Tornado and Hail in Illinois, May 6, 2003

Name: Tornado and Hail in Illinois, May 6, 2003
Start: 2003-05-06T19:40
End: 2003-05-06T20:23
Location: Illinois

May 6, 2003 · NWS PAH · 4 events in 2 counties and zones

A severe thunderstorm produced damaging winds in Cairo that downed numerous trees. Outside of Cairo, the storm produced a weak tornado and dime size hail.

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: 4

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.

A severe thunderstorm produced damaging winds in Cairo that downed numerous trees. Outside of Cairo, the storm produced a weak tornado and dime size hail.

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 Paducah, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 6, 2:16 PM CST, 5 hours 24 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 6, 2:16 PM CST, 5 hours 24 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
315 PM CDT MON MAY 5 2003

FORECAST CHALLENGES CONTINUE TO BE CONVECTIVE CHANCES THROUGHOUT THE
WEEK AND SEVERE WEATHER.

MANY PARAMETERS TO KEEP AN EYE ON THIS PACKAGE. ISOLATED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE ALONG WEAK FRONT ALONG THE
NORTHERN BOUNDARY OF THE CWA INTO THIS EVENING. THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD
INCREASE AS STORMS CURRENTLY OVER WESTERN MISSOURI AND KANSAS REACH
OUR AREA LATER THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. SEVERE WEATHER POSSIBLE
WITH PART OF THE AREA IN MODERATE RISK.

FOLLOWING THE ETA/MESOETA FOR THE MOST PART AND ALL MODELS HAVE
GENERAL AGREEMENT ON SOME TIMING OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.
ATTEMPTED TO TIME THE PRECIPITATION IN THE GRIDS. ONE WAVE MOVES
THROUGH TONIGHT AND THE NEXT LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO
THURSDAY...LINGERING INTO FRIDAY. LEFT A SLIGHT CHANCE IN ON
SATURDAY.

THERE IS SOME CONCERN ABOUT FLOODING...BUT AFTER CONSULTING WITH
HYDROLOGIST...FEEL THAT WE HAVE HAD A DAY TO DAY OUT AND THE HIGHEST
QPF IS FORECAST TO OUR NORTH. WILL MENTION BOTH SEVERE AND HEAVY
RAINFALL.

AS FOR TEMPERATURES...GENERALLY WENT WITH A CONSENSUS OF AVAILABLE
GUIDANCE THROUGH THURSDAY.

.PAH...NONE.

PS

Hazardous weather outlook, May 6, 4:40 PM CST, 3 hours before

ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087-100-
107>112-114-071000-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
540 PM CDT TUE MAY 6 2003

...TORNADO WATCH 275 IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT...
...POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER EPISODE EARLY TONIGHT
ACROSS THE REGION...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST MISSOURI...SOUTHERN
ILLINOIS...SOUTHWEST INDIANA AND WESTERN KENTUCKY.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST
MISSOURI AS OF LATE AFTERNOON. THIS ACTIVITY WILL BE HEADED EAST TO
SOUTHEAST INTO SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI BETWEEN 700
PM AND 900 PM. THERE IS A HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF SEVERE WEATHER WITH
THIS ACTIVITY...INCLUDING TORNADOES...HIGH WIND AND LARGE HAIL.
THE ACTIVITY WILL EVENTUALLY MOVE INTO SOUTHWEST INDIANA AND WESTERN
KENTUCKY AROUND MID EVENING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE QUAD STATE
EARLY WEDNESDAY AND LATER WEDNESDAY NIGHT.  AN ORGANIZED LINE OF
STORMS MAY STILL BE PRODUCING SOME DAMAGING WINDS ACROSS THE FAR
EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE QUAD STATE AROUND SUNRISE WEDNESDAY
MORNING.  A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION LATER ON
WEDNESDAY...RESULTING IN DRY CONDITIONS FOR MUCH OF THE DAY.

HOWEVER...THE FRONT WILL BEGIN TO LIFT BACK NORTH ACROSS SOUTHEAST
MISSOURI AND SOUTHWEST KENTUCKY AFTER MIDNIGHT WEDNESDAY NIGHT.  THE
POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP ALONG AND JUST
NORTH OF THIS BOUNDARY...PRIMARILY OVER SOUTHEAST MISSOURI.  LARGE
HAIL WILL BE THE MAIN HAZARD...BUT DAMAGING WINDS AND AN ISOLATED
TORNADO CANNOT BE RULED OUT.

