Alert archive / Illinois / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1994

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 49, NWS Indianapolis, IN

April 27, 1994Clay County, Illinois

NWS Indianapolis, IN issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 27, 1994, 12:45 AM CDT for Clay County, Illinois. It was in force for 30 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 27, 1994, 12:45 AM CDT (05:45 UTC)
Expired
Apr 27, 1994, 1:15 AM CDT
In force
30 min
Issued by
NWS Indianapolis, IN
Area
Whole counties

County Clay County, IL

The nearest sounding before it

Paducah/Barkley, KY (KPAH), launched 00:00Z, 5.8 hours before the alert went out and 188 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 1994-04-27Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2999 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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 1994-04-27The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 128 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
2999 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-2 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1036 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
36 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
128 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
139 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.8
Supercell composite
10.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KEVV 270546
SVREVV
ILC025-270615-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EVANSVILLE IN
1245 AM CDT WED APR 27 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN EVANSVILLE HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  115 AM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS
 
   ...CLAY COUNTY
 
AT 1243 AM CDT...RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM JUST WEST OF
LOUISVILLE ILLINOIS...ABOUT 70 MILES NORTHWEST OF EVANSVILLE. THIS STORM
WAS MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH...AND WILL REACH LOUISVILLE BY 150 AM AND
INGRAHAM BY 1 AM. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM...YOU SHOULD TAKE
COVER IMMEDIATELY.
 
A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR bTHE 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.
 
TT

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, Apr 26, 8:17 PM CDT, 4 hours 28 minutes before
INZ010-011-019-020-028-270315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
817 PM EST TUE APR 26 1994

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EST FOR THAT PART OF
INDIANA NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM DANVILLE ILLINOIS TO ELKHART.

AT 815 PM EST STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE BEGINNING TO MOVE INTO NORTHWEST
INDIANA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED FROM 40 MILES NORTHWEST OF
RENSSELAER NEAR KANKAKEE ILLINOIS SOUTHWEST INTO CENTRAL ILLINOIS...AND
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

BY 915 PM EST...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE TO NEAR MOROCCO...20
MILES WEST OF RENSSELAER. THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE PRODUCED LARGE HAIL
IN ILLINOIS...AND MAY STILL BE SEVERE WHEN THEY MOVE INTO INDIANA.

ALSO...REMEMBER...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE
TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.

ZIMMERMAN
Special weather statement, Apr 26, 8:56 PM CDT, 3 hours 49 minutes before
INZ010-011-019-020-028-270315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
855 PM EST TUE APR 26 1994

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EST FOR THAT PART OF
INDIANA NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM DANVILLE ILLINOIS TO ELKHART.

AT 850 PM EST VERY STRONG THUDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM NEAR THE SOUTHERN
TIP OF LAKE MICHIGAN ACROSS CENTRAL ILLINOIS TO NEAR SAINT LOUIS.  SOME
OF THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ABOUT 30 MILES WEST OF
RENSSELAER AND EXTENDED SOUTHWEST TO NEAR SPRINGFIELD ILLINOIS.

AT 835 PM EST THE CHICAGO RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO ABOUT 35
MILES WEST OF RENSSELAER.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE ALSO PRODUCED LARGE
HAIL OVER NORTHEAST ILLINOIS.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 50 MILES AND HOUR AND
MAY MOVE TO NEAR OR JUST NORTHWEST OF RENSSELAER BY 930 PM EST.  PERSONS
OVER FAR NORTHWEST INDIANA SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE SEVERE
WEATHER.

ALSO...REMEMBERF...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE
TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.

HENDRICKSON
Special weather statement, Apr 26, 9:17 PM CDT, 3 hours 28 minutes before
INZ010-011-019-020-028-270345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
915 PM EST TUE APR 26 1994

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EST FOR THAT PART OF
INDIANA NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM DANVILLE ILLINOIS TO ELKHART.

AT 912 PM EST VERY STRONG THUDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM THE SOUTH SIDE OF
CHICAGO TO ABOUT 30 MILES WEST OF RENSSELAER.  RADAR INDICATED SOME OF
THESE STORMS MAY HAVE PRODUCED SMALL TORNADOES ACROSS NORTHEAST
ILLINOIS.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 50 MILES AN HOUR
AND WILL MOVE INTO THE RENSSELAER AREA BY 945 PM EST.

MEANWHILE ANOTHER CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED OVER EAST
CENTRAL ILLINOIS NEAR CHAMPAIGN.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST
AT 50 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL MOVE INTO WEST CENTRAL INDIANA JUST TO THE
WEST OF COVINGTON AFTER 1000 PM EST.

PERSONS OVER NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL INDIANA SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR
POSSIBLE SEVERE LWEATHER.

ALSO...REMEMBER...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE
TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.

HENDRICKSON
Special weather statement, Apr 26, 9:53 PM CDT, 2 hours 52 minutes before
INZALL-270800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
950 PM EST TUE APR 26 1993

IN INDIANA A NEW TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 AM EST AND
INCLUDES THAT PART OF INDIANA...SOUTH OF A LINE FROM ELKHART TO DANVILLE
ILLINOIS AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM SULLIVAN TO NASHVILLE TO PORTLAND.

SOME CITIES INCLUDED IN THE NEW TORNADO WATCH ARE...FORT WAYNE...KOKOMO...
LAFAYATTE...INDIANAPOLIS AND TERRE HAUTE.

A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT NORTH OF A LINE FROM ELKHART TO DANVILLE
ILLINOIS UNTIL MIDNIGHT.

REMEMBER...A WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE
WEATHER IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD
BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR
LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
JEH
Local storm report, Apr 26, 10:48 PM CDT, 1 hour 57 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
1048 PM EST TUE APR 26 1994

TIME (EST)    COUNTY LOCATION    EVENT

1025 PM       JASPER             SHERIFFS DEPUTY REPORTED 50 TO 60 MPH
  2                               WINDS WEST OF RENSSELAER

1035 PM       JAPSER             PENNY SIZE HAIL AT THE SHERIFFS OFFICE
                                 IN RENSSELAER

DE
Special weather statement, Apr 27, 12:41 AM CDT, 4 minutes before
INZALL-040800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
1240 AM EST WED APR 27 1993

IN INDIANA THIS TORNADO        WATCH IS IN EFFECT  UNTIL 300 AM EST
AND INCLUDES THAT PART OF INDIANA...
SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF TERRE HAUTE TO 10 MILES
NORTH OF PORTLAND IN JAY COUNTY. AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM 5 MILES EAST
OF EVANSVILLE TO 15 MILES SOUTH OF LAWRENCEBURG AND EAST OF A LINE
FROM 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF TERRE HAUTE TO 5 MILES EAST OF EVANSVILLE.

SOME CITIES INCLUDED ARE... INDIANAPOLIS...MUNCIE...BLOOMINGTON...
BEDFORD...RICHMOND AND MADISON.

REMEMBER...A WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE
WEATHER IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.6 PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD
BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR
LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
HAINES

The office that day

Everything else NWS Indianapolis, IN issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 26, 11:18 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDClay27 min
Apr 26, 11:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDJasper, Richland53 min
Apr 26, 11:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDWayne49 min
Apr 27, 12:05 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDCrawford, Lawrence, Wabash40 min
Apr 27, 12:05 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDEdwards40 min
Apr 27, 12:56 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDRichland34 min
Apr 27, 1:06 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDJasper54 min
Apr 27, 2:20 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDRichland40 min
Apr 27, 4:26 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDEdwards, Wabash, White64 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.