Flash Flooding in Illinois, May 27, 2004

Name: Flash Flooding in Illinois, May 27, 2004
Start: 2004-05-27T16:30
End: 2004-05-27T20:30
Location: Illinois

May 27, 2004 · NWS LSX · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

The 2nd consecutive day of 2 to 3 inches of rain caused flash flooding across much of the area. Flooding was reported on roads in and around Livingston, along routes 16 and 127 near Litchfield and Hillsboro, and on roads near Vandalia, Greenville, and Gillespie.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 5

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 LSX 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 St. Louis, MO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 27, 2:10 PM CST, 2 hours 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 27, 2:10 PM CST, 2 hours 20 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
310 PM CDT THU MAY 27 2004

.DISCUSSION...
CONTINUING ACTIVE WEATHER TODAY.  THE GOING FORECAST LOOKS PRETTY
GOOD...AND WONT BE MAKING TOO MANY CHANGES AT THIS TIME.  RIGHT
NOW...A WARM IS STRETCHING FROM AROUND COLUMBIA TO ST LOUIS TO
SALEM.  VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY IS CLEARLY SHOWING THE DELINEATION
BETWEEN AIRMASSES AS THE CU HAS FORMED SOUTH OF THE BOUNDARY.  RUC
ANALYSIS SHOWS CAPES INCREASING TO OVER 4000 J/KG ESPECIALLY ACROSS
SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA...LIS OF -9 TO -11...AND BULK SHEAR
VECTORS OF BETWEEN 25 AND 30 M/S.  LOOKS LIKE WERE SET TO ROCK AND
ROLL AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING.  EXPECT HP SUPERCELLS
AGAIN GENERALLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF I70 IN THE JUICIEST AIR...AND
MULTICELL CLUSTERS...WITH POSSIBLY A SUPERCELL OR TWO UP NORTH.  THE
POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAIN WITH ANY OF THESE STORMS ALONG WITH THE
ALREADY WET GROUND HAS ALSO PROMPTED US TO ISSUE A FLOOD
WATCH...EFFECTIVE FOR THE ENTIRE AREA UNTIL MIDNIGHT.

THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENINGS CONVECTION SHOULD HELP TO PUSH THE
FRONT BACK SOUTH OF US. THIS TIME BOTH MODELS HAVE DECIDED TO KEEP
IT SOUTH OF US FOR AT LEAST ALL OF FRIDAY.  THIS SHOULD GIVE US A
BIT OF TIME TO DRY OUT BEFORE RETURN FLOW KICKS BACK IN ON
SATURDAY.  WE COULD SEE SOME WARM ADVECTION SHOWERS AND STORMS AS
EARLY AS SATURDAY MORNING...BUT IT APPEARS AS THOUGH SATURDAY
AFTERNOON WE MAY SEE A LITTLE MORE CONVECTION IN THE HEAT OF THE
DAY.  THE MODELS SEEM TO HAVE SPED THE NEXT COLD FRONT UP A BIT AND
ARE NOW BRINGING IT THROUGH ON SUNDAY EVENING.  ANOTHER ROUND OF
THUNDERSTORMS LOOKS LIKELY WITH THE FROPA.

NOT MUCH CHANGE TO THE EXTENDED FOR THIS FORECAST.  ACTIVE WEATHER
NOW BLOWING UP OVER THE CWFA SO WILL CUT THIS DISCUSSION SHORT.

&&

.LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
.MO...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT FOR THE ENTIRE AREA
.IL...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT FOR THE ENTIER AREA

CARNEY

EFFECTIVE 7 AM JUNE 8 2004...THE AWIPS PRODUCT IDENTIFIER FOR THIS
PRODUCT WILL CHANGE FROM AFDSTL TO AFDLSX.  THE WMO HEADER WILL
REMAIN UNCHANGED. PLEASE ENSURE THAT ANY NEEDED CHANGES ARE
COMPLETED BY JUNE 8 2004.

