Alert archive / Illinois / Flash Flood Warnings in 2004

Flash Flood Warning 12, NWS St. Louis, MO

May 27, 20045 counties in Illinois

NWS St. Louis, MO issued this flash flood warning at May 27, 2004, 5:12 PM CDT for 5 counties in Illinois. It was in force for 5 hr. 3 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued: May 27, 2004, 5:12 PM CDT (22:12 UTC)
Expired: May 27, 2004, 10:15 PM CDT
In force: 5 hr
Issued by: NWS St. Louis, MO
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Bond County, IL, Fayette County, IL, Macoupin County, IL, Madison County, IL, Montgomery County, IL

The radar

The St Louis radar (KLSX), 100 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:14 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

Time	Report	Where	Remark
May 27, 5:15 PM CDT	FLOOD	Litchfield, IL	FLOODING AT ROUTES 16 AND 127. CARS STALLED IN HIGH WATER.
May 27, 5:59 PM CDT	FLOOD	Hillsboro, IL	ROUTE 16 CLOSED NEAR WITT AND AT INTERSECTION OF ROUTE 127.
May 27, 7:54 PM CDT	FLOOD	Granite City, IL	MULTIPLE CARS STRANDED IN GRANITE CITY. 1 TO 2 FEET OF WATER COVERING THE ROAD.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Lincoln, IL (KILX), launched 12:00Z, 10.2 hours before the alert went out and 151 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 577 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -123 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 465 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 47 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 119 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 147 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 1.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WGUS53 KLSX 272218
FFWLSX
ILC005-051-117-119-135-280315-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
512 PM CDT THU MAY 27 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ST LOUIS HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  BOND COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS
  FAYETTE COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS
  MONTGOMERY COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS
  MACOUPIN COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS
  MADISON COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS

* UNTIL 1015 PM CDT

* AT 512 PM CDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED   
  THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN FROM JUST SOUTHWEST OF 
  CARLINVILLE...TO NEAR VANDALIA.  1 TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN
  IN THESE AREAS SINCE 3 PM...AND ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINS CAN BE
  EXPECTED THROUGH 7 PM.  FLOODING HAS BEEN REPORTED IN A RAILROAD
  UNDERPASS AT SHIPMAN...AND MANY ROADS ARE BEING INUNDATED BY THE
  HEAVY RAINFALL.

* FLASH FLOODING CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA...AND WILL BE  
  AFFECTING THE SHIPMAN...LITCHFIELD...COFFEEN...STAUNTON...AND
  VANDALIA AREAS.

IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED OR IMMINENT...MOVE QUICKLY TO HIGHER
GROUND. NEVER DRIVE INTO AN AREA WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.

MOST DEATHS IN FLASH FLOODING OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES DO NOT ATTEMPT TO
CROSS BRIDGES...DIPS...OR LOW WATER CROSSINGS IF WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. DO NOT DRIVE AROUND BARRICADES IF YOUR VEHICLE STALLS...
ABANDON IT IMMEDIATELY AND SEEK HIGHER GROUND.

DURING HEAVY RAINS...KEEP CHILDREN AWAY FROM CREEKS AND STORM DRAINS.
GENTLY FLOWING WATER CAN TURN INTO A RAGING TORRENT IN A MATTER OF
MINUTES.

LAT...LON 3884 8915 3876 8915 3875 8960 3867 8961
          3868 9031 3884 9008 3897 9027 3900 9014
          3910 9015 3910 9016 3953 9015 3954 8955
          3935 8955 3935 8916 3922 8916 3921 8882
          3885 8874

$$

TRUETT

2 follow-up statements

000 
WGUS73 KLSX 272351
FFSLSX
ILC005-051-117-119-135-280315-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
640 PM CDT THU MAY 27 2004

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MONTGOMERY...
MADISON...BOND...FAYETTE AND MACOUPIN COUNTIES UNTIL 1015PM CDT...

