Alert archive / Illinois / Tornado Warnings in 1992

Tornado Warning 25, NWS Lincoln, IL

September 9, 1992McLean County, Illinois

NWS Lincoln, IL issued this tornado warning at Sep 9, 1992, 5:51 PM CDT for McLean County, Illinois. It was in force for 39 min. 2 reports 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
Sep 9, 1992, 5:51 PM CDT (22:51 UTC)
Expired
Sep 9, 1992, 6:30 PM CDT
In force
39 min
Issued by
NWS Lincoln, IL
Area
Whole counties

County McLean County, IL

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Sep 9, 6:14 PM CDTHail 0.75Mclean, IL
Sep 9, 6:25 PM CDTHail 0.75Mclean, 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 12:00Z, 10.9 hours before the alert went out and 381 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 12:00Z on 1992-09-09Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1613 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Paducah/Barkley, KY at 12:00Z on 1992-09-09The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -14 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
1613 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-48 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
830 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
13 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-14 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
27 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 KPIA 092255 COR
TORPIA
ILC113-092330-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEORIA IL
551 PM CDT WED SEP 9 1992

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 630 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY

   IN THE CENTRAL PART OF ILLINOIS
      MCLEAN

AT 547 PM CDT A TORNADO WAS SPOTTED JUST EAST OF GRIDLEY MOVING
EAST AT 35 MPH. CITIES IN THE PATH OF THE TORNADO ARE...MEADOWS...
CHENOA...WESTON.

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO...GO TO A BASEMENT SHELTER
IF AVAILABLE...OTHERWISE TO A CENTRAL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR.  ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING.
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM.  TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY.

ATTN ISP 6

STUMETZ

/TYPO/

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado 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, Sep 9, 2:31 PM CDT, 3 hours 20 minutes before
ILZ005>007-009-092030

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEORIA IL
230 PM CDT WED SEP 9 1992

...TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES UNTIL 4PM FOR PARTS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS
...AND UNTIL 9PM FOR WESTERN ILLINOIS...

AT 2:30 PM... SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER MCLEAN
COUNTY EXTENDING NORTHEASTWARD. NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE
OVER NORTHERN ILLINOIS NORTH OF A LINE FROM MOLINE TO CHICAGO. OTHER
SMALL SHOWERS WERE WIDE:LY SCATTERED OVER WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS.
MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

THE STRONGER STORMS COULD PRODUCE STRONG WINDS AND HAIL ALONG WITH
FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHT AND BRIEF PERIODS OF HEAVY RAINFALL.

STUMETZ
Special weather statement, Sep 9, 2:34 PM CDT, 3 hours 17 minutes before
ILZ005>007-009-092030

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEORIA IL
230 PM CDT WED SEP 9 1992

...TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES UNTIL 4PM FOR PARTS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS
...AND UNTIL 9PM FOR WESTERN ILLINOIS...

AT 2:30 PM... SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER MCLEAN
COUNTY EXTENDING NORTHEASTWARD. NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE
OVER NORTHERN ILLINOIS NORTH OF A LINE FROM MOLINE TO CHICAGO. OTHER
SMALL SHOWERS WERE WIDELY SCATTERED OVER WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS.
MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

THE STRONGER STORMS COULD PRODUCE STRONG WINDS AND HAIL ALONG WITH
FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING AND BRIEF PERIODS OF HEAVY RAINFALL.

STUMETZ
/CORRECTED WOFRDING/
Special weather statement, Sep 9, 3:28 PM CDT, 2 hours 23 minutes before
ILZ010-092115-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL
330 PM CDT WED SEP 9 1992

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND
EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS...

AT 325 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER
EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS.  THE STORMS WERE NORTH OF A LINE FROM 10 MILES
NORTHWEST OF CHAMPAIGN TO JUST NORTH OF DANVILLE.  THE STORMS WERE
MOVING TO THE EAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL MOVE OUT OF EAST CENTRAL
ILLINOIS BY 4 PM.

REMEMBER...DAMAGING WINDS...HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.  ALSO...TORNADOES
CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO OCCUR WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING.

ELSEWHERE...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO DEVELOP OVER NORTH/
EASTERN MISSOURI.  THE STORMS WERE NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM 25 MILES
WEST OF QUINCY TO 15 MILES NORTH OF PEORIA.  THESE STORMS WERE MOVING
TO THE EAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN SECTIONS
OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS AFTER 5 PM.