Hazardous weather outlook, May 27, 11:43 AM CST, 4 hours 47 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
1243 PM CDT THU MAY 27 2004

ILZ095>097-MOZ018-019-026-027-034>036-042-281200-
ADAMS IL-AUDRAIN-BROWN-KNOX-LEWIS-MARION-MONROE-PIKE-PIKE IL-RALLS-
SHELBY-
1243 PM CDT THU MAY 27 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST MISSOURI AND WEST
CENTRAL ILLINOIS.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

...FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH MIDNIGHT...
THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING ALONG AND SOUTH OF A QUINCY TO PARIS LINE.  A SLIGHT
RISK COVERS AREAS NORTH OF THIS LINE.  THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP
THIS AFTERNOON IN THE WARM AND UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE AHEAD OF AN
APPROACHING COLD FRONT. A FEW STORMS MAY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL...
DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES.  THESE STORMS MAY ALSO PRODUCE
VERY HEAVY RAINFALL IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME...INCREASING THE RISK
OF FLASH FLOODING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

THE CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL RESUME SATURDAY AND CONTINUE THROUGH
MEMORIAL DAY.  SOME STRONG STORMS ARE EXPECTED ON SUNDAY AS A COLD
FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE AREA.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING.

MOZ041-047>050-059-281200-
BOONE-CALLAWAY-COLE-GASCONADE-MONITEAU-OSAGE-
1243 PM CDT THU MAY 27 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL MISSOURI.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH MIDNIGHT...
THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON.
THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON IN THE WARM AND UNSTABLE
ATMOSPHERE AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. A FEW STORMS MAY
PRODUCE HAIL TO BASEBALL SIZE...WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH AND
ISOLATED TORNADOES.  THESE STORMS MAY ALSO PRODUCE VERY HEAVY
RAINFALL IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME...INCREASING THE RISK OF FLASH
FLOODING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ON SATURDAY AND
SATURDAY NIGHT AS A WARM FRONT MOVES NORTHEASTWARD THROUGH THE
REGION.  THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE WARM
FRONT.  A FEW MAY BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL.

THE CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY
NIGHT.  SOME STRONG STORMS ARE POSSIBLE AGAIN ON SUNDAY AS A COLD
FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE AREA.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING.

ILZ058>060-064-065-069-070-074-079-098>102-MOZ051-052-060>065-075-
281200-
BOND IL-CALHOUN IL-CLINTON IL-FAYETTE IL-FRANKLIN-GREENE IL-
JEFFERSON-JERSEY IL-LINCOLN-MACOUPIN IL-MADISON IL-MARION IL-
MONROE IL-MONTGOMERY-MONTGOMERY IL-RANDOLPH IL-ST CHARLES-
ST CLAIR IL-ST LOUIS-ST LOUIS CITY-STE GENEVIEVE-WARREN-
WASHINGTON IL-
1243 PM CDT THU MAY 27 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI AND
SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH MIDNIGHT...
THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON IN THE WARM AND
UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. A FEW STORMS
MAY PRODUCE HAIL TO BASEBALL SIZE...WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH
AND ISOLATED TORNADOES.  THESE STORMS MAY ALSO PRODUCE VERY HEAVY
RAINFALL IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME...INCREASING THE RISK OF FLASH
FLOODING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

THE CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL RESUME SATURDAY AND CONTINUE THROUGH
MONDAY NIGHT.   SOME STRONG STORMS ARE POSSIBLE AGAIN ON SUNDAY AS A
COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE AREA.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING.

MOZ072>074-084-085-099-281200-
CRAWFORD-IRON-MADISON-REYNOLDS-ST FRANCOIS-WASHINGTON-
1243 PM CDT THU MAY 27 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PART OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH MIDNIGHT...

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON IN THE WARM AND
UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. A FEW STORMS
MAY PRODUCE HAIL TO BASEBALL SIZE...WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH
AND ISOLATED TORNADOES.  THESE STORMS MAY ALSO PRODUCE VERY HEAVY
RAINFALL IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME...INCREASING THE RISK OF FLASH
FLOODING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ON FRIDAY AS THE COLD
FRONT BECOMES STATIONARY ACROSS SOUTHERN MISSOURI...AND ALSO ON
SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT AS THE FRONT LIFTS BACK NORTHWARD AS A
WARM FRONT.  THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE WARM
FRONT.  A FEW MAY BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL.

