Alert archive / Illinois / Tornado Watches in 2004

Tornado Watch 334

May 30, 200451 counties in Illinois; Ballard County, Fulton County, Kentucky; 29 counties in Missouri

The Storm Prediction Center issued this tornado watch at May 30, 2004, 1:05 PM CDT for 51 counties in Illinois; Ballard County, Fulton County, Kentucky; 29 counties in Missouri. It was in force for 6 hr.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
May 30, 2004, 1:05 PM CDT (18:05 UTC)
Expired
May 30, 2004, 7:00 PM CDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
the Storm Prediction Center
All 82 counties

Alexander County, IL, Bond County, IL, Calhoun County, IL, Cass County, IL, Champaign County, IL, Christian County, IL, Clay County, IL, Clinton County, IL, Coles County, IL, Cumberland County, IL, DeWitt County, IL, Douglas County, IL, Effingham County, IL, Fayette County, IL, Ford County, IL, Franklin County, IL, Fulton County, IL, Greene County, IL, Hamilton County, IL, Jackson County, IL, Jasper County, IL, Jefferson County, IL, Jersey County, IL, Johnson County, IL, Logan County, IL, Macon County, IL, Macoupin County, IL, Madison County, IL, Marion County, IL, Mason County, IL, McLean County, IL, Menard County, IL, Monroe County, IL, Montgomery County, IL, Morgan County, IL, Moultrie County, IL, Perry County, IL, Piatt County, IL, Pulaski County, IL, Randolph County, IL, Saint Clair County, IL, Sangamon County, IL, Schuyler County, IL, Scott County, IL, Shelby County, IL, Tazewell County, IL, Union County, IL, Vermilion County, IL, Washington County, IL, Wayne County, IL, Williamson County, IL, Ballard County, KY, Fulton County, KY, Bollinger County, MO, Butler County, MO, Cape Girardeau County, MO, Carter County, MO, City of Saint Louis, MO, Crawford County, MO, Dent County, MO, Franklin County, MO, Howell County, MO, Iron County, MO, Jefferson County, MO, Lincoln County, MO, Madison County, MO, Mississippi County, MO, New Madrid County, MO, Oregon County, MO, Perry County, MO, Reynolds County, MO, Ripley County, MO, Saint Charles County, MO, Saint Francois County, MO, Saint Louis County, MO, Sainte Genevieve County, MO, Scott County, MO, Shannon County, MO, Stoddard County, MO, Warren County, MO, Washington County, MO, Wayne County, MO

The radar

The St Louis radar (KLSX), 73 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:05 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.

