Damaging Winds in Illinois, March 9, 2002

Name: Damaging Winds in Illinois, March 9, 2002
Start: 2002-03-09T02:33
End: 2002-03-09T03:40
Location: Illinois

March 9, 2002 · NWS DVN · 12 events in 7 counties and zones

A strong arctic front extended from Central Wisconsin into Northwest Missouri early Friday morning. M.

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: 1
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 12

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.

A strong arctic front extended from Central Wisconsin into Northwest Missouri early Friday morning. Temperatures across the front at 6 A.M. Friday ranged from the middle 20s in the far Northwest Iowa to the middle and upper 50s in Northwest and West Central Illinois. Much colder air was poised to the north of the region with temperatures in the single digits and teens in the Northern Plains. This arctic front and the large temperature gradient across it combined with a vigorous upper level disturbance ejecting from the Southwestern United States to ignite severe thunderstorms. Initial development occurred from Central Iowa into North Central Missouri late Friday afternoon and evening. These storms then evolved into a squall line, which raced eastward through much of Northwest and West Central Illinois during the overnight and early morning on Saturday, producing many reports of wind damage. Most of the damage occurred along and south of Interstate 80, where winds ranged from 60 to 80 mph. One woman was injured in Coal Valley in Rock Island County when she was hit by flying debris in her home.

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 Mar 9, 1:14 AM CST, 1 hour 19 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 9, 1:14 AM CST, 1 hour 19 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
114 AM CST SAT MAR 9 2002

VIGOURUS SPRING STORM MOVING THROUGH THIS MORNING PRODUCING SEVERE
WEATHER THIS MORNING...THEN WINDY CONDITIONS TODAY WITH BRIEF SHOT
OF WINTERY PRECIP THROWN IN. WITH ON-GOING SEVERE WEATHER AND
POTENTIAL FOR IFPS PACKAGE PROBLEMS LEFT OVER FROM DAYSHIFT...WILL
KEEP DISCUSSION BRIEF AND THUS HAVE ISSUED EARLY.

ENTIRE CWFA IN WARM SECTOR WITH DEEP SURFACE LOW OVER CENTRAL IA AT
06Z. FEW STRONG TSRA EARLIER IN WARM SECTOR...BUT MAIN CONCERN IS
HIGH WINDS WITH IMPRESSIVE LINE OF SEVERE STORMS WITH HIGH WINDS
BOWING FROM LOW TO CENTRAL MO ANTICIPATED TO RACE INTO W CENTRAL AND
NW IL ZONES BY FORECAST ISSUANCE. SEVERE POTENTIAL WILL EXIST AHEAD
OF THIS LINE AND WILL WAIT UNTIL LAST MINUTE FOR WORDING AND BREAKUP
OF EASTERN ZONES. FAST CHANGE OVER TO SNOW BEHIND TSRA WILL
TRANSLATE EASTWARD WITH FRONT AND COULD SEE SOME 1 INCH
ACCUMULATIONS IN MORNING... ESPECIALLY ACROSS NORTH WHERE WRAP
AROUND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH 18Z.

00Z MODELS LOOK TOO FAST AND TOO WEAK WITH SURFACE LOW...BUT ALL IN
GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH LOW SHIFTING TO CENTRAL WI BY 12Z WITH COLD
FRONT THROUGH W CENTRAL IL. THIS MOVEMENT BACKED UP BY MSAS 3 HR
PRESSURE FALL TRENDS. CURRENT WIND ADVISORY FOR ENTIRE CWFA LOOKS
GOOD WITH MOS GUIDANCE INDICATING 30 TO 40 KT WINDS FOR CID AT 18Z
WITH TIGHT PRESS GRADIENT AND STRONG CAA OVER ENTIRE AREA. ARCTIC
AIRMASS PULLED IN BEHIND LOW WILL WARRANT MORNING HIGH TEMPERATURE
WORDING WITH FALLING TEMPS THROUGH DAY.

