Thunderstorms with torrential rain occurred ahead of a cold front that extended from the Great Lakes region across the St. Louis area to the Ozark Mountains.
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.
Thunderstorms with torrential rain occurred ahead of a cold front that extended from the Great Lakes region across the St. Louis area to the Ozark Mountains.
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 Aug 4, 10:47 PM CST, 43 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 1147 PM CDT SAT AUG 4 2012 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 1136 PM CDT SAT AUG 4 2012 UPDATED FOR AVIATION FORECAST DISCUSSION. && .SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 931 PM CDT SAT AUG 4 2012 WILL INCREASE RAIN CHANCE ACROSS THE OZARK FOOTHILLS OF SOUTHEAST MO FOR TONIGHT GIVEN ONGOING AND EASTWARD MOVING CONVECTION OVER SOUTH CENTRAL MISSOURI. WHILE THE LEADING EDGE OF THIS CONVECTION HAS RECENTLY DECREASED EXPECT THE OVERALL AREA TO PROGRESS INTO AREAS NORTHWEST OF A PERRYVILLE MO TO DONIPHAN MO LINE BY MIDNIGHT AND THEN POSSIBLY EASTWARD THEREAFTER. ATTM...DO NOT EXPECT MORE THAN ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS TONIGHT PER THE UPDATED SPC DAY 1 OUTLOOK. OTHERWISE...THE LATEST SURFACE ANALYSIS DEPICTED A WARM FRONT EXTENDING EAST FROM A LOW CENTERED OVER SOUTH CENTRAL IA...ACROSS CENTRAL ILLINOIS TO CENTRAL INDIANA. A COLD FRONT ARCED SOUTHWEST FROM THE LOW ACROSS KS INTO THE OK PANHANDLE. REGIONAL RADAR LOOP DETECTED A STRONG LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM SDF TO NEAR BNA AND MOVING EASTWARD. INFRA RED SATELLITE AND THE LIGHTNING DETECTION CHART INDICATED THE LINE WAS INTENSIFYING AS TOPS COOLED AND CLOUD TO GROUND STRIKES INCREASED IN ADDITION TO THE NEGATIVE TO POSITIVE STRIKE RATIO. THE AFOREMENTIONED FRONT WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR OUR NEXT ROUND OF WEATHER WITH A SIGNIFICANT SEVERE THREAT AS WELL. THE FRONT WILL BE MAKING ITS WAY ACROSS SEMO EARLY MORNING AND SIL LATE MORNING REACHING INTO SWIN AND WKY IN THE AFTERNOON. THE SEVERE THREAT EXISTS OVER MOST OF THE QUAD STATE BUT IS MOST ENHANCED OVER WEST KY. THE MODELS HAVE BEEN HINTING AT THE FRONT HANGING UP OVER WEST KY IN THE AFTN. IF THIS HOLDS TRUE IT WILL ALLOW THE UPPER LEVEL SHORT WAVE TO PHASE WITH THE SURFACE FRONT PROVIDING UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT. IN ADDITION IF DEBRIS CLOUDS HOLD OFF LONG ENOUGH FOR SUFFICIENT HEATING...WE COULD ENCOUNTER ONE VERY ACTIVE AFTN. BOTH THE OPERATIONAL GFS AND THE NAM INDICATE CAPES > 2K J/KG IN THE AFTN...PWATS > 2"...AND LI'S IN THE -5 TO -6 RANGE. WILL TAPER OFF POPS RAPIDLY AFTER SUNSET AND DRY INTO THE FIRST PART OF NEXT WEEK. ALSO TEMPS WILL BE ON THE ORDER OF NEARLY 10 DEGREES COOLER THAN THE PAST WEEK WITH HIGHS AROUND 90 EARLY ON AND DEW POINTS PLUNGING FOR THIS TIME OF SEASON ESPECIALLY YIELDING MIN RH VALUES INTO THE LOWER 30S. .LONG TERM...(MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY) ISSUED AT 137 PM CDT SAT AUG 4 2012 AT THE START OF THE LONG TERM PORTION OF THE FORECAST...WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF ENJOYING A RELATIVE COOL-DOWN...AT LEAST IN COMPARISION TO THE EXTREME HEAT/HUMIDITY WE'VE HAD FOR MUCH OF THE SUMMER. TEMPS WILL BE CLOSER TO SEASONAL NORMS AND HUMIDITY LEVELS WILL ACTUALLY BE SLIGHTLY DRIER/MAKING FOR A MORE PLEASANT AIRMASS. THIS WILL BE THE CASE FOR TUE-WED. THEN DURING THE LATTER PORTION OF THE WEEK...THE NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM TAKES SHAPE AND WE BECOME WARM SECTORED AHEAD OF IT. THIS MEANS INCREASED HEAT/HUMIDITY FOR THE WED NIGHT-THU NITE TIME FRAME. THIS WILL BE COINCIDENT...HOWEVER...WITH INCREASING PCPN CHANCES AS A DEVELOPING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM DRIVES A FRONT THRU THE AREA. BOTH THE GFS/ECMWF SUGGEST FROPA SOMETIME THU NIGHT...WITH A POST FRONTAL AIRMASS FILTERIN IN FOR FRIDAY. THE GFS IS A LITTLE SHARPER/HIGHER AMPLITUDE WITH THE FLOW/SYSTEM PASSAGE...THE ECMWF A LITTLE MORE MUTED...BUT SIMILAR TIMING NONETHLESS. LOOK FOR A POTENTIAL FOR LINGERING SMALL POPS FRIDAY...THEN A RETURN TO DRIER/SEASONALLY COOLER (CLOSER TO CLIMO) CONDITIONS AGAIN IN THE POST FRONTAL ENVIRONS FRI NITE-SAT. