CDT...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER CENTRAL ILLINOIS FROM PONTIAC TO CHAMPAIGN TO VANDALIA TO ST. LOUIS TO 15 MILES EAST OF QUINCY ILLINOIS TO JUST SOUTH OF PEORIA. STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE 10 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST OF SPRINGFIELD ILLINOIS AND A LINE OF STRONG STORMS EXTENDED FROM JUST SOUTH OF MACOMB ILLINOIS TO 15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF QUINCY ON SOUTHWEST INTO MISSOURI. 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. RAINFALL AT CAPITAL AIRPORT IN THE PAST HOUR HAS BEEN 2.25 INCHES FROM 1130 PM TO MIDNIGHT. ATTN ISP DISTS 6...9..10..AND 18 PALMER
Special weather statement, May 16, 12:39 AM CDT, 33 minutes before
ILZ009-010-160700- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL 1235 AM CDT WED MAY 16 1990 ...SMALL STREAM AND URBAN FLOODING STATEMENT... AT 1230 AM CDT...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. THE HEAVIEST STORMS WERE EXTENDING FROM DECATUR TO VANDALIA... AND ANOTHER LINE OF VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS WAS ALONG THE ILLINOIS RIVER FROM 40 MILES SOUTHWEST OF PEORIA..TO 30 MILES NORTH OF ST. LOUIS. THESE STORMS ARE PRODUCING EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN...AND WITH THE GROUND ALREADY SATURATED FROM PREVIOUS RAINS...SMALL STREAM FLOODING IS POSSIBLE...IF NOT ALREADY OCCURRING. MANY VIADUCTS AND LOW LYING STREETS IN THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD ARE UNDERWATER. DO NOT DRIVE INTO AREAS OF STANDING WATER. THE WATER MAY BE DEEPER THAN IT APPEARS...AND CAN VERY EASILY CAUSE AN AUTO TO LOSE CONTACT WITH THE ROAD SURFACE. ANY TRAVEL NOT ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY SHOULD BE HELD OFF UNTIL THE WATER HAS TIME TO RUN OFF. ATTN ISP DISTS 6...9..10..AND 18 WAGNER
The office that day
Everything else NWS Lincoln, IL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 8:44 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ILX | Douglas | 31 min |
| May 15, 11:35 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX | Christian, Macon, Sangamon | 40 min |
| May 16, 3:07 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | ILX | Macon, Sangamon | 6 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.