AFTER TODAY...SLIGHTLY NEGATIVE UPPER TROUGH MOVES TO GREAT LAKES
TONIGHT...FOLLOWED BY ZONAL TO SLIGHTLY RIDGING FLOW ALOFT THROUGH
EARLY. NEXT SHORTWAVE AND NEXT COLD FRONT TO BRING SNOW CHANCES
MONDAY AFTERNOON. DO NOT ANTICIPATE MUCH CHANGE IN REMAINDER OF
EXTENDED WITH NEXT PRECIP CHANCES THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.

.DVN...WIND ADVISORY SATURDAY.
IA...IAZ040>42-051>054-063>068-076>078-087>089-098-099.
IL...ILZ001-002-007-009-015>018-024>026-034-035.
MO...MOZ009-010.

DLS

In the hours before

Local storm report, Mar 9, 1:15 AM CST, 1 hour 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
115 AM CST SAT MAR 09 2002

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

0105 AM    VICTOR                    IA   60 MPH TSTM GUST
03/09/02   IOWA                           REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.

Local storm report, Mar 9, 1:50 AM CST, 43 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
150 AM CST SAT MAR 09 2002

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

0130 AM    KEOSAUQUA                 IA   60 MPH TSTM GUST
03/09/02   VAN BUREN                      REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.

Local storm report, Mar 9, 2:23 AM CST, 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
223 AM CST SAT MAR 09 2002

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

0220 AM    LEE                       IA   WIND DAMAGE
03/09/02                                  LIMBS AND POWER LINES
                                          DOWN COUNTY WIDE.
                                          REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.

Local storm report, Mar 9, 2:32 AM CST, 1 minute before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
232 AM CST SAT MAR 09 2002

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

0230 AM    BURLINGTON                IA   60 MPH TSTM GUST
03/09/02   DES MOINES                     REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

The radar

The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 119 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:34 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hancock

When: March 9, 2:33 AM CST
Where: Hancock County, Dallas City
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph)
Reported by: FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD
Coordinates: 40.633, -91.167

Thunderstorm Wind, Hancock

When: March 9, 2:40 AM CST
Where: Hancock County, Durham
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.600, -91.083

Many tree limbs and several large trees down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Henderson

When: March 9, 2:45 AM CST
Where: Henderson County, Terre Haute
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.667, -90.983

Tree limbs down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Mercer

When: March 9, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Mercer County, 1 mi W of Hamlet
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 41.317, -90.750

Garage torn off house, barn destroyed and large trees snapped.

Thunderstorm Wind, Rock Island

When: March 9, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Rock Island County, Reynolds
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 41.333, -90.667

Two machine sheds collapsed.

Thunderstorm Wind, McDonough

When: March 9, 3:00 AM CST
Where: McDonough County, Macomb
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 40.467, -90.667

Major damage to a factory roof on the west edge of the city. A large section of the roof was removed. Also, a block wall and several sprinkler pipes were damaged. One 2x8 piece of wood from the damaged roof was tossed 60 feet and pierced the roof on another section of the factory.

Thunderstorm Wind, McDonough

When: March 9, 3:00 AM CST
Where: McDonough County, Macomb
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 40.467, -90.667

Part of a chimney was blown off a residence.

Thunderstorm Wind, Mercer

When: March 9, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Mercer County, Aledo
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.200, -90.750

A homestead in rural Aledo suffered heavy damage. High winds shattered windows and destroyed a barn, three empty grain storage bins, a fence, several dog houses and a children's swing set.

Thunderstorm Wind, Warren

When: March 9, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Warren County, Roseville
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.733, -90.667

Several 6 to 8 inch diameter tree limbs down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Rock Island

When: March 9, 3:10 AM CST
Where: Rock Island County, Coal Vly
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.433, -90.467

Window blown out of a residence. Flying debris injured a woman.

Thunderstorm Wind, Mercer

When: March 9, 3:15 AM CST
Where: Mercer County, 3 mi SE of Norwood
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 41.050, -90.600

Power lines down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Henry

When: March 9, 3:40 AM CST
Where: Henry County, Atkinson
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 41.417, -90.017

Large tree toppled, and 20 foot boat overturned.

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, March 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: 5284279, 5284288, 5284289, 5284283, 5284284, 5284285, 5284286, 5284287, 5284290, 5284280, 5284281, 5284282.