THE CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY
NIGHT.  SOME STRONG STORMS ARE POSSIBLE AGAIN ON SUNDAY AS A COLD
FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE AREA.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING.

BRITT

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 27, 3:28 PM CST, 1 hour 2 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
428 PM CDT THU MAY 27 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0352 PM     HAIL             10 SE LOUISIANA         39.34N 90.93W
05/27/2004  0.88 INCH        PIKE               MO   AMATEUR RADIO

            HAIL COVERING THE GROUND.

0335 PM     HAIL             10 SE LOUISIANA         39.34N 90.93W
05/27/2004  0.88 INCH        PIKE               MO   AMATEUR RADIO

            HAIL COVERING THE GROUND

&&

CVKING

Local storm report, May 27, 3:31 PM CST, 59 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
431 PM CDT THU MAY 27 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0335 PM     HAIL             10 SE LOUISIANA         39.34N 90.93W
05/27/2004  0.88 INCH        PIKE               MO   AMATEUR RADIO

            HAIL COVERING THE GROUND

&&

CVKING

Local storm report, May 27, 3:50 PM CST, 40 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
450 PM CDT THU MAY 27 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0430 PM     HAIL             BOWLING GREEN           39.34N 91.20W
05/27/2004  1.00 INCH        PIKE               MO   TRAINED SPOTTER

0435 PM     FLOOD            LIVINGSTON              38.97N 89.76W
05/27/2004                   MADISON            IL   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            4 TO 6 INCHES OF WATER COVERING ROADWAYS IN LIVINGSTON.

&&

CVKING

Local storm report, May 27, 3:50 PM CST, 40 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
450 PM CDT THU MAY 27 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0430 PM     HAIL             BOWLING GREEN           39.34N 91.20W
05/27/2004  1.00 INCH        PIKE               MO   TRAINED SPOTTER

0435 PM     FLOOD            LIVINGSTON              38.97N 89.76W
05/27/2004                   MADISON            IL   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            4 TO 6 INCHES OF WATER COVERING ROADWAYS IN LIVINGSTON.

&&

CVKING

Local storm report, May 27, 4:12 PM CST, 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
512 PM CDT THU MAY 27 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0420 PM     HAIL             ROCKBRIDGE              39.27N 90.21W
05/27/2004  1.00 INCH        GREENE             IL   COUNTY OFFICIAL

0440 PM     TSTM WND DMG     FIELDON                 39.11N 90.50W
05/27/2004                   JERSEY             IL   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            TREE ON ROUTE 16.

&&

CVKING

Local storm report, May 27, 4:12 PM CST, 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
512 PM CDT THU MAY 27 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0420 PM     HAIL             ROCKBRIDGE              39.27N 90.21W
05/27/2004  1.00 INCH        GREENE             IL   COUNTY OFFICIAL

0440 PM     TSTM WND DMG     FIELDON                 39.11N 90.50W
05/27/2004                   JERSEY             IL   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            TREE ON ROUTE 16.

&&

CVKING

The radar

The St Louis radar (KLSX), 110 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:31 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Bond

When: May 27, 4:30 PM CST to 8:30 PM CST
Where: Bond County, Countywide
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.887, -89.436 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Fayette

When: May 27, 4:30 PM CST to 8:30 PM CST
Where: Fayette County, Countywide
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.000, -89.024 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Macoupin

When: May 27, 4:30 PM CST to 8:30 PM CST
Where: Macoupin County, Countywide
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.261, -89.924 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Madison

When: May 27, 4:30 PM CST to 8:30 PM CST
Where: Madison County, Countywide
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.830, -89.905 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Montgomery

When: May 27, 4:30 PM CST to 8:30 PM CST
Where: Montgomery County, Countywide
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.231, -89.479 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Illinois in 2004 Every state in 2004 This day in weather history Warnings in Illinois, May 2004

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: 5397533, 5397534, 5397535, 5397536, 5397597.