Damaging Wind in Illinois, April 18, 2002

Name: Damaging Wind in Illinois, April 18, 2002
Start: 2002-04-18T20:30
End: 2002-04-18T20:30
Location: Illinois

April 18, 2002 · NWS DVN · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Scattered thunderstorms redeveloped over Eastern Iowa during the late afternoon, and slowly weakened as they moved into Northwest Illinois by late evening. There was an isolated report of wind damage, but mostly pea size hail, heavy rain and gusty winds of 30 to 40 mph were reported.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

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 DVN wrote it up.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Quad Cities, IA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 18, 2:31 AM CST, 17 hours 59 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 18, 2:31 AM CST, 17 hours 59 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
331 AM CDT THU APR 18 2002

LOTS GOING ON THIS FORECAST ISSUANCE.  UA ANALYSIS FROM 00Z SHOWED A
DEEP H5 TROF OVER WRN U.S. WITH SWLY FLOW OVER MID WEST.  STRONG 850
FLOW ALSO NOTED AT 00Z WITH 40KT JET OVER OK/KS AHEAD OF CLOSED LOW
OVER WYOMING.  BY 06Z PROFILERS SHOWING 850 JET HAD INCREASED TO 60 TO
70 KTS.  AT 06Z SURFACE LOW NOW OVER NORTH CENTRAL NE WITH WARM FRONT
EXTENDING SOUTHEAST ACROSS IA INTO CENTRAL IL. ISOLATED SUPERCELL THAT
DEVELOPED OVER WRN IA NR WARM FRONT HAS WEAKENED CONSIDERABLY WITH MOST
OF THE CONVECTION NOW ONGOING ACROSS NRN IA INTO SRN AND CENTRAL MN.
ANOTHER AREAS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WAS LIFTING NORTHEAST OUT OF
KS.  CELLS ON W EDGE OF THIS CLUSTER ARE MAINTAINING THEIR STRENGTH...
AND ARE MOSTLY LIKELY BENEFITTING FROM VEERING LOW LEVEL JET.

MAIN CONCERN FOR TODAY WILL BE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING AND WITH TEMPS ALSO A CONCERN TODAY.  FOR LATER PERIODS CRASHING
TEMPS AND THREAT OF RAIN INTO FRIDAY.  MODELS IN BASIC AGREEMENT IN
CONTINUING TO DIG WRN U.S. TROF AS UNSEASONABLY COLD AIR MASS SAGS SOUTH
INTO THE PLAINS AND MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY BY EARLY THURSDAY.  MODELS
SIMILAR IN MOVING LOW PRESSURE INTO THE NORTHERN GREAT LAKES BY LATE
THIS EVENING AND MOVING COLD FRONT SOUTHEAST INTO NRN IL AND NRN MO.
AVN A LITTLE SLOWER WITH FRONTAL MOVEMENT TODAY...WHICH IS PREFERRED.
WILL GO BROAD BRUSH CHANCE POPS TODAY TO ACCOUNT FOR AREA OF SHRA/TSRA
LIFTING OUT OF KS INTO IA THIS MORNING.  SCATTERED TSRA ALSO A
POSSIBILITY THIS AFTERNOON AS CAPES INCREASE TO 2000 TO 3000 J/KG BY
MID AFTERNOON AND CAP WEAKENS.  ONLY QUESTION IS IF THERE WILL BE A
TRIGGER. MODELS SHOWING SOME RIPPLES MOVING THROUGH DURING THE
AFTERNOON SO SCATTERED TSRA ARE POSSIBLE.  WILL INCLUDE THE SEVERE
WORDING WITH THE UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE.  MAIN SEVERE THREAT WILL BE WITH
THUNDERSTORMS AHEAD OF COLD FRONT THIS EVENING. STORMS SHOULD MOVE
THROUGH CWA FROM MID EVENING INTO EARLY FRIDAY MORNING.

COLD FRONT STALLS JUST TO OUR SOUTH IN RESPONSE A WAVE MOVING
ALONG THE FRONT. MODELS ALSO SHOWING AN IMPRESSIVE BAROCLINIC ZONE
DEVELOPING AS AIR MASS SOUTH OF THE FRONT HEATS UP.  WILL HAVE TO ADD
RN ALONG WITH  SOME TSRA S FOR FRIDAY AS A RESULT.

