Alert archive / Illinois / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 56, NWS St. Louis, MO

May 2, 1997Greene County, Jersey County, Illinois

NWS St. Louis, MO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 2, 1997, 11:36 PM CDT for Greene County, Jersey County, Illinois. It was in force for 54 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
May 2, 1997, 11:36 PM CDT (04:36 UTC)
Expired
May 3, 1997, 12:30 AM CDT
In force
54 min
Issued by
NWS St. Louis, MO
Area
Whole counties

Counties Greene County, IL, Jersey County, IL

The radar

The St Louis radar (KLSX), 64 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 04:38 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 2, 11:50 PM CDTHail 1Grafton, ILCounty sheriff reported quarterr size hail.

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.

The nearest sounding before it

Lincoln, IL (KILX), launched 00:00Z, 4.6 hours before the alert went out and 184 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, Lincoln, IL at 00:00Z on 1997-05-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 12 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Lincoln, IL at 00:00Z on 1997-05-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -74 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 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
12 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-49 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
702 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
64 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-74 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-24 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 030451 RRA
SVRSTL
ILC061-083-030530-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
1136 PM CDT FRI MAY 2 1997
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ST LOUIS HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1230 AM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS
 
   ...GREENE COUNTY...JERSEY COUNTY
 
AT 1135 PM CDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SHORT
LINE OF LOCALLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM 20 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
PITTSFIELD IL TO NEAR ALTON...ABOUT 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF ST LOUIS.
THESE STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 30 MPH. TOWNS IN THE PATH OF THESSTORMS ARE JERSEYVILLE...ALTON...AND CARROLLTON I"LLINOIS.
THE MAIN THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WILL BE HAIL.
 
JP/RP

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, May 2, 7:20 PM CDT, 4 hours 16 minutes before
MOZ070-081>082-091>092-096-105-030315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
720 PM CDT FRI MAY 2 1997

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SPRINGFIELD MO HAS CANCELLED SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 235 FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

MILLER   PULASKI   LACLEDE   WEBSTER   WRIGHT   DOUGLAS  OZARK

THE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR HOWELL    TEXAS   PHELPS   MARIES
DENT   SHANNON  AND OREGON COUNTIES UNTIL 10PM.

THE AREA OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WHICH PUSHED THROUGH
SECTIONS OF SOUTHWEST MISSOURI EARLIER THIS EVENING HAS MOVED INTO
SOUTH CENTRAL MISSOURI AND WILL NO LONGER AFFECT THE COUNTIES BEING
CLEARED FROM THE WATCH.  THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO PUSH OUT OF
SOUTH CENTRAL MISSOURI BY 9PM.

LINDENBERG
Special weather statement, May 2, 8:10 PM CDT, 3 hours 26 minutes before
MOZ059>062-072-030315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
810 PM CDT FRI MAY 2 1997

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 235 IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS
OF EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ST LOUIS HAS CANCELLED SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 235 FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN EAST
CENTRAL MISSOURI...

ST. CHARLES...WARREN...FRANKLIN...CRAWFORD...AND GASCONADE
COUNTIES...INCLUDING THE CITIES OF ST. CHARLES...UNION...AND
STEELEVILLE.

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THIS EVENING...BUT
THE THREAT FOR SEVERE STORMS IN THE ABOVE MENTIONED AREAS HAS
DIMINISHED SUBSTANTIALLY.

PEDIGO
Special weather statement, May 2, 8:11 PM CDT, 3 hours 25 minutes before
MOZ059>062-072-030315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
810 PM CDT FRI MAY 2 1997

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 235 IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS
OF EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ST LOUIS HAS CANCELLED SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 235 FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN EAST
CENTRAL MISSOURI...

ST. CHARLES...WARREN...FRANKLIN...CRAWFORD...AND GASCONADE
COUNTIES...INCLUDING THE CITIES OF ST. CHARLES...UNION...AND
STEELEVILLE.

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THIS EVENING...BUT
THE THREAT FOR SEVERE STORMS IN THE ABOVE MENTIONED AREAS HAS
DIMINISHED SUBSTANTIALLY.

PEDIGO
Special weather statement, May 2, 8:22 PM CDT, 3 hours 14 minutes before
MOZ058-071-082>083-097>098-106-030415-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPRINGFIELD MO
822 PM CDT FRI MAY 2 1997

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 235 HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR SOUTH
CENTRAL MISSOURI...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING
SOUTH CENTRAL MISSOURI COUNTIES...

MARIES   PHELPS   DENT   TEXAS   SHANNON   HOWELL   OREGON

THE STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE PUSHED EAST OF THE AREA AND
ARE NO LONGER A THREAT TO PRODUCE SEVERE WEATHER FOR THE ABOVE
MENTIONED COUNTIES.

LINDENBERG
Special weather statement, May 2, 9:23 PM CDT, 2 hours 13 minutes before
MOZ042-041-050-010-048-072-062-059-084-018-019-052-085-027-047-
051-034-049-036-035-099-061-075-074-063-064-009-026-060-073-ILZ095-
064-096-098-069-065-058-099-059-100-070-102-060-097-079-101-074-
MOZ065-021600-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
920 PM CST FRI MAY 2 1997

THIS OUTLOOK COVERS THE COUNTY WARNING AREA OF THE NWS OFFICE
IN ST LOUIS.  AREAS INCLUDED ARE PARTS OF CENTRAL...NORTHEAST AND
EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI...AND SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS.

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE ENTIRE
FORECAST AREA FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT INCLUDING CENTRAL...
NORTHEAST...AND EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI...AND SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS.
.
A DEEP STORM SYSTEM MOVING ACROSS MISSOURI THROUGH THE NIGHT
WILL SPAWN SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS AND A CHANCE FOR HAIL OR
DAMAGING WINDS.

THE GREATEST SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDS.

STORM SPOTTER GROUPS AND EMERGENCY MANAGERS SHOULD MONITOR LA0TER
FORECASTS AND STATEMENTS AND BE PREPARED FOR SKYWARN ACTION TONIGHT.

PEDIGO
Special weather statement, May 2, 10:20 PM CDT, 1 hour 16 minutes before
MOZ042-041-050-010-048-072-062-059-084-018-019-052-085-027-047-
051-034-049-036-035-099-061-075-074-063-064-009-026-060-073-ILZ095-
064-096-098-069-065-058-099-059-100-070-102-060-097-079-101-074-
MOZ065-021600-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
920 PM CST FRI MAY 2 1997

THIS OUTLOOK COVERS THE COUNTY WARNING AREA OF THE NWS OFFICE
IN ST LOUIS.  AREAS INCLUDED ARE PARTS OF CENTRAL...NORTHEAST AND
EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI...AND SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS.

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE ENTIRE
FORECAST AREA FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT INCLUDING CENTRAL...
NORTHEAST...AND EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI...AND SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS.
.
A DEEP STORM SYSTEM MOVING ACROSS MISSOURI THROUGH THE NIGHT
WILL SPAWN SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS AND A CHANCE FOR HAIL OR
DAMAGING WINDS.

THE GREATEST SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDS.

STORM SPOTTER GROUPS AND EMERGENCY MANAGERS SHOULD MONITOR LATER
FORECASTS AND STATEMENTS AND BE PREPARED FOR SKYWARN ACTION TONIGHT.

PEDIGO

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Illinois, 1997Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1997

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.