Alert archive / Illinois / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 25, NWS Indianapolis, IN

May 16, 1990Crawford County, Illinois

NWS Indianapolis, IN issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 16, 1990, 3:28 AM CDT for Crawford County, Illinois. It was in force for 32 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: May 16, 1990, 3:28 AM CDT (08:28 UTC)
Expired: May 16, 1990, 4:00 AM CDT
In force: 32 min
Issued by: NWS Indianapolis, IN
Area: Whole counties

County Crawford 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

Time	Report	Where	Remark
May 16, 3:35 AM CDT	Thunderstorm Wind 0	Crawford, 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

Paducah/Barkley, KY (KPAH), launched 00:00Z, 8.5 hours before the alert went out and 230 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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 KEVV 160828
SVREVV
ILC033-160900-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EVANSVILLE IN
328 AM CDT WED MAY 16 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN EVANSVILLE HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  400 AM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS
          ...CRAWFORD
 
AT 325 PM CDT...ILLINOIS STATE POLICE REPORTED THAT A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM HAD BLOWN WINDOWS OUT OF A HOME IN NEWTON ILLINOIS.
THIS STORM IS MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH...AND WILL MOVE INTO THE OBLONG
AND ROBINSON AREAS...65 MILES NORTHWEST OF EVANSVILLE BY 345 AM CDT.
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY.
 
A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA.  REMEMBER
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES
WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.  REMAIN CALM BUT BE ALERT TO
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM.  IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH YOU SHOULD
PREPARE FOR DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 58 MPH...LARGE HAIL...AND
DEADLY LIGHTNING.  SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO
PRODUCE A TORNADO. TAKE COVER INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT STAY
AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
RUNNELS

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 16, 12:11 AM CDT, 3 hours 17 minutes before

INZ007>013-160700Z

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
1205 AM EST WED MAY 16 1990

AN AREA OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS IN WEST CENTRAL INDIANA AT
MIDNIGHT. THE STORMS WERE FROM JUST NORTH OF CLINTON TO NEAR BRAZIL...
OR 20 MILES NORTH AND NORTHEAST OF TERRE HAUTE.

THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALSO AROUND RICHMOND IN EAST CENTRAL INDIANA.

ANAOTHER VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS IN EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS 20 MILES
NORTHEAST OF CHAMPAIGN. THIS STORM MAY REACH NORTHWEST INDIANA NEAR
BOSWELL AROUND 1215 TO 1230 AM.

THESE STORMS COULD PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS...SMALL AHIL AND VERY
HEAVY RAIN AND INTENSE LIGHTNING.

HEAVY RAIN WAS OVER SOUTHEAST INDIANA EAST OF A LOUISVILLE TO RICHMOND
LINE.                                                         ALLSOPP

Special weather statement, May 16, 1:04 AM CDT, 2 hours 24 minutes before

INZ004-005-007>013-160700Z

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
1258 AM EST WED MAY 16 1990

A VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS IN BENTON COUNTY AT 1250 AM. THE SHERIFFS
DEPARTMENT AT FOWLER REPORTED NEAR ZERO VISIBILITY IN HEAVY RAIN AND
STRONG WINDS AT 1245. THE STORM WAS CROSSING THE INTERCHANGE AT I-65
AND U.S. 231 JUST BEFORE 100 AM.

THE STORM WILL REACH REYNOLDS AND MONTICELLO BETWEEN 115 AND 130 AM.
THE STORM COULD PRODUCE SMALL HAIL...AND STRONG WINDS COULD DOWN
POWER LINES AND TREE LIMBS.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN WEST CENTRAL INDIANA FROM ATTICA TO
COVINGTON AND FROM NORTH OF GREENCASTLE TO THE WEST SIDE OF
INDIANAPOLIS.

THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING OUT OF EXTREME SOUTHEAST INDIANA INTO
SOUTHWEST OHIO.