BE ALERT TO THE RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED TO
MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.

LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

BYRD
Special weather statement, Sep 9, 3:30 PM CDT, 2 hours 21 minutes before
ILZ005>007-009-092130

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEORIA IL
330 PM CDT WED SEP 9 1992

...TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES UNTIL 9PM FOR ALL OF WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS...

AT 3:30 PM... A LINE OF STRONG STORMS WAS FROM 25 MILES NORTHEAST OF
BURLINGTON IOWA EXTENDING SOUTHWEST INTO NORTHEAST MISSOURI. SCATTERED
STRONG STORMS WERE FROM NAUVOO IN HANCOCK COUNTY THEN SOUTHWEST TO 50
MILES SOUTHWEST OF QUINCY. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALSO
OVER NORTHERN ILLINOIS. MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 35 MPH.

THE STRONGER STORMS COULD PRODUCE TORNADOES...INCLUDE LARGE HAIL...
DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WINDS AND WILL BE ACCOMAPNAIED WITH FREQUENT
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND HEAVY RAINFALL.

STUMETZ
Special weather statement, Sep 9, 4:18 PM CDT, 1 hour 33 minutes before
ILZ010-092215-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL
415 PM CDT WED SEP 9 1992

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND
EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS...

AT 410 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER WEST
CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND NORTHEASTERN MISSOURI.  THE STORMS WERE NORTHWEST
OF A LINE FROM 10 MILES SOUTH OF PEORIA TO 50 MILES NORTHWEST OF
SPRINGFIELD...NEAR FREDERICK TO 10 MILES SOUTH OF QUINCY.  THE STORMS
WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.

THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED 10 MILES NORTHEAST OF QUINCY...NEAR
CAMP POINT...65 MILES WEST OF SPRINGFIELD...NEAR MT STERLING AND 50
MILES NORTHWEST OF SPRINGFIELD...NEAR FREDERICK.

REMEMBER...DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.  ALSO...TORNADOES
CAN AND DO OCCUR WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING.

ELSEWHERE...AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 20 MILES NORTHEAST
OF CHAMPAIGN...NEAR HOOPESTON.  THE STORM WAS MOVING TO THE EAST
NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

BE ALERT TO THE RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED TO
MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.

LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

BYRD
Special weather statement, Sep 9, 5:04 PM CDT, 47 minutes before
ILZ010-092300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL
500 PM CDT WED SEP 9 1992

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND
EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS...

AT 455 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER WEST
CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND NORTHEASTERN MISSOURI.  THE STORMS WERE NORTHWEST
OF A LINE FROM 10 MILES NORTH OF BLOOMINGTON TO 45 MILES NORTHWEST OF
SPRINGFIELD...NEAR FREDERICK TO 30 MILES SOUTH OF QUINCY.  THE STORMS
WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.

THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED 55 MILES NORTHWEST OF SPRINGFIELD...
NEAR MT STERLING...15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF QUINCY AND 45 MILES NORTH
NORTHWEST OF SPRINGFIELD...NEAR ASTORIA.

REMEMBER...DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.  ALSO...TORNADOES
CAN AND DO OCCUR WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING.

ELSEWHERE...ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAD DEVELOPED OVER
CENTRAL ILLINOIS.  ONE STORM WAS LOCATED 30 MILES NORTHEAST OF
SPRINGFIELD...NEAR ATLANTA AND ANOTHER STORM WAS LOCATED 35 MILES SOUTH/
WEST OF SPRINGFIELD...NEAR MURRAYVILLE IN SOUTHWESTERN MORGAN COUNTY.
THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

BE ALERT TO THE RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED TO
MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.

LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

BYRD

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 9, 10:38 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXMcDonough, Schuyler52 min
Sep 9, 12:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXMason, Tazewell30 min
Sep 9, 3:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXHancock44 min
Sep 9, 4:13 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXMcDonough, Warren37 min
Sep 9, 5:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXFulton, Peoria, Tazewell52 min
Sep 9, 5:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXMcLean, Woodford64 min
Sep 9, 5:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXCass, Morgan54 min
Sep 9, 5:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXMenard54 min
Sep 9, 6:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXLogan, Sangamon45 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Illinois, 1992Every tornado warning in 1992Tornadoes in 1992

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.