Alert archive / Illinois / Tornado Warnings in 2021

Tornado Warning 4, NWS Lincoln, IL

May 3, 20214 counties in Illinois

NWS Lincoln, IL issued this tornado warning at May 3, 2021, 5:08 PM CDT for 4 counties in Illinois. It was in force for 37 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 3, 2021, 5:08 PM CDT (22:08 UTC)
Expired
May 3, 2021, 5:45 PM CDT
In force
37 min
Issued by
NWS Lincoln, IL
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
2.0 in

Counties Cass County, IL, Menard County, IL, Morgan County, IL, Sangamon County, IL

The radar

The Lincoln radar (KILX), 70 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:12 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 3, 5:15 PM CDTHAIL 14 Wsw Newmansville, ILRELAYED BY ASHLAND FIRE.
May 3, 5:27 PM CDTTORNADO2 Wnw Pleasant Plains, IL
May 3, 5:27 PM CDTTORNADO2 Wnw Pleasant Plains, ILCORRECTION TO PREVIOUS REPORT OF TORNADO 3 N ASHLAND.

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 3, 2:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Lincoln, IL (KILX), launched 12:00Z, 10.1 hours before the alert went out and 130 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 2021-05-03Temperature 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 2021-05-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 44 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
460 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
11 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
44 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
56 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

265 
WFUS53 KILX 032208
TORILX
ILC017-129-137-167-032245-
/O.NEW.KILX.TO.W.0004.210503T2208Z-210503T2245Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
508 PM CDT Mon May 3 2021

The National Weather Service in Lincoln has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Southwestern Menard County in central Illinois...
  West central Sangamon County in central Illinois...
  Southeastern Cass County in west central Illinois...
  Northeastern Morgan County in west central Illinois...

* Until 545 PM CDT.
    
* At 508 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located near Virginia, moving east at 30 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado and hail up to two inches in diameter.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

  IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
           shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. 
           Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree 
           damage is likely.

* This dangerous storm will be near...
  Ashland around 525 PM CDT.
  Pleasant Plains and Tallula around 530 PM CDT.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include
Prentice, Philadelphia and Newmansville.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 3988 9024 3996 9023 4003 8987 3979 8987
TIME...MOT...LOC 2208Z 268DEG 28KT 3991 9016 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...2.00IN

$$

37
3 follow-up statements
069 
WWUS53 KILX 032220
SVSILX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
520 PM CDT Mon May 3 2021

ILC017-129-137-167-032245-
/O.CON.KILX.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-210503T2245Z/
Menard-Sangamon-Cass-Morgan-
520 PM CDT Mon May 3 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 545 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN MENARD...WEST CENTRAL SANGAMON...SOUTHEASTERN CASS AND
NORTHEASTERN MORGAN COUNTIES...
    
At 519 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Ashland, or 9 miles east of Virginia, moving east at
30 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and two inch hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely.

This dangerous storm will be near...
  Pleasant Plains and Tallula around 530 PM CDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 3988 9010 3998 9010 4003 8987 3979 8987
TIME...MOT...LOC 2219Z 268DEG 28KT 3991 9004 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...2.00IN

$$

37
716 
WWUS53 KILX 032225
SVSILX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
525 PM CDT Mon May 3 2021

ILC017-129-137-167-032245-
/O.CON.KILX.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-210503T2245Z/
Menard-Sangamon-Cass-Morgan-
525 PM CDT Mon May 3 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 545 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN MENARD...NORTHWESTERN SANGAMON...SOUTHEASTERN CASS AND
NORTHEASTERN MORGAN COUNTIES...
    
At 525 PM CDT, a confirmed tornado was located over Pleasant Plains,
or 14 miles east of Virginia, moving east at 40 mph.

HAZARD...Damaging tornado and two inch hail.

SOURCE...Weather spotters confirmed tornado.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely.

This tornadic thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of
southwestern Menard, northwestern Sangamon, southeastern Cass and
northeastern Morgan Counties.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

To repeat, a tornado is on the ground. TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a
basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy
building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in
a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect
yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 3988 9003 3997 9001 3999 8987 3982 8987
TIME...MOT...LOC 2225Z 271DEG 33KT 3990 8994 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
HAIL...2.00IN

$$

37
283 
WWUS53 KILX 032243
SVSILX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Lincoln IL
543 PM CDT Mon May 3 2021

ILC017-129-137-167-032252-
/O.EXP.KILX.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-210503T2245Z/
Menard-Sangamon-Cass-Morgan-
543 PM CDT Mon May 3 2021

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN MENARD...NORTHWESTERN
SANGAMON...SOUTHEASTERN CASS AND NORTHEASTERN MORGAN COUNTIES WILL
EXPIRE AT 545 PM CDT...
        
The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the area.
Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire.  However hail and 
strong winds are still possible with this thunderstorm.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 900 PM CDT for
central and west central Illinois.

Remember, a Tornado Warning still remains in effect for Menard and 
Sangamon Counties until 600 pm cdt.

LAT...LON 3988 9003 3997 9001 3999 8987 3982 8987
TIME...MOT...LOC 2242Z 268DEG 28KT 3990 8979 

$$

37

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 3, 3:31 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementILXKnox29 min
May 3, 3:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXCass, Morgan, Schuyler46 min
May 3, 4:10 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementILXSchuyler35 min
May 3, 4:30 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementILXFulton30 min
May 3, 4:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXCass, Menard, Morgan, Sangamon, Schuyler47 min
May 3, 4:50 PM CDTTornado WarningILXCass, Morgan25 min
May 3, 5:00 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementILXMason, Menard30 min
May 3, 5:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXCass, Logan, Mason, Menard43 min
May 3, 5:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXMorgan, Scott33 min
May 3, 5:30 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedILXMenard, Sangamon30 min
May 3, 5:52 PM CDTTornado WarningILXLogan, Menard, Sangamon23 min
May 3, 6:02 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementILXLogan43 min
May 3, 6:16 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedILXChristian, Logan, Macon, Sangamon29 min
May 3, 6:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXChristian, Macon, Sangamon53 min
May 3, 6:42 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedILXMacon33 min
May 3, 6:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILXChristian, Sangamon51 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Illinois, 2021Every tornado warning in 2021Tornadoes in 2021

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.