ALLSOPP

Special weather statement, May 16, 1:28 AM CDT, 2 hours before

INZ004-005-007>009-160800Z

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
125 AM EST WED MAY 16 1990

AT 120 AM EST A VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR ALVIN ILLINOIS...
40 MILES WEST OF LAFAYEETE. THIS STORM WILL CROSS THE INDIANA BORDER
IN WARREN COUNTY AROUND 130AM.

THE STORM WILL PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN...INTENSE LIGHTNING...AND SMALL
HAIL. GUSTY WINDS MAY DOWN TREE LIMBS AND POWER LINES. THE STORM
WILL CROSS U.S. 41 BETWEEN W6ILLIAMSPORT AND CARBONDALE AROUND
145 AM.

ALLSOPP

ALLSOPP

Special weather statement, May 16, 1:56 AM CDT, 1 hour 32 minutes before

INZ004-005-007>009-160800Z

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
155 AM EST WED MAY 16 1990

AT 150 AM EST THUNDERSTORMS WERE DUMPING VERY HEAVY RAIN OVER PARTS
OF NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL INDIANA. THUNDERSTORMS WERE FROM
LOGANSPORT TO FRANKFORT TO JUST SOUTH OF DANVILLE ILLINOIS.

HEAVY RAIN WILL CAUSE SOME STREET FLOODING AND PONDING OF WATER IN
LOW AREAS IN COVINGTON...ATICA...AND LAFAYETTE. INTENSE LIGHTNING
WILL ALSO ACCOMPANY THE STORMS ALONG WITH GUSTY WINDS.

DRIVE CAREFULLY IN HEAVY RAIN. VISIBILITY MAY BE NEAR ZERO AT TIMES.
STANDING WATER ON ROADS MAY BE DIFFICULT TO SPOT AT NIGHT.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL SPREAD EAST INTO PERU...KOKOMO...CRAWFORDSVILLgE
AND NEWPORT BY 230 AM.

ALLSOPP

Special weather statement, May 16, 2:32 AM CDT, 56 minutes before

INZ004-005-007>009-160900Z

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
230 AM EST WED MAY 16 1990

AT 225 AM EST THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WERE FROM 20 MILES
NORTH OF TERRE HAUTE TO CRAWFORDSVILLE TO JUST EAST OF LAFAYETTE TO
DELPHI.

STATE POLICE REPORTED STANDING WATER ON INTERSTATE I-65 NORTH OF
LAFAYETTE AT 220 AM. PEA SIZE HAIL FELL NEAR WOLCOTT.

DRIVE CAREFULLY IN HEAVY RAIN. VISIBILITY MAY BE NEAR ZERO AT TIMES.
STANDING WATER ON ROADS MAY BE DIFFICULT TO SPOT AT NIGHT.

OTHER THUNDERSHOWERS WERE WIDESPREAD OVER MUCH OF CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST
INDIANA AND CONTINUED WEST INTO CENTRAL ILLINOIS. THUNDERSTORMS WILL
SPREAD EAST INTO GREENCASTLE...LEBANON...AND KOKOMO BY 330 AM.

ALLSOPP

Special weather statement, May 16, 3:18 AM CDT, 10 minutes before

INZ007>009-011-161000Z

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
315 AM EST WED MAY 16 1990

AT 310 AM EST RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS JUST WEST
OF THE INDIANA BORDER...20 MILES NORTHWEST OF TERRE HAUTE TO 30 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF TERRE HAUTE.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL REACH CLINTON AROUND 325 AM AND TERRE HAUTE BETWEEN
330 AND 340 AM. THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG WINDS
...HAIL AND TORRENTIAL RAIN.

OTHER STRONG STORMS WERE FROM JUST EAST OF CRAWFORDSVILLE TO KOKOMO.
THESE STORMS WILL MOVE THROUGH LEBANON...TIPTON AND MARION BY 4AM.

ALLSOPP

The office that day

Everything else NWS Indianapolis, IN issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 15, 8:55 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	IND	Lawrence, Wabash	50 min
May 16, 3:08 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	IND	Jasper	22 min
May 16, 10:16 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	IND	Lawrence, Richland, Wabash	4 hr
May 16, 10:16 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	IND	Edwards, Wayne	4 hr

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Illinois, 1990 Every 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.