Alert archive / Illinois / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1992

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 21, NWS Chicago, IL

July 2, 1992Ford County, Iroquois County, Illinois

NWS Chicago, IL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 2, 1992, 3:42 PM CDT for Ford County, Iroquois County, Illinois. It was in force for 33 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 2, 1992, 3:42 PM CDT (20:42 UTC)
Expired
Jul 2, 1992, 4:15 PM CDT
In force
33 min
Issued by
NWS Chicago, IL
Area
Whole counties

Counties Ford County, IL, Iroquois County, IL

The nearest sounding before it

Dayton/James M C, OH (KDAY), launched 12:00Z, 8.7 hours before the alert went out and 335 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, Dayton/James M C, OH at 12:00Z on 1992-07-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 321 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, Dayton/James M C, OH at 12:00Z on 1992-07-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -6 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
321 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-33 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
849 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
23 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-6 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
5 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 022044
SVRCHI
ILC053-075-INC127-022115-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
342 PM CDT THU JUL 2 1992
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHICAGO HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  415 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS
 
   ...SOUTHERN FORD COUNTY...SOUTHEASTERN IROQUOIS COUNTY
 
 
IN NORTHWEST INDIANA
 
   ...PORTER COUNTY
 
AND THE ADJACENT WATERS OF SOUTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN
 
 
AT 341 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
FROM 10 MILES EAST OF GARY TO 10 MILES WEST OF PAXTON. THE LINE OF
SEVERE STORMS WAS MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.
 
 
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.
 
 
ATTN ISP 21
 
TBAYLOR

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, Jul 2, 1:04 PM CDT, 2 hours 38 minutes before
ILZ003-005-007-008-INZ001-021930-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
105 PM CDT THU JUL 2 1992

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND METROPOLITAN
CHICAGO UNTIL 5PM CDT...

AT 1 PM RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS RACING EASTWARD
ACROSS NORTH ILLINOIS AT 50 MPH TOWARD GREATER CHICAGO.  THE LEADING
EDGE WAS 40 MILES WEST OF ROCKFORD SOUTHWARD TO NEAR GALESBURG.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL APPROACH WEST SUBURBS OF CHICAGO BY 2 OR 230 PM
...DUPAGE COUNTY AND JOLIET BY 3 PM...AND DOWNTOWN CHICAGO BY 4 PM CDT.
CONDITIONS FAVOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THAT MAY CAUSE TORNADOES TO FORM.
MANY SEVERE WARNINGS HAVE ALREADY BEEN ISSUED FOR COUNTIES, TO OUR WEST.

POSSIBLE TORNADOS...DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH...HAIL...BLINDING
RAIN...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE EXPECTED AS THESE STORMS APPROACH AND
MOVE ACROSS ILLINOIS THIS AFTERNOON.

SIMPSON
Special weather statement, Jul 2, 2:00 PM CDT, 1 hour 42 minutes before
ILZ001-002-022020-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ROCKFORD IL
2 PM CDT THU JUL 2 1992

...TORNADO WATCH FOR NORTHERN ILLINOIS TILL 5 PM...

AT 2 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED THAT A 20 MILE WIDE LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS WAS WEST OF A LINE FROM ROSCOW...IN WINNEBAGO COUNTY
TO ROCHELLE...IN OGLE COUNTY...TO WEST BROOKLYN...IN LEE COUNTY.
FURTHERN WEST...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED INTO EASTERN
IOWA. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 55 MPH.

THESE STORMS HAVE A HISTORY OF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...
SMALL HAIL...AND LOCALIZED AREAS OF HEAVY FLOODING.

PEOPLE IN BOONE AND DE KALB COUNTIES CAN EXPECT WINDS OF UP TO 50 MPH
AND SMALL HAIL...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND LOCALIZED HEAVY DOWNPOURS
SHORTLY AFTER 2 PM.
.
ATTN: ISP DIST 1..2..16.

BELL
Special weather statement, Jul 2, 2:51 PM CDT, 51 minutes before
ILZ001-002-022015-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ROCKFORD IL
250 PM CDT THU JUL 2 1992

...TORNADO WATCH TILL 5 PM CDT FOR STEPHENSON/WINNEBAGO/BOONE/
OGLE/LEE COUNTIES...
...TORNADO WATCH TILL 10 PM CDT FOR DE KALB/LASALLE COUNTY...
...WATCHES HAVE BEEN CANCELED FOR JO DAVIESS AND CARROLL COUNTIES...

