Alert archive / Illinois / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 6, NWS Chicago, IL

May 6, 2012Iroquois County, Illinois

NWS Chicago, IL issued this tornado warning at May 6, 2012, 4:46 PM CDT for Iroquois County, Illinois. It was in force for 44 min. 1 report 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, 4:46 PM CDT (21:46 UTC)
Expired
May 6, 2012, 5:30 PM CDT
In force
44 min
Issued by
NWS Chicago, IL
Area
Storm-based polygon

County Iroquois County, IL

The radar

The Chicago radar (KLOT), 96 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:48 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, 5:00 PM CDTTORNADO3 E Watseka, ILDELAYED REPORT. TIME BASED OFF RADAR. POSSIBLE TORNADO. DAMAGE STARTED ON SE SIDE OF WATSEKA E OF RT 1 AND S OF RT 24. MULTIPLE TREES DOWN. SIDING RIPPED OFF BLDGS. SIGNS MANGLED. ON A PROPERTY ON CR 1730N...A 40X40 CINDER BLOCK BLDG WAS TORN APART...WITH CIND

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, 9.8 hours before the alert went out and 110 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.

726 
WFUS53 KLOT 062146
TORLOT
ILC075-062230-
/O.NEW.KLOT.TO.W.0006.120506T2146Z-120506T2230Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHICAGO HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  EAST CENTRAL IROQUOIS COUNTY...

* UNTIL 530 PM CDT

* AT 443 PM...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED  
  A FUNNEL CLOUD NEAR WATSEKA. A TORNADO MAY DEVELOP AT ANY TIME!    
  DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED THIS TORNADIC STORM MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  SHELDON AND IROQUOIS.


LAT...LON 4084 8753 4072 8759 4082 8776 4085 8774
TIME...MOT...LOC 2145Z 288DEG 14KT 4081 8768

$$

BMD
3 follow-up statements
715 
WWUS53 KLOT 062202
SVSLOT

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

ILC075-062230-
/O.CON.KLOT.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-120506T2230Z/
IROQUOIS IL-
502 PM CDT SUN MAY 6 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR EAST CENTRAL IROQUOIS
COUNTY UNTIL 530 PM CDT...

AT 457 PM CDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED A TORNADO.  THIS
TORNADO WAS LOCATED SOUTHEAST OF WATSEKA...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  SHELDON.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

LAT...LON 4078 8769 4079 8767 4079 8756 4072 8759
      4077 8767
TIME...MOT...LOC 2202Z 294DEG 12KT 4076 8764

$$

BMD
418 
WWUS53 KLOT 062215
SVSLOT

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

ILC075-062230-
/O.CON.KLOT.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-120506T2230Z/
IROQUOIS IL-
515 PM CDT SUN MAY 6 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR EAST CENTRAL IROQUOIS
COUNTY UNTIL 530 PM CDT...

AT 511 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS DANGEROUS
STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR SHELDON...OR 6 MILES EAST OF WATSEKA...MOVING
SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF EASTERN IROQUOIS COUNTY.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

LAT...LON 4078 8765 4079 8756 4072 8759 4076 8765
TIME...MOT...LOC 2215Z 294DEG 11KT 4075 8761

$$

BMD
022 
WWUS53 KLOT 062222
SVSLOT

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

ILC075-062231-
/O.EXP.KLOT.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-120506T2230Z/
IROQUOIS IL-
522 PM CDT SUN MAY 6 2012


...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EAST CENTRAL IROQUOIS COUNTY WILL EXPIRE
AT 530 PM CDT...

THE TORNADO WARNING HAS EXPIRED. HOWEVER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR
EASTERN IROQUOIS COUNTY UNTIL 600 PM CDT.

LAT...LON 4078 8765 4079 8756 4072 8759 4076 8765
TIME...MOT...LOC 2221Z 294DEG 11KT 4074 8759

$$

BMD

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, 3:42 PM CDTTornado WarningLOTLaSalle, Livingston48 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, 4:56 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.