Showers and thunderstorms redeveloped across parts of eastern Iowa and northwest Illinois during the evening of June 8 and early morning hours of June 9, as a cold front moved across the Mississippi River Valley Region. Some of the thunderstorms were severe, producing large hail and gusty winds.
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 DVN wrote it up.
Showers and thunderstorms redeveloped across parts of eastern Iowa and northwest Illinois during the evening of June 8 and early morning hours of June 9, as a cold front moved across the Mississippi River Valley Region. Some of the thunderstorms were severe, producing large hail and gusty winds.
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 Jun 8, 2:15 PM CST, 6 hours 10 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL 315 PM CDT WED JUN 8 2011 .SYNOPSIS... REGION WAS UNDER BROAD SOUTHWESTERLY 500MB FLOW BETWEEN A SOUTHEASTERN U.S. RIDGE AND A DEVELOPING PACIFIC NORTHWEST TROF. AT THE SURFACE AT 17Z A COLD FRONT BISECTED IA FROM NE TO SW AND WAS MARKED BY THE BACK EDGE OF A DEVELOPING CU FIELD ON THE VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY. A MID LEVEL S/W CROSSING THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND SOUTH CENTRAL CANADA WAS PROVIDING SOME PUSH FOR THE FRONT. THE POST FRONTAL AIRMASS WAS DRY AND COOL WITH NOON TEMPERATURES IN THE 80S AND LOW TO MID 50 DEWPOINTS OVER NW IA. A WARM/UNSTABLE AIRMASS WAS IN PLACE AHEAD OF THE FRONT WITH SURFACE TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER 80S TO LOW 90S AND DEWPOINTS IN THE UPPER 60S TO LOW 70S. AS OF LATE THIS MORNING THE CWFA WAS RAIN FREE WITH THE EARLY MORNING TSRA HAVING DISSIPATED OR MOVED EAST OF THE AREA. && .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT AND THURSDAY... THE MAIN FOCUS WILL BE THE THUNDERSTORM THREAT TONIGHT AND THURSDAY NEAR THE SURFACE FRONT AS IT CONTINUES TO SAG SOUTH THROUGH THE CWFA. THE 12Z MODEL RUNS SUGGEST THE BOUNDARY WILL MOVE THROUGH THE CWFA BY LATE TONIGHT AND STALL OVER NORTHERN MO THURSDAY. THE FRONT WILL BE PASSING THROUGH THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE CWFA DURING PRIME HEATING LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. THE HIGHEST POPS TONIGHT WILL BE LOCATED ALONG THE BOUNDARY IN THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE CWFA WITH POPS TAPERING OFF TO THE NORTH INTO THE DRIER MORE STABLE AIRMASS. A SUBSTANTIAL CAP EXISTS OVER THE SOUTH PER 12Z UA DATA SHOWING H7 TEMPS IN THE 10 TO 13C RANGE OVER SOUTHERN IA AND NRN MO. MODEL PROGS SUGGEST CAP WILL WEAKEN BY LATE AFTERNOON SO ANTICIPATE TSRA FIRING ALONG THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN 21Z AND 00Z. BY 21Z RUC SURFACE BASED CAPES ARE AT OR ABOVE 4000 J/KG. DEEP LAYER SHEAR OVER THE AREA WILL BE MARGINAL BUT WITH THE HIGH CAPE SEVERE STORMS WILL BE LIKELY WITH THE MAIN THREAT BEING DAMAGING WINDS. HIGH FREEZING LEVELS SHOULD LIMIT LARGE HAIL...UNLESS UPDRAFTS START TO ROTATE. DEEP LAYER HELICITIES AROUND 150 NEAR THE BOUNDARY SUPPORT SOME ROTATION WHICH COULD SUPPORT SIGNIFICANT HAIL ESPECIALLY WITH THE INITIAL DEVELOPMENT. FLASH FLOODING WILL ALSO BE A CONCERN WITH PW/S IN EXCESS OF 1.75 INCHES OVER THE SOUTHERN THIRD OF THE CWFA. THE QUESTION IS IF ANY BACKBUILDING/REPEAT ACTIVITY WILL OCCUR. THE 12Z MODEL DATA SUPPORTS A MORE PROGRESSIVE SCENARIO FOR ANY CONVECTION DEVELOPING ALONG AND NORTH OF THE BOUNDARY. A MORE FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR BACK BUILDING EXISTS AHEAD OF THE FRONT...BUT