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SUNDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 1136 PM CDT SAT AUG 4 2012 WATCHING LINE OF INTENSE STORMS DEVELOP QUICKLY ACROSS SOUTHEAST MO AND SOUTHWEST IL. THIS LINE IS EXPECTED TO MOVE EAST WITH TIME AND IMPACT THE TERMINALS WITH AT LEAST MVFR VSBYS AND POSSIBLY CIGS. NOT SURE HOW FAR EAST THE ACTIVITY WILL MAKE IT BUT WENT WITH A TEMPO GROUP TO COVER THE ANTICIPATED CONVECTION. A LOT OF ACTIVITY FURTHER TO THE WEST IN MISSOURI IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE COLD FRONT...AND THAT WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST AS WELL...FOR A CONTINUED CHANCE FOR STORMS THE REST OF THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD. THE FRONT WILL CONTINUE ADVANCING THROUGH THE NIGHT AND BE INTO OUR AREA BY SUNDAY MORNING. THIS FRONT WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND STORM THROUGHOUT THE DAY...SO OPTED FOR A PROB30 GIVEN THAT EXACT TIMING OF THE STORMS IS UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME. THE FRONT WILL EXIT THE AREA BY LATE IN THE AFTERNOON. && .PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. MO...NONE. IN...NONE. KY...NONE. && UPDATE...CW SHORT TERM...RS LONG TERM....DH AVIATION...CW
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 100 PM CDT SAT AUG 4 2012 ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087- 100-107>112-114-051000- 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- 100 PM CDT SAT AUG 4 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...SOUTHWEST INDIANA...WESTERN KENTUCKY AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY AND TONIGHT. ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS CANNOT BE RULED OUT. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE PRIMARY CONCERNS...ALONG WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL INCREASE THROUGH DAY SUNDAY...OVER WESTERN KENTUCKY...SOUTHWEST INDIANA...SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AND SOUTHERN ILLINOIS. IN FACT...MOST OF THE AREA HAS BEEN OUTLOOKED BY THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER WITH A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE PRIMARY CONCERNS ALONG WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. FOR NEXT FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...HEAT INDEX VALUES BETWEEN 100 AND 105 DEGREES ARE FORECAST FOR SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AND THE PURCHASE AREA OF WEST KENTUCKY. HEAT INDEX VALUES BETWEEN 105 TO 115 DEGREES WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. IN ADDITION...A FEW STORMS MAY APPROACH SEVERE LIMITS WITH ANY STORMS THAT DEVELOP LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. AT THIS TIME...THE PRIMARY HAZARD WOULD BE DAMAGING WINDS...WITH HAIL A SECONDARY HAZARD. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE MOST LIKELY ON SUNDAY...BUT CANNOT BE RULED OUT THIS AFTERNOON...TONIGHT AND AGAIN NEXT FRIDAY.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 1103 PM CDT SAT AUG 4 2012 MOZ100-107>109-050445- BUTLER MO-CARTER MO-RIPLEY MO-WAYNE MO- 1103 PM CDT SAT AUG 4 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN WAYNE...NORTHEASTERN RIPLEY...SOUTHEASTERN CARTER AND NORTHWESTERN BUTLER COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI UNTIL 1145 PM CDT... AT 11 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR DONIPHAN...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. ANOTHER STRONG STORM WAS LOCATED WEST OF HENDRICKSON IN NORTHWEST BUTLER COUNTY. WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH IS POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN AND SMALL HAIL. LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE IMPACTED INCLUDE... POPLAR BLUFF...BUDAPEST...ELLSINORE...FAIRDEALING...BRUSH ARBOR... MILLTOWN...HENDRICKSON...HARVIELL...WILLIAMSVILLE AND GRANDIN. TORRENTIAL RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND UNDERPASSES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED ROADWAY.