Alert archive / Illinois / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 5, NWS Chicago, IL

May 6, 2012LaSalle County, Livingston County, Illinois

NWS Chicago, IL issued this tornado warning at May 6, 2012, 3:42 PM CDT for LaSalle County, Livingston County, Illinois. It was in force for 48 min. 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 6, 2012, 3:42 PM CDT (20:42 UTC)
Expired
May 6, 2012, 4:30 PM CDT
In force
48 min
Issued by
NWS Chicago, IL
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties LaSalle County, IL, Livingston County, IL

The radar

The Chicago radar (KLOT), 90 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:42 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 6, 3:50 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUD6 E Wenona, ILFUNNEL WAS BECOMING RAIN-WRAPPED.
May 6, 3:50 PM CDTTSTM WND GST 606 E Wenona, IL
May 6, 3:57 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUDStreator, ILLAW ENFORCEMENT RELAYED A PUBLIC REPORT OF A POSSIBLE FUNNEL VISIBLE FROM THE 1500 BLOCK OF SOUTH JEFFERSON.

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

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 6, 1:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Lincoln, IL (KILX), launched 12:00Z, 8.7 hours before the alert went out and 106 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 2012-05-06Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2922 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 12:00Z on 2012-05-06The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 48 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
2922 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-37 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
576 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
14 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
48 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
98 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.

600 
WFUS53 KLOT 062042
TORLOT
ILC099-105-062130-
/O.NEW.KLOT.TO.W.0005.120506T2042Z-120506T2130Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
342 PM CDT SUN MAY 6 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHICAGO HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTH CENTRAL LA SALLE COUNTY...
  NORTHWESTERN LIVINGSTON COUNTY...

* UNTIL 430 PM CDT

* AT 337 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS
  STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR WENONA...OR 13 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
  STREATOR...AND MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT 
  REPORTED STRONG ROTATION VISIBLE IN THE CLOUDS WITH THIS STORM.

* THIS TORNADIC STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  STREATOR AROUND 420 PM.


LAT...LON 4120 8878 4093 8883 4093 8905 4111 8905
TIME...MOT...LOC 2042Z 264DEG 15KT 4103 8902

$$

RATZER
3 follow-up statements
650 
WWUS53 KLOT 062058
SVSLOT

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
358 PM CDT SUN MAY 6 2012

ILC099-105-062130-
/O.CON.KLOT.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-120506T2130Z/
LA SALLE IL-LIVINGSTON IL-
358 PM CDT SUN MAY 6 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHWESTERN LIVINGSTON
AND SOUTH CENTRAL LA SALLE COUNTIES UNTIL 430 PM CDT...

AT 351 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE A SEVERE 
THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. TRAINED WEATHER 
SPOTTERS REPORTED A RAIN WRAPPED FUNNEL CLOUD WITH THIS STORM 6 
MILES EAST OF WENONA AT 350 PM CDT...WITH 60 MPH STRAIGHT LINE WINDS 
ALSO OBSERVED. THIS TORNADIC SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED EAST 
WENONA...OR 8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF STREATOR...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  STREATOR AROUND 420 PM CDT.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY HIDE THIS TORNADO. DO NOT WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR THE
TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CONTACT YOUR NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY. THEY WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
IN CHICAGO.

&&

LAT...LON 4120 8878 4093 8883 4093 8905 4111 8905
TIME...MOT...LOC 2056Z 264DEG 15KT 4104 8895

$$

RATZER
921 
WWUS53 KLOT 062113
SVSLOT

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
413 PM CDT SUN MAY 6 2012

ILC099-105-062130-
/O.CON.KLOT.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-120506T2130Z/
LA SALLE IL-LIVINGSTON IL-
413 PM CDT SUN MAY 6 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHWESTERN LIVINGSTON
AND SOUTH CENTRAL LA SALLE COUNTIES UNTIL 430 PM CDT...

AT 406 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS DANGEROUS
STORM WAS LOCATED 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF STREATOR...MOVING EAST AT 15
MPH. RADAR INDICATES THAT ROTATION HAS WEAKENED IN THIS STORM...
HOWEVER SEVERAL REPORTS OF ROTATION HAVE BEEN RECEIVED FROM LAW 
ENFORCEMENT AND SPOTTERS WITH THIS STORM AND THE THREAT OF A TORNADO 
CONTINUES. 

THIS DANGEROUS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  STREATOR AROUND 420 PM CDT.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CONTACT YOUR NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY. THEY WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
IN CHICAGO.

&&

LAT...LON 4113 8891 4120 8878 4093 8883 4093 8905
TIME...MOT...LOC 2111Z 264DEG 15KT 4105 8887

$$

RATZER
322 
WWUS53 KLOT 062123
SVSLOT

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
423 PM CDT SUN MAY 6 2012

ILC099-105-062132-
/O.EXP.KLOT.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-120506T2130Z/
LA SALLE IL-LIVINGSTON IL-
423 PM CDT SUN MAY 6 2012


...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN LIVINGSTON AND SOUTH CENTRAL
LA SALLE COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 430 PM CDT...

THE TORNADO THREAT HAS DIMINISHED...THEREFORE THE TORNADO WARNING 
WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE. HOWEVER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING 
REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR A PORTION THE AREA...AND HEAVY RAIN IS STILL 
POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CONTACT YOUR NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY. THEY WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
IN CHICAGO.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE 
AREA UNTIL 9 PM CDT.

LAT...LON 4113 8891 4120 8878 4093 8883 4093 8905
TIME...MOT...LOC 2122Z 264DEG 15KT 4105 8881

$$

RATZER

The office that day

Everything else NWS Chicago, IL issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 6, 3:56 AM CDTFlash Flood WatchLOTBoone, DeKalb, DuPage, Ford, Grundy, Iroquois and 10 more27 hr
May 6, 9:39 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementLOTDeKalb36 min
May 6, 10:02 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementLOTGrundy28 min
May 6, 10:15 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementLOTBoone45 min
May 6, 10:44 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementLOTKendall31 min
May 6, 10:48 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLOTKendall42 min
May 6, 11:24 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementLOTWill36 min
May 6, 1:55 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementLOTCook65 min
May 6, 1:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLOTFord, Iroquois, Kankakee, Livingston64 min
May 6, 2:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLOTCook38 min
May 6, 2:39 PM CDTSpecial Marine WarningLOT96 min
May 6, 2:46 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementLOTLivingston59 min
May 6, 2:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLOTFord, Iroquois, Kankakee63 min
May 6, 3:19 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLOTFord, Grundy, Iroquois, Kankakee, Livingston6 hr
May 6, 3:26 PM CDTTornado WarningLOTIroquois64 min
May 6, 3:31 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLOTGrundy, LaSalle, Livingston59 min
May 6, 3:39 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLOTGrundy, LaSalle, Livingston6 hr
May 6, 3:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLOTIroquois64 min
May 6, 3:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLOTLaSalle, Livingston52 min
May 6, 4:02 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLOTFord, Iroquois, Livingston48 min
May 6, 4:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLOTFord, Grundy, Kankakee, Livingston57 min
May 6, 4:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLOTGrundy, LaSalle, Livingston32 min
May 6, 4:46 PM CDTTornado WarningLOTIroquois44 min
May 6, 4:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLOTIroquois64 min
May 6, 5:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLOTFord, Iroquois, Livingston59 min
May 6, 5:15 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLOTFord, Iroquois6 hr
May 6, 5:25 PM CDTTornado WarningLOTFord, Iroquois50 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Illinois, 2012Every tornado warning in 2012Tornadoes in 2012

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.