AT 600 PM CDT...LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED FLASH FLOODING. ROUTE 16 
HAS BEEN CLOSED NEAR WITT AND AT INTERSECTION OF ROUTE 127 WEST OF 
HILLSBORO. ALSO IN LIVINGSTON 4 TO 6 INCHES OF WATER WAS REPORTED ON 
CITY ROADS.

TOWNS MOST APT TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS ARE 
SHAFTER...BROWNSTOWN...AVENA...WOBURN...VAN BURENSBURG...CHAPMAN AND 
COFEEN

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT
QUICKLY. MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY
IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. AVOID BRIDGES...DIPS...
OR OTHER LOW LYING AREAS...AND NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS
WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT
TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS SAFELY. VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER
SHOULD BE ABANDONED QUICKLY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

$$

DUMMER

000 
WGUS73 KLSX 280238
FFSLSX
ILC005-051-117-119-135-280315-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
925 PM CDT THU MAY 27 2004

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MONTGOMERY...
MADISON...BOND...FAYETTE AND MACOUPIN COUNTIES UNTIL 1000 PM CDT...

THE HEAVY RAINS OF LATE THIS AFTERNOON PRODUCE RAINS OF 2 TO 3 
INCHES OVER THE WARNING AREA...WITH RADAR ESTIMATES OF NEARLY 4 
INCHES IN PARTS OF FAYETTE COUNTY.

BETWEEN 9 AND 915 PM...LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED THE FOLLOWING...

IN MACOUPIN COUNTY...NUMEROUS ROADS WERE STILL COVERED BY STANDING 
WATER...BUT NONE WERE CLOSED.

IN FAYETTE COUNTY...COUNTY ROADS 21503 AND 2475N WERE WASHED OUT 
NORTH OF ST. ELMO.  MOST OTHER COUNTY ROADS WERE STILL COVERED BY 
FLOOD WATERS.

IN BOND COUNTY...SEVERAL ROADS WERE STILL COVERED BY STANDING 
WATER...BUT NONE WERE CLOSED. 

IN MADISON COUNTY...AT HIGHWAY 159 AT HOLLYWOOD HEIGHTS...SOUTH OF 
COLLINSVILLE...HIGHWAY WAS COVERED WITH 2 FEET OF WATER.  FLOODED 
ROADS WERE REPORTED IN NEW DOUGLAS AND GODFREY.

THE HEAVIEST RAINS ENDED OVER THIS AREA BETWEEN 630 AND 730 PM...SO 
ANY LINGERING FLOOD WATERS SHOULD BE RECEDING FAIRLY QUICKLY.  UNTIL 
THEN...BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS...BECAUSE DARKNESS OFTEN OBSCURES THE 
DANGERS OF FLOOD WATERS.

MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. AVOID BRIDGES...DIPS...
OR OTHER LOW LYING AREAS...AND NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS
WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT
TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS SAFELY. VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER
SHOULD BE ABANDONED QUICKLY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

$$

TRUETT/DUMMER/PEDIGO

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 26, 7:01 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LSX	Monroe, Saint Clair	44 min
May 26, 7:14 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LSX	Clinton, Saint Clair	61 min
May 26, 7:41 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LSX	Monroe, Saint Clair	34 min
May 26, 7:55 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LSX	Marion	65 min
May 26, 7:57 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LSX	Randolph, Washington	33 min
May 27, 3:23 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LSX	Calhoun, Pike	52 min
May 27, 3:48 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LSX	Bond, Madison, Montgomery	57 min
May 27, 3:53 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LSX	Greene	52 min
May 27, 4:13 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LSX	Fayette	47 min
May 27, 4:15 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LSX	Macoupin	45 min
May 27, 4:40 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LSX	Jersey	35 min
May 27, 4:49 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LSX	Montgomery	41 min
May 27, 5:13 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LSX	Greene, Jersey	47 min
May 27, 5:44 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	LSX	Calhoun, Greene, Pike	4 hr
May 27, 5:53 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LSX	Greene	52 min
May 27, 6:54 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	LSX	Jersey	4 hr
May 27, 6:55 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LSX	Madison	50 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Illinois, 2004 Every flash flood warning in 2004

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.