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 1106 PM CDT SAT AUG 4 2012 MOZ086-087-110-050445- BOLLINGER MO-CAPE GIRARDEAU MO-STODDARD MO- 1106 PM CDT SAT AUG 4 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN STODDARD...SOUTHWESTERN CAPE GIRARDEAU AND SOUTHEASTERN BOLLINGER COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI UNTIL 1145 PM CDT... AT 1106 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LEOPOLD...OR 8 MILES SOUTH OF MARBLE HILL...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN. LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE IMPACTED INCLUDE... MARBLE HILL...ADVANCE...LEOPOLD...BURFORDVILLE AND WHITEWATER. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. TORRENTIAL RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND UNDERPASSES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED ROADWAY.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 1111 PM CDT SAT AUG 4 2012 ILZ084-MOZ076-050500- JACKSON IL-PERRY MO- 1111 PM CDT SAT AUG 4 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR JACKSON COUNTY IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...AND EXTREME EASTERN PERRY COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT... AT 1110 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES WEST OF MURPHYSBORO...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. OTHER STORMS WERE ALSO DEVELOPING ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL JACKSON COUNTY. WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN. LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE IMPACTED INCLUDE... MURPHYSBORO...CARBONDALE...DE SOTO...ELKVILLE...VERGENNES AND DOWELL. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. TORRENTIAL RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND UNDERPASSES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED ROADWAY.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 1146 PM CDT SAT AUG 4 2012 MOZ100-107>109-050530- BUTLER MO-CARTER MO-RIPLEY MO-WAYNE MO- 1146 PM CDT SAT AUG 4 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN WAYNE...NORTHEASTERN RIPLEY...SOUTHEASTERN CARTER AND NORTHERN BUTLER COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI UNTIL 1230 AM CDT... AT 1143 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF POPLAR BLUFF...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN. LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE IMPACTED INCLUDE... WAPPAPELLO LAKE AREA...WILLIAMSVILLE...HENDRICKSON...WAPPAPELLO... SHOOK AND ROMBAUER. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. TORRENTIAL RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND UNDERPASSES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED ROADWAY.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 1155 PM CDT SAT AUG 4 2012 ILZ081-084-085-050545- FRANKLIN IL-JACKSON IL-WILLIAMSON IL- 1155 PM CDT SAT AUG 4 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN FRANKLIN COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS...AND WILLIAMSON AND EASTERN JACKSON COUNTIES IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNTIL 1245 AM CDT... AT 1145 PM CDT...STORM SPOTTERS REPORTED WINDS NEAR 50 MPH..PEA SIZE HAIL AND VERY HEAVY RAIN SOUTH OF CARRBONDALE. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS OF 50 TO 55 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE IMPACTED INCLUDE... CARTERVILLE...HERRIN...MARION...JOHNSTON CITY...WEST FRANKFORT... HURST...CAMBRIA...ROYALTON...CRAINVILLE...ENERGY...ZEIGLER...CREAL SPRINGS...PITTSBURG...THOMPSONVILLE...BUSH...COLP...FREEMAN SPUR... ORIENT...WHITEASH AND SPILLERTOWN. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. TORRENTIAL RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND UNDERPASSES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED ROADWAY.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
1156 PM CDT SAT AUG 04 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1155 PM TSTM WND DMG MURPHYSBORO 37.77N 89.34W
08/04/2012 JACKSON IL TRAINED SPOTTER
TREE LIMBS DOWN IN TOWN...SOME ON POWER LINES CAUSING
POWER OUTAGES. SOME LIMBS ON CARS.
&&
CWThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
Over two inches of rain fell in about an hour. Some minor flooding of roads was reported.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, August 2012
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: 401706.