Alert archive / Illinois / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1994

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 71, NWS Lincoln, IL

July 20, 1994Menard County, Sangamon County, Illinois

NWS Lincoln, IL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 20, 1994, 5:29 PM CDT for Menard County, Sangamon County, Illinois. It was in force for 46 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 20, 1994, 5:29 PM CDT (22:29 UTC)
Expired
Jul 20, 1994, 6:15 PM CDT
In force
46 min
Issued by
NWS Lincoln, IL
Area
Whole counties

Counties Menard County, IL, Sangamon County, IL

The nearest sounding before it

Paducah/Barkley, KY (KPAH), launched 12:00Z, 10.5 hours before the alert went out and 326 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 1994-07-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2213 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 1994-07-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -19 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
2213 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-47 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
918 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
9 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-19 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-21 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 KSPI 202231 RRA
SVRSPI
ILC129-167-202315-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL
529 PM CDT WED JUL 20 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SPRINGFIELD HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  615 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS
 
   ...EASTERN MENARD COUNTY...NORTHWEST SANGAMON COUNTY
 
AT 530 PM CDT...RADAR SHOWED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ABOUT 20 MILES WEST
OF DOWNTOWN SPRINGFIELD...NEAR ALEXANDER. THIS THUNDERSTORM IS MOVING TO
THE NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
 
THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HIGH WINDS AND LARGE HAIL.  IT WILL
MOVE THROUGH OR NEAR THE TOWNS OF NEW BERLIN... SPRINGFIELD... PLEASANT
PLAINS... SALISBURY... AND ATHENS.
 
TAKE SHELTER IN A SUBSTANTIAL BUILDING.  STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
LIGHTNING KILLS...SO STAY OFF OF TELEPHONES. REMEMBER...A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM MAY PRODUCE A TORNADO AT ANY TIME.
 
$$
CWG
 
 

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 20, 2:34 PM CDT, 2 hours 55 minutes before
ILZ017-018-025>031-034>038-040-041-202035-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEORIA IL
234 PM CDT WED JUL 20 1994

...STRONG STORMS DEVELOPING ACROSS WESTERN ILLINOIS...

AT 225 PM...RADAR INDICATED STRONG STORMS DEVELOPING ALONG THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER BETWEEN BURLINGTON AND QUINCY. THE STRONGEST STORM
WAS MOVING NORTHEAST TOWARDS LA HARPE IN NORTHEASTERN HANCOCK COUNTY.
THESE STORMS WERE MOVING AT 30 TO 35 MPH. ANOTHER STORM WAS NEAR
QUINCY.

EXPECT THE LA HARPE STORM TO MOVE INTO SOUTHERN HENDERSON AND
WARREN COUNTIES IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR. THE STORM NEAR QUINCY WILL MOVE
INTO THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF SCHUYLER AND MCDONOUGH COUNTIES THROUGH
330 PM.

CONDITIONS ACROSS THE AREA ARE FAVORABLE FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT.

 IF YOU PLAN TO BE OUTDOORS...CHECK THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.

MOGGED
Special weather statement, Jul 20, 2:36 PM CDT, 2 hours 53 minutes before
ILZ017-018-025>031-034>038-040-041-202035-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEORIA IL
234 PM CDT WED JUL 20 1994

...STRONG STORMS DEVELOPING ACROSS WESTERN ILLINOIS...

AT 225 PM...RADAR INDICATED STRONG STORMS DEVELOPING ALONG THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER BETWEEN BURLINGTON AND QUINCY. THE STRONGEST STORM
WAS MOVING NORTHEAST TOWARDS LA HARPE IN NORTHEASTERN HANCOCK COUNTY.
THESE STORMS WERE MOVING AT 30 TO 35 MPH. ANOTHER STORM WAS NEAR
QUINCY.

EXPECT THE LA HARPE STORM TO MOVE INTO SOUTHERN HENDERSON AND
WARREN COUNTIES IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR. THE STORM NEAR QUINCY WILL MOVE
INTO THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF SCHUYLER AND MCDONOUGH COUNTIES THROUGH
330 PM.