THIS AREA WILL STILL BE CAPPED. HAVE MENTIONED HEAVY RAIN IN THE FORECAST AND WILL HOLD OFF ISSUING A WATCH FOR NOW WITH THE QPF AXIS EXEPCTED TO BE BETWEEN I80 AND HIGHWAY 34 BETWEEN OTM AND MQB. IF THE HEAVY RAINS SET UP A LITTLE MORE TO THE SOUTH THAN A WATCH MAY BE NEEDED SINCE THIS AREA EXPERIENCED HEAVYR RAINS LATE LAST WEEK AND FLASH FLOOD GUIDANCE IS LOWER. OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE NORTHWEST WERE LOWERED A FEW DEGREES WITH OBSERVATIONAL AND MODEL DATA SUPPORTING A GOOD PUSH BEHIND THE FRONT. FOR THURSDAY WILL KEEP THE HIGHER POPS...IN THE LIKELY CATEGORY...OVER THE SOUTHERN THIRD OF THE CWFA...JUST NORTH OF THE STALLED NORTHERN MO FRONT THEN TAPERING OFF TO SLIGHT CHANCE IN THE FAR NORTH. HIGHS WILL BE CONSIDERABLY LOWER THAN TODAYS RANGING FROM THE LOW 70S NORTH TO LOW TO MID 80S IN THE SOUTH. .LONG TERM...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY... THE FRONT WILL STILL BE STALLED OVER OR JUST TO OUR SOUTH THURSDAY NIGHT CONTINUING THE THUNDERTORM THREAT ESPECIALLY CENTRAL AND SOUTH. MODELS SHOW A SIGNIFICANT UPPER TROF MOVING INTO THE NORTHERN/CENTRAL PLAINS FRIDAY. THE TROF WILL SPIN UP A SURFACE LOW ALONG THE FRONT WITH THE LOW MOVING THROUGH THE SOUTHERN CWFA FRIDAY. THERE IS SOME QUESTION ON THE TIMING OF THE WAVE MOVING THROUGH BUT AT THIS POINT IT LOOKS LIKE EITHER LATE MORNING OR AFTERNOON. THE AFTERNOON TIMING WOULD ENHANCE THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT...ESPECIALLY THE CHANCE FOR SUPERCELLS AND THE TORNADO RISK. THE AIRMASS WILL ALSO REMAIN QUITE MOIST SO A HEAVY RAIN THREAT WILL EXIST OVER THE SOUTHERN CWFA THURDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY. AFTER THE WAVE MOVES THROUGH THE REGION FRIDAY...THEN THE WEATHER SHOULD QUITE DOWN AS SURFACE AND UPPER RIDGING BUILD INTO THE REGION FOR SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT. THE ARRIVAL OF THE RIDGING WILL ALSO BRING MORE COMFORTABLE TEMPERATURES AND HUMIDITY TO THE REGION FOR THE WEEKEND. AN ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN IS EXPECTED TO BECOME ESTABLISHED AGAIN OVER THE REGION FOR SUNDAY INTO WEDNESDAY. THE UPPER RIDGING WILL MOVE EAST OF THE AREA SUNDAY WITH A MORE ZONE FLOW SETTING UP FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK. MODEL PROGS SHOW AT LEAST A COUPLE OF SIGINIFCANT PIECES OF ENERGY IN THE ZONAL FLOW WHICH WILL KEEP A THREAT OF THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FORECAST. TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE PERIOD SHOULD BE NEAR NORMAL FOR MID JUNE. ..DLF.. && .AVIATION... CU DEVLPG ALONG THE COLD FRONT SHOULD RESULT IN TSRA INITIATION 20Z-22Z. RUC TRENDS SUGGEST RAPID TSRA DEVLPMT WITH A LINE DVLPG BY 00Z/09. MOISTURE POOLING ALONG COLD FRONT AND POTENTIAL PRECIP LOADING IN DOWNDRAFTS COULD RESULT IN SVR TSRA AT KCID/KDBQ. HOWEVER...18Z TAFS FOR ALL SITES HAVE G45KT AND 3KFT CIGS WITH 1SM BUT POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR LOWER VSBYS/CIGS. ONCE INITIAL LINE PASSES VSBYS SHOULD GENERALLY REMAIN 3-5SM WITH VCTS AND CIGS NEAR 3KFT. ..08.. .DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IA...NONE. IL...NONE. MO...NONE. && DLF/08
