Alert archive / Illinois / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 35, NWS Paducah, KY

March 2, 20124 counties in Illinois

NWS Paducah, KY issued this tornado warning at Mar 2, 2012, 11:44 AM CST for 4 counties in Illinois. It was in force for 31 min. 5 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
Mar 2, 2012, 11:44 AM CST (17:44 UTC)
Expired
Mar 2, 2012, 12:15 PM CST
In force
31 min
Issued by
NWS Paducah, KY
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Franklin County, IL, Hamilton County, IL, Saline County, IL, Williamson County, IL

The radar

The Paducah radar (KPAH), 95 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:43 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
Mar 2, 11:44 AM CSTHAIL 0.884 Se Benton, IL
Mar 2, 11:48 AM CSTFUNNEL CLOUDThompsonville, ILFUNNEL CLOUD IS GOING UP AND DOWN.
Mar 2, 11:49 AM CSTFUNNEL CLOUD4 N Energy, IL
Mar 2, 11:57 AM CSTFUNNEL CLOUD3 S West Frankfort, ILFUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED ALONG INTERSTATE 57 BETWEEN BENTON AND WEST FRANKFORT.
Mar 2, 12:25 PM CSTTSTM WND GST 50Hurst, ILNICKLE SIZE HAIL REPORTED WITH THE STORM.

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
Mar 2, 9:54 AM CSTTornado Watch PDSSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Lincoln, IL (KILX), launched 12:00Z, 5.7 hours before the alert went out and 249 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 2012-03-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 2012-03-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 76 square meters per square second.1939587897117136156Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1770 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
61 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
76 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
163 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.

515 
WFUS53 KPAH 021744
TORPAH
ILC055-065-165-199-021815-
/O.NEW.KPAH.TO.W.0035.120302T1744Z-120302T1815Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
1144 AM CST FRI MAR 2 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PADUCAH HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHEASTERN FRANKLIN COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS...
  SOUTHWESTERN HAMILTON COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS...
  NORTHWESTERN SALINE COUNTY IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...
  NORTHERN WILLIAMSON COUNTY IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...

* UNTIL 1215 PM CST.

* AT 1139 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS
  STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR CAMBRIA...OR NEAR CARTERVILLE...AND MOVING
  NORTHEAST AT 60 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNED AREA INCLUDE...
  JOHNSTON CITY...WEST FRANKFORT...THOMPSONVILLE...FREEMAN SPUR...
  WHITEASH...ORIENT...HANAFORD AND MACEDONIA.

  THIS POSSIBLE TORNADO IS HEADED TOWARD HERRIN...AND WILL REACH THE 
CITY AROUND 1155 AM. 

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 57 BETWEEN EXITS 59 AND 65.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...A VEHICLE OR
OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 3809 8863 3780 8864 3777 8914 3785 8915
TIME...MOT...LOC 1744Z 246DEG 51KT 3783 8904

$$
2 follow-up statements
998 
WWUS53 KPAH 021756
SVSPAH

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
1156 AM CST FRI MAR 2 2012

ILC055-065-165-199-021815-
/O.CON.KPAH.TO.W.0035.000000T0000Z-120302T1815Z/
SALINE IL-WILLIAMSON IL-FRANKLIN IL-HAMILTON IL-
1156 AM CST FRI MAR 2 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHWESTERN HAMILTON AND
SOUTHEASTERN FRANKLIN COUNTIES IN SOUTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS...AND
NORTHEASTERN WILLIAMSON AND NORTHWESTERN SALINE COUNTIES IN SOUTHERN
ILLINOIS UNTIL 1215 PM CST...

AT 1152 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS DANGEROUS
STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR JOHNSTON CITY...MOVING EAST AT 55 MPH.

THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE REPORTS OF ROTATION AND POSSIBLE FUNNEL 
CLOUDS AS THE STORM PASSED ACROSS INTERSTATE 57 NORTHEAST OF HERRIN.

THE ROTATION WILL MOVE INTO EXTREME SOUTHERN FRANKLIN COUNTY NEAR 
THOMPSONVILLE BY 1205 PM.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...A VEHICLE OR
OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 3800 8864 3780 8864 3780 8897 3786 8899
TIME...MOT...LOC 1753Z 249DEG 50KT 3786 8888

$$
789 
WWUS53 KPAH 021810 RRA
SVSPAH

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
1210 PM CST FRI MAR 2 2012

ILC055-065-165-199-021820-
/O.EXP.KPAH.TO.W.0035.000000T0000Z-120302T1815Z/
SALINE IL-WILLIAMSON IL-FRANKLIN IL-HAMILTON IL-
1210 PM CST FRI MAR 2 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN HAMILTON AND SOUTHEASTERN
FRANKLIN COUNTIES IN SOUTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS...AND NORTHEASTERN
WILLIAMSON AND NORTHWESTERN SALINE COUNTIES IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS WILL
EXPIRE AT 1215 PM CST...

THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE WARNED
AREA.

LAT...LON 3800 8864 3780 8864 3780 8897 3786 8899
TIME...MOT...LOC 1810Z 249DEG 50KT 3794 8860

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Paducah, KY issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 2, 1:30 AM CSTWind AdvisoryPAHAlexander, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin and 13 more19 hr
Mar 2, 11:12 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPAHFranklin, Jackson, Williamson33 min
Mar 2, 11:33 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPAHFranklin, Jackson, Williamson42 min
Mar 2, 11:37 AM CSTTornado WarningPAHFranklin, Hamilton, Saline23 min
Mar 2, 12:02 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPAHEdwards, Hamilton, White28 min
Mar 2, 12:03 PM CSTTornado WarningPAHAlexander, Pulaski, Union42 min
Mar 2, 12:07 PM CSTTornado WarningPAHHamilton, White38 min
Mar 2, 12:29 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPAHWabash, White46 min
Mar 2, 12:39 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPAHJohnson, Union36 min
Mar 2, 12:42 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPAHAlexander, Pulaski33 min
Mar 2, 12:53 PM CSTTornado WarningPAHJohnson, Pope22 min
Mar 2, 12:58 PM CSTTornado WarningPAHWhite24 min
Mar 2, 1:09 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPAHMassac, Pulaski20 min
Mar 2, 1:11 PM CSTTornado WarningPAHGallatin, Hardin, Pope, Saline34 min
Mar 2, 1:23 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPAHMassac, Pope22 min
Mar 2, 1:28 PM CSTTornado WarningPAHGallatin32 min
Mar 2, 1:38 PM CSTTornado WarningPAHMassac37 min
Mar 2, 1:49 PM CSTTornado WarningPAHMassac, Pope26 min
Mar 2, 1:54 PM CSTTornado WarningPAHHardin36 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.