Alert archive / Illinois / Tornado Warnings in 1994

Tornado Warning 19, NWS Lincoln, IL

August 8, 1994Edgar County, Illinois

NWS Lincoln, IL issued this tornado warning at Aug 8, 1994, 6:29 PM CDT for Edgar County, Illinois. It was in force for 31 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 8, 1994, 6:29 PM CDT (23:29 UTC)
Expired
Aug 8, 1994, 7:00 PM CDT
In force
31 min
Issued by
NWS Lincoln, IL
Area
Whole counties

County Edgar County, IL

The nearest sounding before it

Paducah/Barkley, KY (KPAH), launched 12:00Z, 11.5 hours before the alert went out and 302 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 1994-08-08Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 1994-08-08The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 4 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1136 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
11 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
4 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
97 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 082330
TORSPI
ILC045-090000-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL
629 PM CDT MON AUG 8 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SPRINGFIELD HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  700 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS
 
   ...SOUTHEASTERN EDGAR COUNTY
 
AT 628 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR IN INDIANAPOLIS SHOWED A POSSIBLE TORNADO
15 MILES NORTHWEST OF TERRE HAUTE...OR JUST SOUTH OF PARIS ILLINOIS. THE
THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING THIS POTENTIAL TORNADO WAS MOVING TO THE
SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH.
 
RESIDENTS OF THE RURAL AREAS OF SOUTHEASTERN EDGAR COUNTY SHOULD TAKE
COVER IMMEDIATELY IN A BASEMENT OR INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR.  ABANDON MOBILE HOMES AND VEHICLES FOR SAFER SHELTER.  ACT NOW
TO SAVE YOUR LIFE!
 
$$
GEELHART

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 8, 3:17 PM CDT, 3 hours 12 minutes before
ILZ038-082220-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEORIA IL
317 PM CDT MON AUG 8 1994

...THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER MCLEAN COUNTY...

RADAR INDICATES THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT HAS BEGUN IN MCLEAN COUNTY...IN
THE VICINITY OF RANDOLPH...7 MILES SOUTH OF BLOOMINGTON..AND JUST
SOUTHEAST OF BELLFLOWER...27 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST OF BLOOMINGTON.
THESE STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL...GUSTING WINDS...LIGHTNING...AND SMALL HAIL
COULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH THESE STORMS.

BUCKINGHAM
Special weather statement, Aug 8, 4:21 PM CDT, 2 hours 8 minutes before
ILZ042>048-050>057-059>063-082225-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL
421 PM CDT MON AUG 8 1994

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR CENTRAL AND EAST
CENTRAL ILLINOIS UNTIL 10 PM CDT...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR ALL OF CENTRAL AND EAST
CENTRAL ILLINOIS.  THIS WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM THIS EVENING AND
INCLUDES THE SPRINGFIELD...DECATUR...CHAMPAIGN/URBANA...DANVILLE...AND
CHARLESTON AREAS.

AT 410 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE
NORTHERN HALF OF EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS...NORTH OF A LINE FROM 30 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF CHAMPAIGN TO 25 MILES OF DANVILLE.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH.

NO THUNDERSTORMS HAD DEVELOPED ACROSS CENTRAL ILLINOIS AT THIS TIME.

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.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR THE
LATEST UPDATES CONCERNING THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.

AUTEN
Special weather statement, Aug 8, 4:22 PM CDT, 2 hours 7 minutes before
ILZ042>048-050>057-059>063-082225-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL
421 PM CDT MON AUG 8 1994

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR CENTRAL AND EAST
CENTRAL ILLINOIS UNTIL 10 PM CDT...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR ALL OF CENTRAL AND EAST
CENTRAL ILLINOIS.  THIS WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM THIS EVENING AND
INCLUDES THE SPRINGFIELD...DECATUR...CHAMPAIGN/URBANA...DANVILLE...AND
CHARLESTON AREAS.

AT 410 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE
NORTHERN HALF OF EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS...NORTH OF A LINE FROM 30 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF CHAMPAIGN TO 25 MILES OF DANVILLE.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH.

NO THUNDERSTORMS HAD DEVELOPED ACROSS CENTRAL ILLINOIS AT THIS TIME.

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 RAtIN.  STREETS MAY FLOOD QUICKLY.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR THE
LATEST UPDATES CONCERNING THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.

AUTEN
Special weather statement, Aug 8, 5:40 PM CDT, 49 minutes before
ILZ042>048-050>057-059>063-082335-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL
540 PM CDT MON AUG 8 1994

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR CENTRAL AND EAST CENTRAL
ILLINOIS UNTIL 10 PM CDT...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR ALL OF CENTRAL AND EAST
CENTRAL ILLINOIS.  THIS WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM THIS EVENING AND
INCLUDES THE SPRINGFIELD...DECATUR...CHAMPAIGN/URBANA...DANVILLE...AND
CHARLESTON AREAS.

AT 530 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM 15 MILES
WEST OF CHAMPAIGN TO 25 MILES SOUTH OF DANVILLE.  THE STRONGEST STORM
WAS LOCATED 15 MILES WEST OF CHAMPAIGN NEAR MONTICELLO.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

A FEW SHOWERS HAD DEVELOPED OVER CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND WERE MOVING TO
THE EAST SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

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.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR THE
LATEST UPDATES CONCERNING THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.

AUTEN
Special weather statement, Aug 8, 5:42 PM CDT, 47 minutes before
ILZ042>048-050>057-059>063-082335-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL
540 PM CDT MON AUG 8 1994

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR CENTRAL AND EAST CENTRAL
ILLINOIS UNTIL 10 PM CDT...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR ALL OF CENTRAL AND EAST
CENTRAL ILLINOIS.  THIS WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM THIS EVENING AND
INCLUDES THE SPRINGFIELD...DECATUR...CHAMPAIGN/URBANA...DANVILLE...AND
CHARLESTON AREAS.

AT 530 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM 15 MILES
WEST OF CHAMPAIGN TO 25 MILES SOUTH OF DANVILLE.  THE STRONGEST STORM
WAS LOCATED 15 MILES WEST OF CHAMPAIGN NEAR MONTICELLO.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

A FEW SHOWERS HAD DEVELOPED OVER CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND WERE MOVING TO
THE EAST SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

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.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR THE
LATEST UPDATES CONCERNING THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.

AUTEN
Special weather statement, Aug 8, 6:04 PM CDT, 25 minutes before
ILZ057-082335-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD IL
604 PM CDT MON AUG 8 1994

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN EDGAR COUNTY...

AT 6 PM CDT...WEATHER RADAR SHOWED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ABOUT 20 MILES
NORTHWEST OF TERRE HAUTE...NEAR THE TOWN OF PARIS.  THIS STORM IS
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL.  VERY HEAVY
RAIN WILL ALSO FALL OUT OF THIS STORM...AND LOCALIZED FLOODING IS
POSSIBLE.

THE STORM IS MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH...AND WILL MOVE THROUGH
THE RURAL AREAS OF SOUTHEAST EDGAR COUNTY THROUGH 630 PM.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM
CDT.  REMAIN ALERT FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER AND MOVE TO A
REINFORCED SHELTER IF NECESSARY.

GEELHART

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 8, 3:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXChampaign49 min
Aug 8, 4:38 PM CDTTornado WarningILXVermilion22 min
Aug 8, 5:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXPiatt50 min
Aug 8, 6:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXEdgar50 min
Aug 8, 6:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXChampaign, Piatt30 min
Aug 8, 6:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXMacon, Piatt53 min
Aug 8, 6:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXClark40 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Illinois, 1994Every tornado warning in 1994Tornadoes 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.