Warnings issued inside it

81 tornado, severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings for its counties while it was in force.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 30, 2:38 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSGFHowell, Ozark67 min
May 30, 2:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXJefferson, Saint Louis, City of Saint Louis39 min
May 30, 2:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSGFShannon, Texas64 min
May 30, 3:06 PM CDTTornado WarningSGFShannon54 min
May 30, 3:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXIron, Reynolds, Washington62 min
May 30, 3:45 PM CDTTornado WarningILXFulton, Knox60 min
May 30, 3:48 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXReynolds42 min
May 30, 3:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXFranklin, Warren53 min
May 30, 3:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXWashington49 min
May 30, 3:59 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXFranklin46 min
May 30, 4:04 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXBond, Madison, Montgomery41 min
May 30, 4:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSGFDent37 min
May 30, 4:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSGFShannon67 min
May 30, 4:09 PM CDTTornado WarningILXSchuyler66 min
May 30, 4:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXClinton, Saint Clair51 min
May 30, 4:13 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXBond, Madison, Montgomery47 min
May 30, 4:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLOTFord, Livingston61 min
May 30, 4:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSGFHowell71 min
May 30, 4:20 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXBond, Clinton, Madison, Saint Clair40 min
May 30, 4:25 PM CDTTornado WarningLOTFord, Livingston50 min
May 30, 4:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXSaint Charles50 min
May 30, 4:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXIron, Washington47 min
May 30, 4:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSGFShannon47 min
May 30, 4:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXMonroe28 min
May 30, 4:34 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningILXFulton, Schuyler6 hr
May 30, 4:36 PM CDTTornado WarningILXTazewell, Woodford54 min
May 30, 4:42 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXFranklin48 min
May 30, 4:43 PM CDTTornado WarningILXFulton, Knox62 min
May 30, 4:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXFayette, Montgomery46 min
May 30, 4:45 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXSaint Charles, Saint Louis45 min
May 30, 4:48 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXFayette, Montgomery42 min
May 30, 4:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXMenard56 min
May 30, 4:51 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXMonroe39 min
May 30, 4:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXMadison, Sainte Genevieve, Saint Francois52 min
May 30, 4:55 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXBond, Clinton, Fayette, Marion50 min
May 30, 4:56 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningSGFHowell6 hr
May 30, 4:58 PM CDTTornado WarningPAHCarter62 min
May 30, 4:59 PM CDTTornado WarningILXCass, Mason61 min
May 30, 4:59 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningSGFShannon6 hr
May 30, 5:02 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSGFOregon58 min
May 30, 5:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXIron, Reynolds42 min
May 30, 5:06 PM CDTTornado WarningILXShelby54 min
May 30, 5:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXMadison36 min
May 30, 5:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningSGFShannon29 min
May 30, 5:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXSaint Clair41 min
May 30, 5:24 PM CDTTornado WarningPAHWayne36 min
May 30, 5:25 PM CDTTornado WarningILXClark, Crawford, Cumberland, Jasper65 min
May 30, 5:25 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXReynolds35 min
May 30, 5:25 PM CDTTornado WarningPAHWayne65 min
May 30, 5:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXSaint Charles, Saint Louis, City of Saint Louis48 min
May 30, 5:30 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningILXTazewell6 hr
May 30, 5:31 PM CDTTornado WarningILXEffingham, Logan, Shelby, Tazewell59 min
May 30, 5:34 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningILXEffingham, Shelby6 hr
May 30, 5:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXDouglas, Edgar65 min
May 30, 5:44 PM CDTTornado WarningILXLogan, Tazewell46 min
May 30, 5:44 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXFayette31 min
May 30, 5:44 PM CDTTornado WarningPAHBollinger46 min
May 30, 5:47 PM CDTTornado WarningPAHPerry58 min
May 30, 5:48 PM CDTTornado WarningPAHRipley57 min
May 30, 5:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLSXMacoupin, Montgomery25 min
May 30, 5:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXDeWitt, Macon, Piatt51 min
May 30, 6:03 PM CDTTornado WarningILXMcLean57 min
May 30, 6:07 PM CDTTornado WarningPAHJackson53 min
May 30, 6:08 PM CDTTornado WarningPAHCape Girardeau52 min
May 30, 6:12 PM CDTTornado WarningILXDeWitt63 min
May 30, 6:14 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXWashington46 min
May 30, 6:16 PM CDTTornado WarningILXColes59 min
May 30, 6:19 PM CDTTornado WarningPAHPerry26 min
May 30, 6:21 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXChampaign69 min
May 30, 6:24 PM CDTTornado WarningILXCumberland, Effingham, Jasper66 min
May 30, 6:33 PM CDTTornado WarningPAHButler42 min
May 30, 6:36 PM CDTTornado WarningLSXMarion39 min
May 30, 6:40 PM CDTTornado WarningPAHJefferson35 min
May 30, 6:40 PM CDTTornado WarningPAHStoddard65 min
May 30, 6:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLOTFord42 min
May 30, 6:48 PM CDTTornado WarningPAHScott57 min
May 30, 6:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXPiatt56 min
May 30, 6:50 PM CDTTornado WarningPAHWilliamson55 min
May 30, 6:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPAHFranklin22 min
May 30, 6:57 PM CDTTornado WarningILXChampaign, Piatt63 min
May 30, 6:59 PM CDTTornado WarningPAHUnion46 min

Discussions around it

SPC mesoscale discussions over the same counties from four hours before the watch to its end.

The nearest sounding before it

Lincoln, IL (KILX), launched 12:00Z, 6.1 hours before the alert went out and 263 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 12:00Z on 2004-05-30Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1629 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 12:00Z on 2004-05-30The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 201 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
1629 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-53 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
569 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
46 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
201 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
177 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.4
Supercell composite
8.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WWUS20 KWNS 301806
SEL4  
SPC WW 301805
ILZ000-MOZ000-310000-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 334
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
105 PM CDT SUN MAY 30 2004

THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF 

       CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
       EASTERN AND SOUTHERN MISSOURI

EFFECTIVE THIS SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 105 PM UNTIL 700
PM CDT.

...THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION...

DESTRUCTIVE TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL TO 2.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER...
THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE
POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.

THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 80 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST
OF A LINE FROM 10 MILES NORTH OF BLOOMINGTON ILLINOIS TO 20 MILES
SOUTH SOUTHWEST OF POPLAR BLUFF MISSOURI.

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS 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.

OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...CONTINUE...WW 330...WW 331...WW 332...WW
333...

DISCUSSION...SUPERCELLS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IN THE NEXT 1-2 HOURS
ALONG W/E OUTFLOW BOUNDARY IN CNTRL MO.  ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY MAY
ALSO FORM ALONG AXIS OF WEAK LOW LEVEL CONFLUENCE WITHIN WARM SECTOR
ACROSS SE MO/SRN IL.  LARGE SCALE ASCENT WILL INCREASE WITH TIME AS
STRONG SHORTWAVE CONTINUES FROM WRN/CNTRL KS LASTER TODAY/TONIGHT...
SUPPORTING POTENTIAL FOR STRONG TORNADOES IN ADDITION TO LARGE
HAIL/HIGH WIND.

AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 2.5 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE
WIND GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO
550. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 26035.


...CORFIDI

403,0872 362,0890 362,0920 403,0902

SPC that day

Everything else SPC issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 30, 7:40 AM CDTTornado WatchSPCAdams, Brown, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Coles and 31 more5 hr
May 30, 9:40 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAdams, Brown, Calhoun, Cass, Greene, Hancock and 6 more3 hr
May 30, 10:04 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAlexander, Clay, Clinton, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin and 19 more2 hr
May 30, 10:50 AM CDTTornado WatchSPCAdams, Brown, Hancock, McDonough, Pike8 hr
May 30, 11:04 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCChampaign, Cook, DeWitt, Douglas, DuPage, Iroquois and 4 more116 min
May 30, 11:50 AM CDTTornado WatchSPCClark, Crawford, Edgar, Edwards, Gallatin, Hardin and 7 more7 hr
May 30, 12:13 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCCarroll, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Jo Daviess, Knox and 4 more2 hr
May 30, 12:25 PM CDTTornado WatchSPCBureau, Carroll, Henderson, Henry, Jo Daviess, Knox and 8 more7 hr
May 30, 12:53 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAdams, Brown, Calhoun, Cass, Christian, Fulton and 13 more2 hr
May 30, 3:16 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCBoone, Bureau, Carroll, Cass, DeKalb, DuPage and 29 more119 min
May 30, 4:25 PM CDTTornado WatchSPCBoone, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Iroquois and 12 more6 hr
May 30, 5:10 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAlexander, Bond, Clinton, Fayette, Jackson, Madison and 7 more95 min
May 30, 5:36 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCBoone, Bureau, Carroll, Cass, Champaign, Christian and 39 more54 min
May 30, 6:40 PM CDTTornado WatchSPCAlexander, Bond, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Clay and 41 more6 hr
May 30, 6:55 PM CDTTornado WatchSPCGallatin, Hardin, Lawrence, Wabash8 hr
May 30, 11:50 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAnderson, Bath, Bell, Bourbon, Boyle, Bracken and 54 more115 min
May 30, 1:40 PM CDTTornado WatchSPCAdair, Anderson, Barren, Bath, Bell, Bourbon and 67 more7 hr
May 30, 3:05 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAdair, Anderson, Bath, Boone, Bourbon, Boyd and 77 more115 min
May 30, 3:20 PM CDTTornado WatchSPCCalloway, Fulton8 hr
May 30, 3:55 PM CDTTornado WatchSPCBoone, Bracken, Campbell, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton and 1 more5 hr
May 29, 8:45 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAndrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Clay, Clinton, DeKalb and 5 more60 min
May 29, 9:35 PM CDTTornado WatchSPCAndrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Caldwell, Cass, Clay and 13 more6 hr
May 29, 11:23 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAndrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Caldwell, Clay, Clinton and 10 more67 min
May 30, 2:38 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAndrew, Buchanan, Caldwell, Cass, Clay, Clinton and 17 more97 min
May 30, 2:44 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCBollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Christian, Crawford and 26 more2 hr

Nearby

Tornado Watches in Illinois, 2004Tornado Watches in Missouri, 2004Tornado Watches in Kentucky, 2004Every tornado watch 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.