CON.DITIONS ACROSS THE AREA ARE FAVORABLE FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT.

 IF YOU PLAN TO BE OUTDOORS...CHECK THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.

MOGGED
Special weather statement, Jul 20, 4:01 PM CDT, 1 hour 28 minutes before
ILZ017-018-025>031-034>038-040-041-202200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEORIA IL
401 PM CDT WED JUL 20 1994

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 9 PM FOR WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND
CENTRAL ILLINOIS...

AT 355 PM...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE ACROSS WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE ACROSS HENDERSON.... HANCOCK... WARREN...
MCDONOUGH AND SCHUYLER COUNTIES. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE IN CENTRAL
MCDONOUGH COUNTY NEAR MACOMB. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30
MPH.

THROUGH 5 PM... THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTHWESTERN
FULTON INTO KNOX COUNTIES.

HIGH WINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND HAIL MAY ACCOMPANY THESE STORMS.

MOGGED
Special weather statement, Jul 20, 4:03 PM CDT, 1 hour 26 minutes before
ILZ017-018-025>031-034>038-040-041-202200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEORIA IL
401 PM CDT WED JUL 20 1994

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 9 PM FOR WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND
CENTRAL ILLINOIS...

AT 355 PM...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE ACROSS WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE ACROSS HENDERSON.... HANCOCK... WARREN...
MCDONOUGH AND SCHUYLER COUNTIES. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE IN CENTRAL
MCDONOUGH COUNTY NEAR MACOMB. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30
MPH.

THROUGH 5 PM... THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTHWESTERN
FULTON INTO KNOX COUNTIES.

HIGH WINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND HAIL MAY ACCOMPANY THESE STORMS.

MOGGED
Special weather statement, Jul 20, 4:48 PM CDT, 41 minutes before
ILZ047-050-202250-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL
448 PM CDT WED JUL 20 1994

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CROSSING THE ILLINOIS RIVER...

AT 445 PM CDT...SPRINGFIELD RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
CROSSING THE ILLINOIS RIVER...FROM MEREDOSIA NORTH TO CUBA.  THESE
STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH...AND WILL AFFECT WESTERN
CASS AND NORTHWEST MORGAN COUNTIES THROUGH 530 PM.  HAIL AND HIGH
WINDS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.

IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS...MOVE TO A PLACE OF SHELTER IMMEDIATELY IF A
STORM APPROACHES.  MOTORISTS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR REDUCED
VISIBILITIES DURING DOWNPOURS OF RAIN.  STREETS MAY FLOOD QUICKLY.

REMEMBER THAT A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT.

GEELHART
Special weather statement, Jul 20, 4:49 PM CDT, 40 minutes before
ILZ047-050-202250-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL
448 PM CDT WED JUL 20 1994

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CROSSING THE ILLINOIS RIVER...

AT 445 PM CDT...SPRINGFIELD RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
CROSSING THE ILLINOIS RIVER...FROM MEREDOSIA NORTH TO CUBA.  THESE
STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH...AND WILL AFFECT WESTERN
CASS AND NORTHWEST MORGAN COUNTIES THROUGH 530 PM.  HAIL AND HIGH
WINDS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.

IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS...MOVE TO A PLACE OF SHELTER IMMEDIATELY IF A
STORM APPROACHES.  MOTORISTS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR REDUCED
VISIBILITIES DURING DOWNPOURS OF RAIN.  STREETS MAY FLOOD QUICKLY.

REMEMBER THAT A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT.

GEELHART

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 20, 2:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXMcDonough, Warren42 min
Jul 20, 4:38 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXFulton67 min
Jul 20, 4:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXMason48 min
Jul 20, 5:15 PM CDTTornado WarningILXPeoria, Tazewell45 min
Jul 20, 5:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXCass29 min
Jul 20, 5:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXMenard43 min
Jul 20, 5:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXMorgan43 min
Jul 20, 5:47 PM CDTTornado WarningILXWoodford58 min
Jul 20, 6:13 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXLogan, Sangamon32 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Illinois, 1994Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1994

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.