A severe thunderstorm produced a series of tornadoes across Livingston, Crittenden, and Webster Counties. Both tornadoes in Livingston County originated on the Illinois side of the Ohio River.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS PAH wrote it up.
A severe thunderstorm produced a series of tornadoes across Livingston, Crittenden, and Webster Counties. Both tornadoes in Livingston County originated on the Illinois side of the Ohio River. The strongest tornadoes occurred from Mattoon to Clay, where F2 damage was observed in spots.
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 4, 1:44 PM CST, 7 hours 26 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 244 PM CDT SUN MAY 4 2003 FORECAST CHALLENGE IS TIMING OF PRECIP AND SVR WX. FIRST CLUSTER OF STORMS NORTH OF WARM FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH WARM AIR ADVECTION AT 850 SLOWLY MOVING OFF TO THE EAST. AT 1900 UTC WARM FRONT ENTERING THE SOUTHWEST PORTION OF CWA WITH MID TO UPPER 60 DEW POINTS. LARGE HAIL WITH ISOLATED WIND DAMAGE REPORTED WITH THESE STORMS. SEVERE WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH THE MAIN SYSTEM NOW OVER NEBRASKA...KANSAS AND OKLAHOMA. EXPECT THIS SYSTEM TO MERGE INTO A POSSIBLE SQUALL LINE AS IT REACHES THE AREA THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. WILL KEEP MENTION OF SEVERE IN ZONES BOTH TONIGHT AND AGAIN TOMORROW AFTERNOON. EHI AND VGP VALUES FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE WEATHER BOTH TIME FRAMES. FIRST SQUALL LINE IS EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA OVERNIGHT AND WEAKENS TO OUR EAST DURING THE DAY ON MONDAY. IF THE CLOUDS BREAK AS EXPECTED...WE WILL DESTABILIZE BY AFTERNOON WITH FORECAST CAPES OVER 3500 J/KG. AGAIN WITH VGP VALUES OVER .3 IN PART OF WEST KENTUCKY TOMORROW AFTERNOON AND EHI VALUES AROUND 5...SUPERCELLS ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY IN WESTERN KENTUCKY. AS FRONT SLOWLY SAGS SOUTH...IT IS FORECAST TO BE ALONG OHIO RIVER BY EARLY WEDNESDAY...WITH SURFACE LOW MOVING ALONG FRONT...WILL MENTION HEAVY RAIN. LITTLE CHANGE TO THE REST OF THE FORECAST WITH ONLY MINOR CHANGES TO WINDS...TEMPERATURES. EXTENDED FORECAST...ALL MODELS IN DECENT AGREEMENT THROUGH FRIDAY WHICH MEANS A CONTINUED CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. WEAK TROUGH OVER WEST COAST WILL KEEP SOUTHWEST FLOW OVER THE REGION. TIMING OF IMPULSES IN SOUTHWEST FLOW THAT WILL PRODUCE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IS VERY DIFFICULT. THIS WILL KEEP A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY ALONG THE OHIO RIVER UNTIL FRIDAY. MODELS SWING DECENT SYSTEM THROUGH ON FRIDAY...ANOTHER LATE SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY. .PAH...NONE. SPODEN
ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087-100- 107>112-114-051000- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 857 PM CDT SUN MAY 4 2003 ...HIGH RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI TONIGHT WITH A MODERATE RISK OVER MOST OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AND WESTERN KENTUCKY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST MISSOURI...SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...SOUTHWEST INDIANA AND WESTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI TONIGHT WITH A MODERATE RISK OVER MOST OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AND WESTERN KENTUCKY. A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXISTS OVER THE REST OF THE REGION. SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE...MAINLY OVER THE SOUTHWEST HALF OF THE REGION...GENERALLY SOUTH OF A LINE FROM JUST NORTH OF CARBONDALE ILLINOIS...TO NEAR MADISONVILLE KENTUCKY. STORMS WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND ARE POSSIBLE NORTH OF THE LINE. ONE ROUND IS MOVING THROUGH THE AREA THIS EVENING...ANOTHER ROUND OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS POSSIBLE LATER TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS WESTERN KENTUCKY TOMORROW...WITH A SLIGHT RISK OVER THE REST OF THE QUAD STATE AREA. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE AREA DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. AT THIS TIME...IS APPEARS THAT SUPERCELLS ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY OVER WESTERN KENTUCKY. LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE TOMORROW. THIS ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO DIMINISH DURING THE EVENING HOURS. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY THIS WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED ACROSS THE REGION THIS EVENING IN THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND TORNADO WATCH AREAS. ADDITIONAL ACTIVATION IS POSSIBLE TONIGHT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE QUAD STATE AREA. IN ADDITION...SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUESTED MONDAY AFTERNOON. PS
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
921 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0914 PM OLIVE BRANCH IL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/04/03 ALEXANDER REPORTED BY EOC ALSO 60
MPH WIND WITH SOME TREES
DOWNPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
924 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0918 PM BELMONT IL 0.75 INCH HAIL
05/04/03 WABASH REPORTED BY WABASH COUNTY
EMA
0920 PM DELTA MO FLOODING
05/04/03 CAPE GIRARDEAU STREET FLOODING 2 1/2
INCHES OF RAIN WITH 1
INCH IN 20 MINUTESPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
930 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0924 PM OLMSTEAD IL 0.75 INCH HAIL
05/04/03 PULASKI REPORTED BY PULASKI
COUNTY DESPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
954 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0945 PM KEVIL KY 60 MPH WIND GUST
05/04/03 BALLARD REPORTED BY TRAINED
SPOTTERSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
957 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0951 PM WEST PADUCAH KY 60 MPH WIND GUST
05/04/03 MCCRACKEN REPORTED BY WFO PADUCAH
PERSONNELPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
1001 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0958 PM METROPOLIS IL FUNNEL CLOUD
05/04/03 MASSAC REPORTED BY MASSAC COUNTY
SHERIFFS OFFICE THAT THE
FUNNEL CLOUD WAS EAST OF
METROPOLIS NEAR 1-24The Paducah radar (KPAH), 33 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:10 UTC.
8 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
The tornado crossed the Ohio River near Birdsville, tracked northeast across Hampton, then dissipated before reaching Lola. Numerous large trees were blown down. Grain bins were destroyed. The few homes in the path of the tornado sustained roof damage.
The tornado crossed the Ohio River from Pope County, Illinois and ended on the west side of Highway 137. A number of trees were blown down.
The tornado downed numerous trees.
The damage from this tornado consisted mostly of downed trees.
A mobile home was destroyed, and there was significant damage to a permanent home. The occupant of the mobile home received minor injuries. A barn was destroyed, and numerous trees and power lines were down. Peak winds were estimated near 120 MPH.
This tornado occurred on Highway 143 just south of Highway 109 at an orchard. Numerous small trees were blown down. An old barn was destroyed, and a house received minor damage. Peak winds were estimated near 105 MPH.
Three large chicken houses were destroyed at a chicken farm on the south side of Highway 109. Peak winds were estimated near 105 MPH. The houses contained about 100,000 chickens, most of which survived.
In Clay, 6 homes and 2 businesses were destroyed. An additional 45 homes and 4 businesses received varying degrees of damage, ranging from minor to major. A woman was injured when a tree fell and landed on her, breaking her hip. Peak winds were estimated near 125 MPH. One of the destroyed businesses was a hardware store. The other business, on the north side of Clay, housed spring planting supplies. That business lost four metal buildings. Numerous trees and power lines were blown down.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2003Every state in 2003This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Kentucky, 2003Warnings in Kentucky, May 2003
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: 5353626, 5353934, 5353627, 5353933, 5354008, 5353935, 5353936, 5353932.