MAV TEMPS IN AGREEMENT WITH ETA 2M TEMPS AND SEE NO REASON TO DIFFER.
FEEL DEBRIS CLOUDS FROM MORNING CONVECTION SHOULD DISSIPATE ALLOWING
TEMPS TO WARM INTO THE 80S.  RECORD TEMPS WILL BE ATTAINABLE IN THE
SOUTH.  WILL BACK OFF ON COOLER TEMPS FOR FRIDAY MORNING WITH FRONT
STALLING OUT.  TIGHT GRADIENT WILL MAKE FOR A TRICKY TEMP FORECAST.
FOR NOW WILL TREND TEMPS TOWARD WARMER MOS NUMBERS.  SMALL DIURNAL
CHANGE EXPECTED FRIDAY WITH CLOUDS/RAIN/CAA. MAV TEMPS LOOK GOOD FRIDAY
NIGHT AND SATURDAY.

.DVN...
IA...NONE.
IL...NONE.
MO...NONE.

DLF

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 18, 7:15 PM CST, 1 hour 15 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
815 PM CDT THU APR 18 2002

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0804 PM    LAMONT                    IA   50 MPH TSTM GUST
04/18/02   BUCHANAN                       POWER LINES DOWNED
                                          REPORTED BY EMERGENCY
                                          MANAGEMENT.

0804 PM    1 NE BRANDON              IA   .25 INCH HAIL
04/18/02   BUCHANAN                       REPORTED BY EMERGENCY
                                          MANAGEMENT.

0808 PM    2 S WALKER                IA   55 MPH TSTM GUST
04/18/02   LINN                           FARM BUILDING BLOWN
                                          DOWN REPORTED BY
                                          EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

Local storm report, Apr 18, 7:32 PM CST, 58 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
832 PM CDT THU APR 18 2002

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0820 PM    3 SE QUASQUETON           IA   FUNNEL CLOUD
04/18/02   BUCHANAN                       REPORTED BY LINN CO
                                          EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

Local storm report, Apr 18, 7:43 PM CST, 47 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
843 PM CDT THU APR 18 2002

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0808 PM    2 S AURORA                IA   WIND DAMAGE
04/18/02   BUCHANAN                       FARM BUILDINGS DAMAGED
                                          REPORTED BY EMERGENCY
                                          MANAGEMENT.

0808 PM    2 NE INDEPENDENCE         IA   WIND DAMAGE
04/18/02   BUCHANAN                       BARNS DOWNED BY WIND
                                          REPORTED BY EMERGENCY
                                          MANAGEMENT.

Local storm report, Apr 18, 8:04 PM CST, 26 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
904 PM CDT THU APR 18 2002

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0845 PM    2 S MARENGO               IA   .5 INCH HAIL
04/18/02   IOWA                           REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.

0847 PM    WILLIAMSBURG              IA   50 MPH TSTM GUST
04/18/02   IOWA                           REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.

0847 PM    OXFORD                    IA   .5 INCH HAIL
04/18/02   JOHNSON                        REPORTED BY HAM RADIO
                                          OPERATOR.

0852 PM    DUBUQUE                   IA   50 MPH TSTM GUST
04/18/02   DUBUQUE                        REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

0852 PM    ASBURY                    IA   .5 INCH HAIL
04/18/02   DUBUQUE                        REPORTED BY EMERGENCY
                                          MANAGEMENT.

Local storm report, Apr 18, 8:09 PM CST, 21 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
909 PM CDT THU APR 18 2002

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0847 PM    1 S TIFFIN                IA   .75 INCH HAIL
04/18/02   JOHNSON                        REPORTED BY HAM RADIO
                                          OPERATOR.

Local storm report, Apr 18, 8:13 PM CST, 17 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
913 PM CDT THU APR 18 2002

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0842 PM    2 N MILLERSBURG           IA   FUNNEL CLOUD
04/18/02   IOWA                           REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.

The radar

The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 106 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:30 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Jo Daviess

When: April 18, 8:30 PM CST
Where: Jo Daviess County, Apple River
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.500, -90.100

Power lines knocked down.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Illinois in 2002 Every state in 2002 This day in weather history Warnings in Illinois, April 2002

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: 5292282.