Alert archive / Illinois / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2004

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 309, NWS St. Louis, MO

October 18, 2004Fayette County, Illinois

NWS St. Louis, MO issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Oct 18, 2004, 6:38 PM CDT for Fayette County, Illinois. It was in force for 67 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: Oct 18, 2004, 6:38 PM CDT (23:38 UTC)
Expired: Oct 18, 2004, 7:45 PM CDT
In force: 67 min
Issued by: NWS St. Louis, MO
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Fayette County, IL

The radar

The Lincoln radar (KILX), 120 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:40 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Lincoln, IL (KILX), launched 12:00Z, 11.6 hours before the alert went out and 125 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: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 480 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 55 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 161 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 217 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 
WUUS53 KLSX 182338
SVRLSX
ILC051-190045-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
638 PM CDT MON OCT 18 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ST LOUIS HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN FAYETTE COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS

* UNTIL 745 PM CDT

* AT 638 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 19 MILES WEST OF RAMSEY...MOVING EAST AT 25
  MPH. THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THIS STORM WILL BE LARGE HAIL UP TO
  THE SIZE OF GOLFBALLS.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  RAMSEY
  WRIGHTS CORNER

LARGE HAIL CAN INFLICT SERIOUS INJURY AND CAUSE EXTENSIVE PROPERTY
DAMAGE. TAKE SHELTER INSIDE OF A STURDY BUILDING NOW...AND STAY AWAY
FROM WINDOWS

LAT...LON 3905 8914 3904 8915 3904 8919 3903 8921
      3903 8925 3921 8924 3921 8882 3912 8882
      3910 8881

$$

CVKING

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.

NWS St. Louis, MO wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Oct 18, 3:30 PM CDT, 3 hours 8 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 18, 3:30 PM CDT, 3 hours 8 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
330 PM CDT MON OCT 18 2004

.DISCUSSION...
ABBREVIATED DISC...SVR WX THRT WL CONT INTO E HALF OF CWA THIS EVE.
DUE TO HVY RAINS OF THIS MRNG...AND STMS TRYING TO TRAIN IN VCNTY OF
WRMFNT...WL ISSUE FLOOD WATCH THROUGH 05Z FOR E 6 COUNTIES.

WL TRY TO GET ADDL DISC ISSUED LATER ON.

&&

.LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MO...NONE.
IL...NONE.

&&

TRUETT

Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 18, 12:30 PM CDT, 6 hours 8 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
1230 PM CDT MON OCT 18 2004

ILZ058>060-064-065-069-070-074-079-095>102-MOZ018-019-026-027-
034>036-041-042-047>052-059>065-072>075-084-085-099-191100-
ADAMS IL-AUDRAIN-BOND IL-BOONE-BROWN-CALHOUN IL-CALLAWAY-CLINTON IL-
COLE-CRAWFORD-FAYETTE IL-FRANKLIN-GASCONADE-GREENE IL-IRON-JEFFERSON-
JERSEY IL-KNOX-LEWIS-LINCOLN-MACOUPIN IL-MADISON-MADISON IL-MARION-
MARION IL-MONITEAU-MONROE-MONROE IL-MONTGOMERY-MONTGOMERY IL-OSAGE-
PIKE-PIKE IL-RALLS-RANDOLPH IL-REYNOLDS-SHELBY-ST CHARLES-
ST CLAIR IL-ST FRANCOIS-ST LOUIS-ST LOUIS CITY-STE GENEVIEVE-WARREN-
WASHINGTON-WASHINGTON IL-
500 AM CDT MON OCT 18 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PARTS OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN
MISSOURI AS WELL AS WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH
EARLY TONIGHT ACROSS CENTRAL AND EASTERN MISSOURI...AND WEST CENTRAL
AND SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS. WARM UNSTABLE AIR CONTINUES TO MOVE
NORTHWARD ACROSS SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL MISSOURI AHEAD OF A DRY LINE
WHICH HAS ENTERED SOUTHWEST MISSOURI. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE
EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE DRY LINE AND MOVE ACROSS
PARTS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MISSOURI THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE
THROUGH EARLY TONIGHT. THE THREAT WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE
LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...ISOLATED TORNADOES AND DEADLY
LIGHTNING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE AGAIN STARTING LATE WEDNESDAY AND
CONTINUING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT AS THE NEXT STORM SYSTEM MOVES
ACROSS THE CENTRAL UNITED STATES.

.SPOTTER ACTIVATION STATEMENT...

STORM SPOTTERS MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING.

RP

In the hours before

Local storm report, Oct 18, 6:11 PM CDT, 27 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
611 PM CDT MON OCT 18 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0554 PM     HAIL             7 W BUNKER HILL         39.04N 90.08W
10/18/2004  0.75 INCH        MACOUPIN           IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

0610 PM     HAIL             WALSHVILLE              39.07N 89.62W
10/18/2004  0.75 INCH        MONTGOMERY         IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            DIME SIZED HAIL COVERING THE GROUND

&&

CARNEY

Local storm report, Oct 18, 6:20 PM CDT, 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
620 PM CDT MON OCT 18 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0610 PM     HAIL             WALSHVILLE              39.07N 89.62W
10/18/2004  0.75 INCH        MONTGOMERY         IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

CARNEY

Local storm report, Oct 18, 6:21 PM CDT, 17 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
621 PM CDT MON OCT 18 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0620 PM     HAIL             HILLSBORO               39.16N 89.48W
10/18/2004  1.00 INCH        MONTGOMERY         IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

CARNEY

Local storm report, Oct 18, 6:22 PM CDT, 16 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
622 PM CDT MON OCT 18 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0621 PM     HAIL             HILLSBORO               39.16N 89.48W
10/18/2004  0.25 INCH        MONTGOMERY         IL   LAW ENFORCEMENT

&&

CARNEY

Local storm report, Oct 18, 6:33 PM CDT, 5 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
633 PM CDT MON OCT 18 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0633 PM     HAIL             3 NW LITCHFIELD         39.21N 89.70W
10/18/2004  0.75 INCH        MONTGOMERY         IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

CARNEY

Local storm report, Oct 18, 6:36 PM CDT, 2 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
636 PM CDT MON OCT 18 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0634 PM     HAIL             LITCHFIELD              39.18N 89.66W
10/18/2004  1.75 INCH        MONTGOMERY         IL   LAW ENFORCEMENT

0634 PM     HAIL             5 N LITCHFIELD          39.25N 89.66W
10/18/2004  0.25 INCH        MONTGOMERY         IL   LAW ENFORCEMENT

&&

CARNEY

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Oct 18, 2:10 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LSX	Montgomery	50 min
Oct 18, 2:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LSX	Montgomery	32 min
Oct 18, 4:49 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LSX	Randolph	56 min
Oct 18, 5:16 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LSX	Monroe	44 min
Oct 18, 5:46 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LSX	Randolph	44 min
Oct 18, 5:57 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LSX	Macoupin, Montgomery	63 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Illinois, 2004 Every severe thunderstorm 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.