Alert archive / Illinois / Tornado Warnings in 1993

Tornado Warning 23, NWS Lincoln, IL

August 16, 1993DeWitt County, McLean County, Illinois

NWS Lincoln, IL issued this tornado warning at Aug 16, 1993, 7:45 PM CDT for DeWitt County, McLean County, Illinois. It was in force for 30 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
Aug 16, 1993, 7:45 PM CDT (00:45 UTC)
Expired
Aug 16, 1993, 8:15 PM CDT
In force
30 min
Issued by
NWS Lincoln, IL
Area
Whole counties

Counties DeWitt County, IL, McLean County, IL

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Aug 16, 8:12 PM CDTTornado F0Wapella, ILA tornado briefly touched down near Carl Springs Road, one mile north of Wapella. No damage was reported.

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, 0.8 hours before the alert went out and 363 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 00:00Z on 1993-08-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 3482 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, Paducah/Barkley, KY at 00:00Z on 1993-08-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 33 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
3482 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-17 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1086 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
24 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
33 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
70 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 170049
TORPIA
ILC113-170115-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEORIA IL
745 PM CDT MON AUG 16 1993
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PEORIA HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  815 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS
 
   ...SOUTHERN MCLEAN COUNTY
 
AT 745 PM CDT...A VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM WHICH HAS PRODUCED A FUNNEL
CLOUD DURING THE PAST 30 MINUTES CONTINUED TO MOVE ACROSS EXTREME
SOUTHWESTERN MCLEAN COUNTY. THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM MOVING TO THE EAST
SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH AND IT WILL THREATEN THE TOWNS OF MCLEAN...HEYWORTH
...LEROY AND RANDOLPH DURING THE NEXT 30 MINUTES.
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A
BASEMENT.  GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.
IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM
SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.  USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS...
OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY.  AVOID WINDOWS.
 
BREESER
1 follow-up statement
000 
TTAA00 KSPI 170050 RRA
TORSPI
ILC039-170115-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL
745 PM CDT MON AUG 16 1993

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 815 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY

   IN THE CENTRAL PART OF ILLINOIS
      NORTHERN DE WITT

742 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO 40 MILES NORTHEAST
OF SPRINGFIELD...OR 4 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MCLEAN...MOVING EAST
SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

THE TOWNS OF WAYNESVILLE...CLINTON...AND WAPELLA ARE IN THE PATH
OF THIS POSSIBLE TORNADO.

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO...TAKE COVER IN A SHELTER
BELOW GROUND IF POSSIBLE.  OTHERSISE GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE
LOWEST FLOOR POSSIBLE AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH CUSHIONS OR PILLOWS.
ACT QUICKLY. SECONDS SAVE LIVES.

MCCOY

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, Aug 16, 5:40 PM CDT, 2 hours 5 minutes before
ILZ005-006-007-162330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEORIA IL
540 PM CDT MON AUG 16 1993

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR MUCH OF WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS UNTIL 10 PM...

AT 535 PM CDT... ONLY SCATTERED SHOWERS WERE DETECTED FROM BLOOMINGTON
WEST TO CENTRAL FULTON COUNTY. MOVEMENT WAS TO THE EAST AT 25 MPH.

ALTHOUGH NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS YET BEEN DETECTED ACROSS THE REGION...
THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS UNTIL
10 PM. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION FOR
LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

BREESER
Special weather statement, Aug 16, 5:40 PM CDT, 2 hours 5 minutes before
ILZ005-006-007-162330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEORIA IL
540 PM CDT MON AUG 16 1993

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR MUCH OF WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS UNTIL 10 PM...

AT 535 PM CDT... ONLY SCATTERED SHOWERS WERE DETECTED FROM BLOOMINGTON
WEST TO CENTRAL FULTON COUNTY. MOVEMENT WAS TO THE EAST AT 25 MPH.

