High Wind in Illinois, April 30, 1997

Name: High Wind in Illinois, April 30, 1997
Start: 1997-04-30T13:00
End: 1997-04-30T18:00
Location: Illinois

April 30, 1997 · NWS PAH · 19 events in 19 counties and zones

Strong southwest winds, not related to thunderstorms, gusted between 50 and 60 MPH during the late afternoon. Scattered reports of downed trees and power lines were received.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 19 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $20,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 19

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS PAH wrote it up.

Strong southwest winds, not related to thunderstorms, gusted between 50 and 60 MPH during the late afternoon. Scattered reports of downed trees and power lines were received. Large sections of Murphysboro were without power, as were parts of Marion, Carbondale, Anna, and Harrisburg.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

19 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Jefferson

When: April 30, 1:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Jefferson forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 38.301, -88.924 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Wayne

When: April 30, 1:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Wayne forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 38.430, -88.426 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Edwards

When: April 30, 1:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Edwards forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 38.417, -88.053 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Wabash

When: April 30, 1:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Wabash forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 38.446, -87.844 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Perry

When: April 30, 1:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Perry forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 38.084, -89.367 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Franklin

When: April 30, 1:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Franklin forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 37.992, -88.924 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Hamilton

When: April 30, 1:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Hamilton forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 38.082, -88.539 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, White

When: April 30, 1:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: White forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 38.088, -88.180 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Jackson

When: April 30, 1:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Jackson forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 37.785, -89.382 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Williamson

When: April 30, 1:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Williamson forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 37.730, -88.930 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Saline

When: April 30, 1:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Saline forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 37.753, -88.541 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Gallatin

When: April 30, 1:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Gallatin forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 37.763, -88.230 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Union

When: April 30, 1:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Union forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 37.471, -89.255 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Johnson

When: April 30, 1:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Johnson forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 37.460, -88.881 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Pope

When: April 30, 1:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Pope forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 37.413, -88.562 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Hardin

When: April 30, 1:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Hardin forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 37.518, -88.267 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Alexander

When: April 30, 1:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Alexander forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 37.192, -89.338 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Pulaski

When: April 30, 1:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Pulaski forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 37.223, -89.127 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Massac

When: April 30, 1:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Massac forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 37.219, -88.708 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Illinois in 1997 Every state in 1997 This day in weather history Warnings in Illinois, April 1997

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5593685, 5593686, 5593687, 5593688, 5593689, 5593690, 5593691, 5593692, 5593693, 5593694, 5593695, 5593696, 5593697, 5593698, 5593699, 5593700, 5593701, 5593702, 5593703.