Alert archive / Illinois / Flash Flood Warnings in 1993

Flash Flood Warning 50, NWS St. Louis, MO

July 23, 1993Randolph County, Illinois

NWS St. Louis, MO issued this flash flood warning at Jul 23, 1993, 5:40 PM CDT for Randolph County, Illinois. It was in force for 3 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 23, 1993, 5:40 PM CDT (22:40 UTC)
Expired
Jul 23, 1993, 8:45 PM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS St. Louis, MO
Area
Whole counties

County Randolph County, IL

The radar

The St Louis radar (KLSX), 104 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:42 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Paducah/Barkley, KY (KPAH), launched 12:00Z, 10.7 hours before the alert went out and 147 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 1993-07-23Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 128 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 12:00Z on 1993-07-23The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 53 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
128 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-181 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
916 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
16 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
53 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
61 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 KSTL 232242
FFWSTL
ILC133-157-MOC099-186-240145-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
540 PM CDT FRI JUL 23 1993
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ST LOUIS HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  845 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS
 
   ...MONROE COUNTY...RANDOLPH COUNTY
 
 
IN EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI
 
   ...JEFFERSON COUNTY...STE GENEVIEVE COUNTY
 
AT 538 PM...RADAR INDICATED A CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY
RAIN BETWEEN ST LOUIS AND CAPE GIRARDEAU. THE HEAVIEST RAIN EXTENDED
FROM 40 MILES SOUTHEAST TO 35 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ST LOUIS. THESE STORMS
WERE MOVING EAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR.
 
RAINFALL OF 1 TO 2 INCHES IS LIKELY WITH SOME OF THESE STORMS LEADING TO
FLASH FLOODING.  THIS AREA IS ALREADY SATURATED SO RUNOFF WILL OCCUR
QUICKLY.  BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS NEAR RIVER FLOOD PROBLEMS AND ON
LEVEES.  SMALLER CREEKS AND STREAMS WILL OVERFLOW QUICKLY.
 
DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY.  THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO
CROSS SAFELY.  VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE
ABANDONED QUICKLY.  MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.
 
A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT.  IT'S
IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHERE YOU ARE RELATIVE TO STREAMS...RIVERS...OR
CREEKS WHICH CAN BECOME KILLERS IN HEAVY RAINS.  CAMPERS SHOULD
AVOID CAMPING ALONG STREAMS OR CREEKS DURING THREATdENING RAINS.
 
SHEA/TRUETT

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood 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 23, 3:55 PM CDT, 1 hour 45 minutes before
MOZ007-011-012-017-ILZ011-232200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
355 PM CDT FRI JUL 23 1993

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI
AND PARTS OF SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS UNTIL 800 PM...

AT 350 PM...RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY
HEAVY RAIN FROM 35 MILES NORTH OF ST LOUIS...NEAR HARDIN ILLINOIS...
TO 50 MILES WEST OF ST LOUIS...NEAR WARRENTON.  THESE STORMS ARE MOVING
EAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR.

RAINFALL FROM THESE STORMS HAS BEEN AS HIGH AS 1 TO 2 INCHES AN HOUR
ALONG WITH GUSTY WIND AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.  IF YOU LIVE IN EAST
CENTRAL MISSOURI OR SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS YOU CAN EXPECT ROUNDS OF
TORRENTIAL RAIN FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON.  BE ALERT FOR FLASH
FLOODING AND SEVERE WEATHER...LIKE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND.

WHEN A WARNING IS ISSUED...MOVE TO A PLACE OF SHELTER.  PEOPLE WORKING
ON LEVEES OR AREA FLOOD PROBLEMS SHOULD WATCH FOR APPROACHING STORMS.
LISTEN FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO.

SHEA
Special weather statement, Jul 23, 3:56 PM CDT, 1 hour 44 minutes before
MOZ007-011-012-017-ILZ011-232200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
355 PM CDT FRI JUL 23 1993

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI
AND PARTS OF SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS UNTIL 800 PM...

AT 350 PM...RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY
HEAVY RAIN FROM 35 MILES NORTH OF ST LOUIS...NEAR HARDIN ILLINOIS...
TO 50 MILES WEST OF ST LOUIS...NEAR WARRENTON.  THESE STORMS ARE MOVING
EAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR.

RAINFALL FROM THESE STORMS HAS BEEN AS HIGH AS 1 TO 2 INCHES AN HOUR
ALONG WITH GUSTY WIND AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.  IF YOU LIVE IN EAST
CENTRAL MISSOURI OR SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS YOU CAN EXPECT ROUNDS OF
TORRENTIAL RAIN FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON.  BE ALERT FOR FLASH
FLOODING AND SEVERE WEATHER...LIKE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND.

