Alert archive / Illinois / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 246, NWS St. Louis, MO

June 18, 1998Randolph County, Saint Clair County, Illinois

NWS St. Louis, MO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 18, 1998, 9:49 PM CDT for Randolph County, Saint Clair County, Illinois. It was in force for 51 min. 4 reports 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
Jun 18, 1998, 9:49 PM CDT (02:49 UTC)
Expired
Jun 18, 1998, 10:40 PM CDT
In force
51 min
Issued by
NWS St. Louis, MO
Area
Whole counties

Counties Randolph County, IL, Saint Clair County, IL

The radar

The St Louis radar (KLSX), 85 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:51 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
Jun 18, 10:04 PM CDTThunderstorm Wind 64Freeburg, IL
Jun 18, 10:05 PM CDTThunderstorm Wind 61Prairie Du Rocher, IL
Jun 18, 10:10 PM CDTThunderstorm Wind 60Mascoutah, IL
Jun 18, 10:15 PM CDTThunderstorm Wind 61Sparta, IL

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 watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Jun 18, 6:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Lincoln, IL (KILX), launched 00:00Z, 2.8 hours before the alert went out and 237 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 1998-06-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2675 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, Lincoln, IL at 00:00Z on 1998-06-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 115 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
2675 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-8 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1092 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
27 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
115 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
219 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.7
Supercell composite
17.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

549 
WUUS1 KSTL 190250 RRA
SVRSTL
ILC157-163-190335-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
949 PM CDT THU JUN 18 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ST LOUIS HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  RANDOLPH COUNTY IN SOUTHWESTERN ILLINOIS
  ST CLAIR COUNTY IN SOUTHWESTERN ILLINOIS

* UNTIL 1040 PM CDT

* AT 949 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS JUST WEST OF WATERLOO TO NEAR
  FARMINGTON... MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

* LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED...
  RED BUD
  PRAIRIE DU ROCHER
  MILLSTADT
  FREEBURG
  NEW ATHENS

THE PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER THREAT IS DAMAGING WINDS. MOVE QUICKLY
TO A STURDY BUILDING AND STAY AWAY FROM DOORS AND WINDOWS.



GLASS/TRUETT

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, Jun 18, 6:24 PM CDT, 3 hours 25 minutes before
MOZ009-010-018-019-026-190130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
624 PM CDT THU JUN 18 1998

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI HAS
BEEN CANCELLED...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR SCOTLAND...CLARK...KNOX...LEWIS AND
SHELBY COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST MISSOURI IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.  THE
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE MOVED EAST OF THE AREA.

FERRY
Special weather statement, Jun 18, 6:24 PM CDT, 3 hours 25 minutes before
MOZ009-010-018-019-026-190130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
624 PM CDT THU JUN 18 1998

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI HAS
BEEN CANCELLED...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR SCOTLAND...CLARK...KNOX...LEWIS AND
SHELBY COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST MISSOURI IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.  THE
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE MOVED EAST OF THE AREA.

FERRY
Special weather statement, Jun 18, 8:20 PM CDT, 1 hour 29 minutes before
ILZ095>097-MOZ027-034>036-041-042-047-048-190315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
820 PM CDT THU JUN 18 1998

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCHES FOR PARTS OF NORTHEAST AND CENTRAL
MISSOURI AND WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS HAS BEEN CANCELLED...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCHES FOR MARION...MONROE...RALLS...
PIKE...AUDRAIN...BOONE...MONITEAU AND COLE COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST AND
CENTRAL MISSOURI AND THE WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS COUNTIES OF
ADAMS...BROWN AND PIKE IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. THE LINE OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS HAVE MOVED EAST OF THE AREA.

FERRY
Special weather statement, Jun 18, 8:20 PM CDT, 1 hour 29 minutes before
ILZ095>097-MOZ027-034>036-041-042-047-048-190315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
820 PM CDT THU JUN 18 1998

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCHES FOR PARTS OF NORTHEAST AND CENTRAL
MISSOURI AND WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS HAS BEEN CANCELLED...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCHES FOR MARION...MONROE...RALLS...
PIKE...AUDRAIN...BOONE...MONITEAU AND COLE COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST AND
CENTRAL MISSOURI AND THE WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS COUNTIES OF
ADAMS...BROWN AND PIKE IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. THE LINE OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS HAVE MOVED EAST OF THE AREA.

FERRY
Special weather statement, Jun 18, 9:35 PM CDT, 14 minutes before
ILZ058-059-098-099-MOZ049>052-060-061-190430-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
935 PM CDT THU JUN 18 1998

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF CENTRAL AND EAST CENTRAL
MISSOURI AND SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR THE MISSOURI COUNTIES OF
OSAGE...CALLOWAY...MONTGOMERY AND LINCOLN AND THE SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS
COUNTIES OF CALHOUN...JERSEY...GREENE AND MACOUPIN HAS EXPIRED.

MOST OF THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE ENDED OVER THE AREA.
HOWEVER...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED FROM LINCOLN COUNTY MISSOURI
INTO MACOUPIN COUNTY ILLINOIS.  WHILE THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT HAS
ENDED...THE STORMS IN MACOUPIN COUNTY WERE STILL CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
VERY HEAVY RAINS.

DLF
Special weather statement, Jun 18, 9:35 PM CDT, 14 minutes before
ILZ058-059-098-099-MOZ049>052-060-061-190430-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
935 PM CDT THU JUN 18 1998

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF CENTRAL AND EAST CENTRAL
MISSOURI AND SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR THE MISSOURI COUNTIES OF
OSAGE...CALLOWAY...MONTGOMERY AND LINCOLN AND THE SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS
COUNTIES OF CALHOUN...JERSEY...GREENE AND MACOUPIN HAS EXPIRED.

MOST OF THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE ENDED OVER THE AREA.
HOWEVER...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED FROM LINCOLN COUNTY MISSOURI
INTO MACOUPIN COUNTY ILLINOIS.  WHILE THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT HAS
ENDED...THE STORMS IN MACOUPIN COUNTY WERE STILL CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
VERY HEAVY RAINS.

DLF

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 18, 7:55 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXGreene35 min
Jun 18, 8:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXJersey35 min
Jun 18, 8:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXMacoupin50 min
Jun 18, 8:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXMontgomery48 min
Jun 18, 9:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXMonroe48 min
Jun 18, 9:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXMontgomery31 min
Jun 18, 10:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXClinton, Washington49 min
Jun 18, 10:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXMarion51 min
Jun 18, 11:02 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXFayette48 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Illinois, 1998Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1998

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.