THERE WILL BE PERIODIC CHANCES OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM THURSDAY
THROUGH MONDAY...AS THE AREA REMAINS IN SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT AND A
MEANDERING FRONTAL BOUNDARY STAYS IN THE VICINITY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF SPOTTERS WILL BE NEEDED BY ABOUT 700 PM OR 800 PM
ACROSS SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI...AND LATER THIS
EVENING OVER SOUTHWEST INDIANA AND WESTERN KENTUCKY.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 6, 6:25 PM CST, 1 hour 15 minutes before

ILZ075-076-080>082-084-085-088-089-092-093-MOZ076-086-087-100-
107>111-070200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
725 PM CDT TUE MAY 6 2003

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS STILL HEADED FOR SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AND
SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS...

AT 720 PM...REGIONAL RADARS SHOWS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER EAST-
CENTRAL MISSOURI APPROACHING FARMINGTON. MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 40 TO
45 MPH. THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH A LINE FROM PINCKNEYVILLE
ILLINOIS...TO PERRYVILLE...MARBLE HILL AND GREENVILLE IN SOUTHEAST
MISSOURI BETWEEN 800 PM AND 900 PM THIS EVENING. THESE STORMS HAVE
HAD A HISTORY OF PRODUCING VERY LARGE HAIL...HIGH WIND...AND BRIEF
TORNADO TOUCHDOWNS.

PERSONS ACROSS THE REGION SHOULD REMAIN VIGILANT. BE PREPARED TO
TAKE QUICK ACTION SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER BE OBSERVED...OR A WARNING
BE ISSUED. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL MEDIA.

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 275 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT FOR ALL OF
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI...SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...SOUTHWEST INDIANA AND
WESTERN KENTUCKY.

Local storm report, May 6, 6:57 PM CST, 43 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
757 PM CDT TUE MAY 06 2003

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

0756 PM    MARBLE HILL               MO   0.75 INCH HAIL
05/06/03   BOLLINGER                      REPORTED BY BOLLINGER
                                          COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE

0757 PM    MARBLE HILL               MO   0.75 INCH HAIL
05/06/03   BOLLINGER                      REPORTED BY TRAINED
                                          SPOTTER

Local storm report, May 6, 7:01 PM CST, 39 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
801 PM CDT TUE MAY 06 2003

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

0800 PM    3S MARBLE HILL            MO   1.25 INCH HAIL
05/06/03   BOLLINGER                      REPORTED BY BOLLINGER
                                          COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE

Local storm report, May 6, 7:09 PM CST, 31 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
809 PM CDT TUE MAY 06 2003

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

0805 PM    BLUE POND CONSERVATION AREAMO   FUNNEL CLOUD
05/06/03   BOLLINGER                      REPORTED BY BOLLINGER
                                          COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE
                                          REPORTED SIGHTINGS AT H
                                          HIGHWAY AND HWY
                                          34...CR512 AND HWY DD

Local storm report, May 6, 7:27 PM CST, 13 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
827 PM CDT TUE MAY 06 2003

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

0815 PM    GLENALLEN                 MO   TORNADO
05/06/03   BOLLINGER                      REPORTED BY BOLLINGER
                                          COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE
                                          WAS 1 MILE SOUTH OF HWY
                                          34

Local storm report, May 6, 7:38 PM CST, 2 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
838 PM CDT TUE MAY 06 2003

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

0830 PM    10W JACKSON               MO   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/06/03   CAPE GIRARDEAU                 REPORTED BY EOC THE HAIL
                                          WAS REPORTED AT THE
                                          COUNTY LINES OF BOLLINGER
                                          AND CAPE GIRARDEAU...THIS
                                          HAIL FELL IN BOTH
                                          COUNTIES

The radar

The Paducah radar (KPAH), 53 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:41 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 hail, 1 tornado, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Alexander

When: May 6, 7:40 PM CST
Where: Alexander County, 1 mi N of Olive Branch
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD
Coordinates: 37.183, -89.350

Tornado, Alexander

When: May 6, 7:57 PM CST
Where: Alexander County, Miller City
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.3 mi
Path width: 30 yd
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.117, -89.367

The tornado produced some minor tree damage.

Thunderstorm Wind, Alexander

When: May 6, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Alexander County, Cairo
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.000, -89.183

Hail, Johnson

When: May 6, 8:23 PM CST
Where: Johnson County, Cypress
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.367, -89.017

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
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 2003 Every state in 2003 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Illinois, 2003 Warnings in Illinois, May 2003

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: 5351287, 5351943, 5351944, 5351942.