ALTHOUGH NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS YET BEEN DETECTED ACROSS THE REGION...
THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS UNTIL
10 PM. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION FOR
LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

BREESER
Special weather statement, Aug 16, 6:12 PM CDT, 1 hour 33 minutes before
ILZ009-010-170015-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL
610 PM CDT MON AUG 16 1993

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 10 PM FOR ALL OF CENTRAL AND EAST
CENTRAL ILLINOIS...

AT 610 PM CDT...SPRINGFIELD RADAR SHOWED ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS NORTH
OF SPRINGFIELD NEAR PETERSBURG...AND NORTH OF CHAMPAIGN AND DANVILLE.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE AND MOVE INTO CENTRdAL AND
EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS THIS EVENING.  A FEW STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE.

STAY TUNED TO YOUR FAVORITE WEATHER INFORMATION SOURCE FOR ADDITIONAL
STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

GEELHART
Special weather statement, Aug 16, 6:45 PM CDT, 1 hour before
ILZ005-006-007-170045-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEORIA IL
645 PM CDT MON AUG 16 1993

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR MUCH OF WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS UNTIL 10 PM...

AT 645 PM CDT...SCATTERED SHOWERS WERE DETECTED OVER SOUTHERN TAZEWELL
COUNTY...BETWEEN DELAVAN AND ARMINGTION.  MOVEMENT WAS EAST SOUTHEAST
AT 25 MPH.

ALTHOUGH NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN DETECTED ACROSS WEST CENTRAL AND
CENTRAL ILLINOIS...THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS UNTIL 10 PM.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR
FAVORITE LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION STATION FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND
POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

BUCKINGHAM
Special weather statement, Aug 16, 6:50 PM CDT, 55 minutes before
ILZ005-006-007-170045-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEORIA IL
645 PM CDT MON AUG 16 1993

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR MUCH OF WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS UNTIL 10 PM...

AT 645 PM CDT...SCATTERED SHOWERS WERE DETECTED OVER SOUTHERN TAZEWELL
COUNTY...BETWEEN DELAVAN AND ARMINGTION.  MOVEMENT WAS EAST SOUTHEAST
AT 25 MPH.

ALTHOUGH NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN DETECTED ACROSS WEST CENTRAL AND
CENTRAL ILLINOIS...THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS UNTIL 10 PM.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR
FAVORITE LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION STATION FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND
POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

BUCKINGHAM
Special weather statement, Aug 16, 7:16 PM CDT, 29 minutes before
ILZ009-010-170015-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL
715 PM CDT MON AUG 16 1993

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 10 PM FOR ALL OF CENTRAL AND EAST
CENTRAL ILLINOIS...

AT 712 PM CDT...RADAR DETECTED SCATTERED SHOWERS AND A FEW
THUNDERSTORMS OVER CENTRAL ILLINOIS...FROM 40 MILES NORTHEAST OF
SPRINGFIELD...TO JUST WEST OF DECATUR...TO 25 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
SPRINGFIELD NEAR TAYLORVILLE.

A FEW SEVERE STORMS ARE P^OSSIBLE THIS EVENING OVER CENTRAL AND EAST
CENTRAL ILLINOIS.

STAY TUNED TO YOUR FAVORITE WEATHER INFORMATION SOURCE FOR ADDITIONAL
STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

MCCOY

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 16, 7:15 PM CDTTornado WarningILXMcLean, Tazewell30 min
Aug 16, 8:20 PM CDTTornado WarningILXDeWitt25 min
Aug 16, 8:47 PM CDTTornado WarningILXDeWitt, Piatt28 min
Aug 16, 9:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXChampaign, Piatt21 min
Aug 16, 9:40 PM CDTTornado WarningILXChampaign, Piatt20 min
Aug 16, 10:02 PM CDTTornado WarningILXDouglas28 min
Aug 16, 10:10 PM CDTTornado WarningILXChampaign25 min
Aug 17, 4:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXColes, Cumberland, Shelby35 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Illinois, 1993Every tornado warning in 1993Tornadoes in 1993

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.