Flash Flood and Hail in Illinois, April 27, 2011

Name: Flash Flood and Hail in Illinois, April 27, 2011
Start: 2011-04-27T13:20
End: 2011-04-27T20:30
Location: Illinois

April 27, 2011 · NWS PAH · 5 events in 4 counties and zones

A 994 mb surface low pressure center over north central Arkansas moved northeast along a quasi-stationary front into extreme southern Illinois. Lines and clusters of thunderstorms with embedded rotational signatures developed coincident with the surface low.

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: 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 PAH 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 Paducah, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 27, 12:16 PM CST, 1 hour 4 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 27, 12:16 PM CST, 1 hour 4 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
116 PM CDT WED APR 27 2011

.DISCUSSION...
SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE IS FOR PRIMARY HAZARD OF LARGE HAIL GIVEN
COOLING MID TROPOSPHERIC TEMPS...AIDED/ABETTED BY STEEP MID LEVEL
LAPSE RATES AS LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM LIFTS OVERHEAD AND SWEEPS THRU.
WILL HAVE TO WATCH DEVELOPING HELICITY PROFILES WITH LOW INCOMING
IN CASE TORNADIC THREAT DEVELOPS...SPC BEING ON TOP OF THAT
ALREADY PER EARLIER CONFERENCE CALL.

GRADIENT WINDS WILL ENHANCE WITH SURFACE LOW MOVING THRU AND
SHOULD SEE WINDS SHIFTING FROM SLYS TO WSLYS/NWLYS WITH TIME. SOME
GUSTS TO NEAR ADVISORY THRESHOLDS MAY BE POSSIBLE.

ANOTHER 1 TO POTENTIALLY 1.5" OF RAINFALL CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THE
SYSTEM PASSAGE THROUGH THIS EVENING. WE WILL THEREFORE LEAVE THE
FFA RUNNING THRU ITS INHERITED EXPIRATION TIME OF 700 PM...AND
CONTINUE OUTLOOK/FORECAST FOR HEAVY RAIN AS WELL.

CLEARING/IMPROVING CONDITIONS EXPECTED LATER TONIGHT-TOMORROW AND
SHOULD LAST INTO/THRU MUCH OF THE DAY SATURDAY...OFFERING MUCH
NEEDED REPRIEVE FROM SVR WX/HEAVY RAIN. SAVE EXCEPTION IS SMALLISH
CYCLONIC FLOW ENERGY POPS FOR THURSDAY PM/EVENING...BUT QPF SHOULD
BE LIGHT.

NEXT BEST CHC PCPN IS LATER IN THE WEEKEND...SPECIFICALLY SAT
NIGHT-SUN NIGHT TIME FRAME WITH ANOTHER SYSTEM PASSAGE AND
POTENTIALLY AN INCH OR TWO MORE OF RAINFALL. HAVE MENTIONED THIS
IN HWO AND WILL BE SOMETHING TO KEEP AN EYE UPON WITH REGARD TO
CONTINUED FLOODING.

&&

.AVIATION...
CONVECTIVE OUTBREAK WITH SYSTEM PASSAGE THIS PM WILL LOWER CIGS
FROM MVFR TO IFR AT TIMES. IFR VSBYS IN HEAVY RAIN ARE POSSIBLE
AND HAIL IS THE SVR WX THREAT...THOUGH NOT IN TAFS (YET). AS THE
SURFACE WAVE PASSES...GRADIENT WINDS COULD YIELD SOME GUSTS NEAR
30 KTS AT TIMES...WITH WINDS SHIFTING FROM SOUTHERLYS TO WESTERLYS
OR NORTHWESTERLYS OVER THE COURSE OF THE EVENING. GRADUAL
IMPROVEMENT BACK TO VFR EXPECTED LATE TONIGHT INTO TOMORROW AS THE
SYSTEM PUSHES EAST.

&&

.PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
KY...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR BALLARD-
     CALDWELL-CALLOWAY-CARLISLE-CHRISTIAN-CRITTENDEN-DAVIESS-
     FULTON-GRAVES-HENDERSON-HICKMAN-HOPKINS-LIVINGSTON-LYON-
     MARSHALL-MCCRACKEN-MCLEAN-MUHLENBERG-TODD-TRIGG-UNION KY-
     WEBSTER.

MO...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR BOLLINGER-
     BUTLER-CAPE GIRARDEAU-CARTER-MISSISSIPPI-NEW MADRID-PERRY
     MO-RIPLEY-SCOTT-STODDARD-WAYNE MO.

IL...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR ALEXANDER-
     EDWARDS-FRANKLIN-GALLATIN-HAMILTON-HARDIN-JACKSON-JEFFERSON-
     JOHNSON-MASSAC-PERRY IL-POPE-PULASKI-SALINE-UNION IL-WABASH-
     WAYNE IL-WHITE-WILLIAMSON.

IN...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR GIBSON-PIKE-
     POSEY-SPENCER-VANDERBURGH-WARRICK.