WHEN A WARNING IS ISSUED...MOVE TO A PLACE OF SHELTER.  PEOPLE WORKING
ON LEVEES OR AREA FLOOD PROBLEMS SHOULD WATCH FOR APPRO
ACHING STORMS.
LISTEN FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO.

SHEA
Special weather statement, Jul 23, 5:00 PM CDT, 40 minutes before
MOZ006-009-010-011-013-014-232300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA MO
500 PM CDT FRI JUL 23 1993

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REAMINS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF
CENTRAL MISSOURI UNTIL 8 PM...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR TONIGHT...AND A FLASH FLOOD
WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR CALLAWAY COUNTY UNTIL 630 PM...

AT 5PM...NEARLY STATIONARY...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO DROP
HEAVY RAINS OVER PORTIONS OF CALLAWAY COUNTY.  RADAR INDICATED AMOUNTS
IN EXCESS OF 2 INCHES HAVE FALLEN OVER THE LAST 2 HOURS AND SEVERAL
COUNTY ROADS IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY ARE REPORTED AS
IMPASSABLE DUE TO HIGH WATER.  A VEHICLE WAS REPORTED SUBMERGED UNDER
THE RISING WATER.

ELSEWHERE...THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DIMINISHED IN INTENSITY AND NO SEVERE
WEATHER REPORTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED SINCE 400 PM.
PERLOW
Special weather statement, Jul 23, 5:07 PM CDT, 33 minutes before
MOZ006-009-010-011-013-014-232300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA MO
500 PM CDT FRI JUL 23 1993

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REAMINS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF
CENTRAL MISSOURI UNTIL 8 PM...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR TONIGHT...AND A FLASH FLOOD
WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR CALLAWAY COUNTY UNTIL 630 PM...

AT 5PM...NEARLY STATIONARY...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO DROP
HEAVY RAINS OVER PORTIONS OF CALLAWAY COUNTY.  RADAR INDICATED AMOUNTS
IN EXCESS OF 2 INCHES HAVE FALLEN OVER THE LAST 2 HOURS AND SEVERAL
COUNTY ROADS IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY ARE REPORTED AS
IMPASSABLE DUE TO HIGH WATER.  A VEHICLE WAS REPORTED SUBMERGED UNDER
THE RISING WATER.

ELSEWHERE...THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DIMINISHED IN INTENSITY AND NO SEVERE
WEATHER REPORTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED SINCE 400 PM.
PERLOW
Special weather statement, Jul 23, 5:19 PM CDT, 21 minutes before
MOZ018-ILZ013-232315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
519 PM CDT FRI JUL 23 1993

...HEAVY RAIN WAS FALLING IN STE. GENEVIEVE AND RANDOLPH COUNTIES...

AT 515 PM...A LARGE AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS COVERED THE EASTERN HALF OF
STE. GENEVIEVE COUNTY.  THESE STORM WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 25 MILES
AN WERE PRODUCING RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF OVER AN INCH IN ONE HOURS TIME.

THESE STORMS WILL BE PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN IN EASTERN STE. GENEVIEVE
COUNTY MISSOURI AND ALL OF RANDOLPH COUNTY ILLINOIS BETWEEN 520 AND 630
PM.

ALONG WITH THE RIVER FLOODING THAT IS ALREADY OCCURING...SOME FLOODING
OF STREETS AND LOW-LYING AREAS IS POSSIBLE.  IF YOU OBSERVE RISING
WATER...MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATLEY.

MORSE/TRUETT
Special weather statement, Jul 23, 5:21 PM CDT, 19 minutes before
MOZ018-ILZ013-232315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
519 PM CDT FRI JUL 23 1993

...HEAVY RAIN WAS FALLING IN STE. GENEVIEVE AND RANDOLPH COUNTIES...

AT 515 PM...A LARGE AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS COVERED THE EASTERN HALF OF
STE. GENEVIEVE COUNTY.  THESE STORM WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 25 MILES
AN WERE PRODUCING RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF OVER AN INCH IN ONE HOURS TIME.

THESE STORMS WILL BE PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN IN EASTERN STE. GENEVIEVE
COUNTY MISSOURI AND ALL OF RANDOLPH COUNTY ILLINOIS BETWEEN 520 AND 630
PM.

ALONG WITH THE RIVER FLOODING THAT IS ALREADY OCCURING...SOME FLOODING
OF STREETS AND LOW-LYING AREAS IS POSSIBLE.  IF YOU OBSERVE RISING
WATER...MOVEH TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATLEY.

MORSE/TRUETT

The office that day

Everything else NWS St. Louis, MO issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 23, 3:21 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXGreene54 min
Jul 23, 3:21 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXCalhoun44 min
Jul 23, 4:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXRandolph45 min
Jul 23, 5:40 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLSXMonroe3 hr
Jul 23, 6:35 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLSXPerry2 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Illinois, 1993Every flash flood warning 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.