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL 120 PM CDT WED JUN 8 2011 IAZ040>042-051>054-063>068-076>078-087>089-098-099-ILZ001-002-007- 009-015>018-024>026-034-035-MOZ009-010-090930- BUCHANAN-DELAWARE-DUBUQUE-BENTON-LINN-JONES-JACKSON-IOWA-JOHNSON- CEDAR-CLINTON-MUSCATINE-SCOTT-KEOKUK-WASHINGTON-LOUISA-JEFFERSON- HENRY IA-DES MOINES-VAN BUREN-LEE-JO DAVIESS-STEPHENSON-CARROLL- WHITESIDE-ROCK ISLAND-HENRY IL-BUREAU-PUTNAM-MERCER-HENDERSON- WARREN-HANCOCK-MCDONOUGH-SCOTLAND-CLARK- 120 PM CDT WED JUN 8 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS...NORTHWEST ILLINOIS...WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS...EAST CENTRAL IOWA...NORTHEAST IOWA...SOUTHEAST IOWA AND NORTHEAST MISSOURI. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ANOTHER HOT AND HUMID DAY IS EXPECTED TODAY...AND A HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH 7 PM THIS EVENING FOR MUCH OF THE OUTLOOK AREA. HEAT INDEX READINGS WILL RANGE FROM 98 TO 104 DEGREES THIS AFTERNOON. LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING...STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED. THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BE VERY UNSTABLE...AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXPLODE OVER EASTERN IOWA...BEFORE SPREADING EAST AND SOUTH OVER THE REST OF THE OUTLOOK AREA. STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL DURING THE AFTERNOON...AND BY THE EVENING...AS STORMS FORM INTO A LINE...DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE. STORMS WILL HAVE A LARGE POOL OF MOISTURE ALOFT TO SUPPLY VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS. IN ADDITION...THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT WILL LIKELY MOVE OVER THE SAME AREAS SEVERAL TIMES...AND FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE. THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER IS FORECASTING A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE ENTIRE OUTLOOK AREA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY A NEARLY STATIONARY FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL BE LOCATED IN SOUTHEAST IOWA AND WESTERN ILLINOIS ON THURSDAY. THIS WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR CLUSTERS OF THUNDERSTORMS...INCLUDING SUPERCELLS...DURING THE AFTERNOON INTO THURSDAY NIGHT. THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE LARGE HAIL. THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS A SLIGHT RISK FOR LOCATIONS ALONG AND SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 30. LOW PRESSURE WILL BE TRACKING OUT OF THE SOUTHERN PLAINS AND TOWARDS IOWA THURSDAY NIGHT. WIDESPREAD RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED OVER MUCH OF THE OUTLOOK AREA. HEAVY RAINFALL AND LARGE HAIL WILL ACCOMPANY THE STRONGER STORMS. THE SURFACE LOW AND WARM FRONT WILL PUSH TO EASTERN IOWA AND NORTHERN ILLINOIS ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE. AS STRONGER WINDS ALOFT ARRIVE AND BACKING WINDS OCCUR NEAR THE WARM FRONT OVER EASTERN IOWA AND NORTHERN ILLINOIS...SUPERCELLS PRODUCING A COUPLE OF TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE. THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS A SLIGHT RISK ROUGHLY SOUTH AND EAST OF AN OTTUMWA TO DUBUQUE LINE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION LIKELY WILL BE NEEDED LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ERVIN/HAASE
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
901 PM CDT WED JUN 08 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0852 PM HAIL CEDAR RAPIDS 41.97N 91.67W
06/08/2011 E1.00 INCH LINN IA EMERGENCY MNGR
0852 PM HAIL 2 NE CEDAR RAPIDS 41.99N 91.65W
06/08/2011 E1.00 INCH LINN IA TRAINED SPOTTER
0855 PM HAIL 1 NE MARION 42.05N 91.58W
06/08/2011 E1.00 INCH LINN IA TRAINED SPOTTER
SHREDDING LEAVES FROM THE TREES. ALSO REPORTS WIND GUSTS
OF 50 TO 60 MPH.