THIS AFTERNOON AT 245 CDT AREA RADARS WERE SHOWING NUMEROUS THUNDER-
SHOWERS OVER ALL OF NORTH CENTRAL AND PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST ILLINOIS.
THE MORE INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE MOVED EAST INTO EASTERN PARTS
OF ILLINOIS. ALL THE RAINFALL WAS MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.

THE REMAINING THUNDERSHOWER ACTIVITY WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE PERIODS
OF HEAVY RAIN. THESE RAINS MAY CAUSE LOCAL URBAN FLOODING AND/OR
FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS AND SMALL STREAMS.

TORNADO WATCHES REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NORTHERN ILLINOIS WITH THE
EXCEPTION OF JO DAVIESS AND CARROLL COUNTIES. CONDITIONS REMAIN
FAVORABLE FOR THE STORMS TO INTENSIFY BACK TO SEVERE LEVELS. STAY
TUNED TO WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO AND T. V. STATIONS FOR
FURTHER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
ATTN: ISP 1..2..16
FIELDS
Special weather statement, Jul 2, 3:13 PM CDT, 29 minutes before
ILZ001-002-022345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ROCKFORD IL
310 PM CDT THU JUL 2 1992

...TORNADO WATCHES...

THE FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF TORNADO WATCHES CURRENTLY IN EFFECT FOR
NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS...

TILL 5PM CDT THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...STEPHENSON/WINNEBAGO/BOONE/OGLE/
AND LEE...

TILL 10PM CDT THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...DE KALB AND LASALLE...
ATTN: ISP 1..2..16

FIELDS
EXCEPTION OF JO DAVIESS AND C2ARROLL COUNTIES. CONDITIONS REMAIN
FAVORABLE FOR THE STORMS TO INTENSIFY BACK TO SEVERE LEVELS. STAY
TUNED TO WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO AND T. V. STATIONS FOR
FURTHER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
ATTN: ISP 1..2..16
FIELDS
Special weather statement, Jul 2, 3:14 PM CDT, 28 minutes before
ILZ001-002-022345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT ...CORRECTION TO DELETE LAST PARA...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ROCKFORD IL
310 PM CDT THU JUL 2 1992

...TORNADO WATCHES...

THE FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF TORNADO WATCHES CURRENTLY IN EFFECT FOR
NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS...

TILL 5PM CDT THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...STEPHENSON/WINNEBAGO/BOONE/OGLE/
AND LEE...

TILL 10PM CDT THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...DE KALB AND LASALLE...
ATTN: ISP 1..2..164

FIELDS
Special weather statement, Jul 2, 3:30 PM CDT, 12 minutes before
ILZ001-002-022100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ROCKFORD IL
330 PM CDT THU JUL 2 1992

...TORNADO WATCH TILL 5 PM CDT FOR STEPHENSON/WINNEBAGO/BOONE/
OGLE/LEE COUNTIES...
...TORNADO WATCH TILL 10 PM CDT FOR DE KALB/LASALLE COUNTY...

THERE WERE STILL NUMEROUS THUNDERSHOWERS OCCURRING OVER ALL OF NORTHERN
ILLINOIS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE FAR NORTHWEST CORNER. WHILE THESE
SHOWERS WERE NOT SEVERE...MANY WILL STILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINS THAT
MAY CAUSE PERIODS OF URBAN AND LOW LAND FLOODING. MOVEMENT WAS TO THE
EAST AT 50 MPH THIS AFTERNOON AT 325 CDT.

ELSEWHERE...VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER EASTERN AND
CENTRAL PORTIONS OF ILLINOIS. THERE WERE ALSO NEW STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
DEVELOPING OVER SOUTHEAST IOWA. THESE STORMS WERE ALSO MOVING EAST AT
50 MPH.
.
A NUMBER OF TORNADO WATCHES REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION
OF NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS. CONDITIONS ARE STILL VERY
UNSTABLE. SO ^THE THREAT FOR ADDITIONAL SEVERE WEATHER IS STILL STORNG.

STAY TUNED TO WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO AND T. V. STATIONS
FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
ATTN: ISP 1..2..16

FIELDS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 2, 1:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLOTKane, Kendall, LaSalle60 min
Jul 2, 1:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLOTMcHenry60 min
Jul 2, 2:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLOTGrundy, Livingston61 min
Jul 2, 2:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLOTCook, DuPage, Will61 min
Jul 2, 2:26 PM CDTTornado WarningLOTDuPage, Kane49 min
Jul 2, 2:39 PM CDTTornado WarningLOTCook, Will51 min
Jul 2, 2:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLOTFord, Iroquois, Kankakee61 min
Jul 2, 2:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLOTLivingston61 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Illinois, 1992Every severe thunderstorm warning 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.