Alert archive / Illinois / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 2, NWS Chicago, IL

March 13, 1990McHenry County, Illinois

NWS Chicago, IL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 13, 1990, 3:24 PM CST for McHenry County, Illinois. It was in force for 36 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 13, 1990, 3:24 PM CST (21:24 UTC)
Expired
Mar 13, 1990, 4:00 PM CST
In force
36 min
Issued by
NWS Chicago, IL
Area
Whole counties

County McHenry 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

Green Bay/Straub, WI (KGRB), launched 12:00Z, 9.4 hours before the alert went out and 241 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, Green Bay/Straub, WI at 12:00Z on 1990-03-13Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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, Green Bay/Straub, WI at 12:00Z on 1990-03-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 1 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1706 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
31 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
1 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
45 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KCHI 132124
SVRCHI
ILC111-132230-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
324 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 430 PM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING 
COUNTY

   IN THE NORTHEAST PART OF ILLINOIS
      WESTERN MCHENRY

 AT 3 15 PM TREE AND BARN DAMAGE WAS REPORTED AT GENOA...25 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF ROCKFORD ILLINOIS. THE STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 40 MILES AN HOUR. TOWNS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM PRODUCING
THIS DAMAGE INCLUDE UNION AND WOODSTOCK.

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

PURPURA
 ATTN ISP 2

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, Mar 13, 11:47 AM CST, 3 hours 37 minutes before
ILZ-001-002-131830

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ROCKFORD IL
11 38 AM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING OUT OF SOUTHERN BOONE COUNTY...
...STRONG THUNDERSTORM ALSO MOVING INTO CENTRAL DE KALB COUNTY...

AT 11 25 AM CST...RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER THE
SOUTHEASTERN PORTION OF BOONE COUNTY...ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
BELVIDERE OR ABOUT 20 MILES SOUTHEAST OF ROCKFORD. MARBLE SIZED HAIL
WAS REPORTED IN THIS STORM BY THE BOONE COUNTY SHERRIFS DEPARTMENT.
THE STROM WAS MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH...INTO SOUTHWESTERN
MC HENDRY COUNTY.
ANORTHER STORM WAS ALSO MOVING INTO CENTRAL DEKALB COUNTY FROM NORTH-
EASTERN LEE COUNTY. THE ILLINOIS STATE POLICE REPORTED PEA SIZED HAIL
WITH THIS STORM AROUND 8 MILES SOUTH OF ROCHELLE...OR ABOUT 28 MILES
SOUTH OF ROCKFORD. PERSONS IN CENTRAL DE KALB COUNTY CAN EXPECT SMALL
HAIL AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS FROM THIS THUNDERSTORM DURING THE NEXT HALF
HOUR.

ATTN ISP DIST...1.
SANDERS
Special weather statement, Mar 13, 11:49 AM CST, 3 hours 35 minutes before
ILZ003-151900-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
11 45 AM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

AT 11 45 AM A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 8 MILES WEST OF CRYSTAL
LAKE ILLINOIS OR 45 MILES NORTHWEST OF DOWNTOWN CHICAGO WITH HAIL.

THIS STORM WAS MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH AND THE FOLLOWING
TOWNS OF WAUCONDA...LIBERTYVILLE...WAUKEGAN ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS
STORM.

MORRISON
Special weather statement, Mar 13, 11:53 AM CST, 3 hours 31 minutes before
ILZ003-151900-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
11 53 AM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

AT 11 45 AM A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED JUST NORTH OF ODELL IN
NORTHERN LIVINGSTON COUNTY OR ABOUT 35 MILES WEST OF KANKANKEE. HAIL
IS LIKELY WITH THIS STORM AS IT MOVES EAST NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

THE STORM IS MOVING TOWARD UNION HILL AND SHOULD PASS JUST NORTH OF
KANKAKEE.

MORRISON
Special weather statement, Mar 13, 3:08 PM CST, 16 minutes before
ILZ-001-002-132200

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ROCKFORD IL
305 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT TIL 8PM CST FOR PORTIONS
   OF NORTHWEST ILLINOIS...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT TIL 8 CST THIS EVENING FOR
THE FOLLOWING NORTHWEST ILLINOIS COUNTIES...JO DAVIESS..STEPHENSON..
CAROLL..AND WHITESIDE.

AT 305 CST THIS AFTERNOON AREA RADARS SHOWED NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS
COVERING MUCH OF IOWA..SOUTHERN WISCONSIN..AND NORTHWEST ILLINOIS.
MOST OF THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 30 TO 40 MPH.

A NUMBER OF WARNINGS WERE ISSUED EARLY THIS AFTERNOON FOR SEVERAL
THESE THUNDERSTORMS. THE OUTLOOK CALLS FOR A GOOD POSSIBILITY
OF MORE WARNINGS BEING ISSUED. ALL PERSONS IN OR NEAR
THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
.
REPORT ALL SEVERE WEATHER SIGHTINGS TO YOUR NEAREST LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT FOR RELAY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
FIELDjS
Special weather statement, Mar 13, 3:20 PM CST, 4 minutes before
ILZ-001-002-132230

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ROCKFORD IL
3 18 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

...THUNDERSTORM WITH HAIL MOVING THROUGH STEPHENSON COUNTY...

AT 3 10 PM CST...RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
OVER THE EASTERN HALF OF STEPHENSON COUNTY. THE SHEPHENSON COUNTY
SHERRIFS DEPARTMENT REPORTED 1/2 INCH HAIL AT PERAL CITY...JUST
WEST OF FREEPORT OR ABOUT 40 MILES WEST OF ROCKFORD...FROM THIS
THUNDERSTORM. THE STORM WAS MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
PERSONS IN EASTERN STEPHENSON COUNTY CAN EXPECT STRONG GUSTY
WINDS AND HAIL FROM THIS STORM DURING THE NEXT HALF HOUR.

ATTN IST DIST: 16.
SANDERS
.
REPORT ALL SEVERE WEATHER SIGHTINGS TO YOUR NEAREST LsOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT FOR RELAY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
FIELDS
Special weather statement, Mar 13, 3:21 PM CST, 3 minutes before
ILZ-001-002-132230

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ROCKFORD IL
3 18 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

...THUNDERSTORM WITH HAIL MOVING THROUGH STEPHENSON COUNTY...

AT 3 10 PM CST...RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
OVER THE EASTERN HALF OF STEPHENSON COUNTY. THE SHEPHENSON COUNTY
SHERRIFS DEPARTMENT REPORTED 1/2 INCH HAIL AT PERAL CITY...JUST
WEST OF FREEPORT OR ABOUT 40 MILES WEST OF ROCKFORD...FROM THIS
THUNDERSTORM. THwE STORM WAS MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
PERSONS IN EASTERN STEPHENSON COUNTY CAN EXPECT STRONG GUSTY
WINDS AND HAIL FROM THIS STORM DURING THE NEXT HALF HOUR.

ATTN IST DIST: 16.
SANDERS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 13, 12:29 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLOTGrundy, Will61 min

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.