&&
DCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
903 PM CDT WED JUN 08 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0857 PM HAIL 2 E MARION 42.04N 91.55W
06/08/2011 E1.00 INCH LINN IA TRAINED SPOTTER
MOST HAIL WAS 3/4 INCH
0857 PM HAIL SE CEDAR RAPIDS 41.97N 91.67W
06/08/2011 E1.00 INCH LINN IA TRAINED SPOTTER
DIMES TO QUARTERS.
&&
GROSSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
909 PM CDT WED JUN 08 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0810 PM HAIL 1 S CENTER POINT 42.17N 91.78W
06/08/2011 M0.75 INCH LINN IA COCORAHS
&&
GROSSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
911 PM CDT WED JUN 08 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0857 PM HAIL 3 E CEDAR RAPIDS 41.97N 91.61W
06/08/2011 E1.00 INCH LINN IA TRAINED SPOTTER
PENNY TO QUARTER SIZED HAIL.
&&
GROSSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
917 PM CDT WED JUN 08 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0850 PM HAIL 1 NW CEDAR RAPIDS 41.98N 91.68W
06/08/2011 E1.50 INCH LINN IA TRAINED SPOTTER
0855 PM TSTM WND GST 1 NE MARION 42.04N 91.58W
06/08/2011 E60.00 MPH LINN IA TRAINED SPOTTER
50 TO 60 MPH WINDS
&&
GROSSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
922 PM CDT WED JUN 08 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0854 PM HAIL NORTH ENGLISH 41.52N 92.08W
06/08/2011 M1.00 INCH IOWA IA CO-OP OBSERVER
0855 PM HAIL 2 NNE CEDAR RAPIDS 41.99N 91.66W
06/08/2011 M1.00 INCH LINN IA TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
GROSSThe Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 75 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:27 UTC.
7 thunderstorm wind, 5 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Wind gusts estimated to be 65 mph blew a large maple tree down about 1 mile east southeast of Hanover, IL at 925 pm CDT June 8. Some lawn furniture was also blown around the yard of the residence.
Wind gusts estimated to be 70 mph blew down numerous trees near Hanover, IL at 927 pm CDT June 8.
Wind gusts estimated to be 70 mph caused tree damage and siding damage across Stockton, IL around 930 pm CDT June 8. One large tree limb fell onto a car.
A 62 mph wind gust was recorded about 5 miles northwest of Lena, IL at 931 pm CDT June 8.
Quarter sized hail fell in Orangeville, IL at 932 pm CDT June 8.
Wind gusts estimated to be 60 mph blew down several tree branches in Lena, IL at 932 pm CDT June 8.
Wind gusts estimated to be 60 mph were observed in Lena, IL at 932 pm CDT June 8.
Wind gusts estimated to be 60 mph downed some power lines onto Highway 75 near Rock City, IL at 954 pm CDT June 8. This report was relayed by the media.
Quarter sized hail fell about 1 mile north of Tampico, IL at 224 am CDT June 9.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, June 2011
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: 323605, 323606, 329167, 323607, 323608, 323609, 323610, 323611, 323612, 323613, 323614, 323615.