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 27, 11:46 AM CST, 1 hour 34 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
1246 PM CDT WED APR 27 2011

ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087-
100-107>112-114-281000-
JEFFERSON-WAYNE IL-EDWARDS-WABASH-PERRY IL-FRANKLIN-HAMILTON-
WHITE-JACKSON-WILLIAMSON-SALINE-GALLATIN-UNION IL-JOHNSON-POPE-
HARDIN-ALEXANDER-PULASKI-MASSAC-GIBSON-PIKE-POSEY-VANDERBURGH-
WARRICK-SPENCER-FULTON-HICKMAN-CARLISLE-BALLARD-MCCRACKEN-GRAVES-
LIVINGSTON-MARSHALL-CALLOWAY-CRITTENDEN-LYON-TRIGG-CALDWELL-
UNION KY-WEBSTER-HOPKINS-CHRISTIAN-HENDERSON-DAVIESS-MCLEAN-
MUHLENBERG-TODD-PERRY MO-BOLLINGER-CAPE GIRARDEAU-WAYNE MO-CARTER-
RIPLEY-BUTLER-STODDARD-SCOTT-MISSISSIPPI-NEW MADRID-
1246 PM CDT WED APR 27 2011

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM FOR WESTERN
KENTUCKY...FAR SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...AND MOST OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI.
LARGE HAIL IS THE PRIMARY HAZARD...THOUGH ISOLATED DAMAGING WIND
GUSTS AND TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE. SEE THE WATCH FOR DETAILS. A
SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXISTS FOR THE ENTIRE AREA.

THE POTENTIAL FOR MAJOR TO CATASTROPHIC FLASH FLOODING AND RIVER
FLOODING WILL CONTINUE. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES THROUGH
THIS EVENING. THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. PLEASE
REFER TO THE ANY ONGOING FLOOD WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS FOR MORE
DETAILS.

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY...MAINLY
ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE OHIO RIVER. LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WIND
GUSTS...AND ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE ALL POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGER
STORMS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

THE POTENTIAL FOR MAJOR TO CATASTROPHIC RIVER FLOODING WILL
CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF THE PERIOD.

IN ADDITION...THERE IS SOME POTENTIAL FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF HEAVY
RAINS LATER IN THE WEEKEND...ESPECIALLY SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH
SUNDAY NIGHT.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION FOR THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS REQUESTED.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 27, 12:31 PM CST, 49 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
131 PM CDT WED APR 27 2011

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

0110 PM     HAIL             WAPPAPELLO              36.94N 90.27W
04/27/2011  E1.00 INCH       WAYNE              MO   OTHER FEDERAL

            AT WAPPAPELLO DAM FROM CORPS OF ENGINEERS

&&

RST

Local storm report, Apr 27, 12:41 PM CST, 39 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
141 PM CDT WED APR 27 2011

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

0130 PM     HAIL             ZALMA                   37.14N 90.08W
04/27/2011  E1.00 INCH       BOLLINGER          MO   TRAINED SPOTTER

            DIME TO QUARTER SIZE HAIL

&&

RST

Local storm report, Apr 27, 12:56 PM CST, 24 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
156 PM CDT WED APR 27 2011

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

0154 PM     HAIL             JACKSON                 37.38N 89.65W
04/27/2011  E1.00 INCH       CAPE GIRARDEAU     MO   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

RST

Local storm report, Apr 27, 12:59 PM CST, 21 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
159 PM CDT WED APR 27 2011

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

0158 PM     HAIL             JACKSON                 37.38N 89.65W
04/27/2011  E1.50 INCH       CAPE GIRARDEAU     MO   EMERGENCY MNGR

&&

RST

Local storm report, Apr 27, 1:02 PM CST, 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
202 PM CDT WED APR 27 2011

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

0200 PM     HAIL             FRUITLAND               37.45N 89.64W
04/27/2011  E1.75 INCH       CAPE GIRARDEAU     MO   EMERGENCY MNGR

&&

RST

Local storm report, Apr 27, 1:04 PM CST, 16 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
204 PM CDT WED APR 27 2011

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

0203 PM     HAIL             JACKSON                 37.38N 89.65W
04/27/2011  E1.00 INCH       CAPE GIRARDEAU     MO   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

RST

The radar

The Paducah radar (KPAH), 74 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:18 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 hail, 1 heavy rain, 1 funnel cloud, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Union

When: April 27, 1:20 PM CST
Where: Union County, 0.55 mi E of Alto Pass
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 37.570, -89.320

Hail, Jefferson

When: April 27, 3:48 PM CST
Where: Jefferson County, Bluford
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.330, -88.750

Heavy Rain, Hamilton

When: April 27, 4:00 PM CST to 4:20 PM CST
Where: Hamilton County, Dahlgren
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.200, -88.680

A trained spotter reported 1.78 inches of rain in 20 minutes.

Funnel Cloud, Williamson

When: April 27, 4:22 PM CST
Where: Williamson County, 3 mi SE of Marion
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 37.699, -88.891

Flash Flood, Jefferson

When: April 27, 6:40 PM CST to 8:30 PM CST
Where: Jefferson County, Dix to 2.05 mi WNW of Belle Rive
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.430, -88.930

A number of local township roads were flooded and impassable.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
Funnel Cloud: A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.
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 2011 Every state in 2011 This day in weather history Warnings in Illinois, April 2011

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: 290854, 290852, 296572, 290856, 296571.