Damaging winds were the primary type of severe weather as an extensive squall line crossed southwest Indiana. Thunderstorms were organized into bowing line segments that produced damaging winds as they moved rapidly east at 50 to 60 mph.
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.
Damaging winds were the primary type of severe weather as an extensive squall line crossed southwest Indiana. Thunderstorms were organized into bowing line segments that produced damaging winds as they moved rapidly east at 50 to 60 mph. The storms occurred along and ahead of a cold front that trailed south from a low pressure center near St. Louis. Isolated severe thunderstorm cells developed ahead of the quasi-linear convective system. Moderate instability existed ahead of the line of storms, with capes from 1500 to 2500 j/kg. Wind shear remained more than adequate for organization of the storms, with winds veering vertically in the lowest 3 km.
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 Sep 7, 6:27 PM CST, 48 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 727 PM CDT FRI SEP 7 2012 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 716 PM CDT FRI SEP 7 2012 STORM UPDATE...DURING THE PAST HOUR...SHEAR ALOFT HAS INCREASED ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING SOUTHEAST FROM CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND WITH NEW THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...AHEAD OF THE SOUTHERN MISSOURI LARGE SCALE BOW ECHO. DURING THE NEXT ONE TO TWO HOURS...LOOK FOR NEW UPSCALE CONVECTION /THUNDERSTORMS/ AHEAD OF THE MAIN LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS TO PULSE UP CLOSE TO OR EXCEED SEVERE LEVELS. AT THIS TIME...THE PRIMARY CONCERN WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS. THERE IS AN MCV /MESOSCALE CONVECTIVE VORTEX/ EVOLVING OVER JACKSON COUNTY NEAR KMDH /SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AIRPORT/...AROUND CARBONDALE ILLINOIS ATR 0022Z /722 PM CDT/...A CORRIDOR OF WINDS AT OR ABOVE SEVERE LEVELS WILL LIKELY ACROSS FRANKIN...WILLIAMSON...SALINE ...HAMILTON...WHITE AND GALLATIN COUNTY DURING THE NEXT ONE TO ONE AND HALF HOURS. THE NORTHERN EXTENT OF THESE STRONG WINDS MAY BE MITIGATED BY THE SOLID LINE OF STORMS MOVING SOUTHEAST TOWARD THE WABASH RIVER. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SATURDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 716 PM CDT FRI SEP 7 2012 THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME MORE WDSPRD AS THE EVENING PROGRESSES...AND THE 00Z TAFS CONTAIN A GUESS AS TO TIMING OF CONVECTION. TSTMS ARE EXPECTED TO COME IN TWO WAVES AT THIS TIME...ONE AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT AND ONE ASSOCIATED WITH IT. EXPECT IFR VSBYS UNDER TSTMS...WITH MOSTLY MVFR CIGS. THOUGH WINDS WILL BE GUSTING OUT OF THE NW BEHIND THE FRONT...CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO IMPROVE TOWARD SUNRISE. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY REACH SEVERE LIMITS. && .PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. MO...NONE. IN...NONE. KY...NONE. && UPDATE...SMITH AVIATION...DB
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 1254 PM CDT FRI SEP 7 2012 ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087- 100-107>112-114-081000- 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- 1254 PM CDT FRI SEP 7 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...SOUTHWEST INDIANA...WESTERN KENTUCKY...AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS THE REGION TONIGHT. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO EARLY TONIGHT IN ADVANCE OF THE FRONT. THE PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER HAZARDS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL. SMALL...BRIEF TORNADOES CANNOT BE RULED OUT ENTIRELY THAT COULD RESULT IN ENHANCED WIND DAMAGE. A TRANSITION FROM A SEVERE WEATHER RISK...TO HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED TONIGHT. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS COULD RESULT IN SOME STANDING WATER IN LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND THE FIRST HALF OF TONIGHT.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
731 PM CDT FRI SEP 07 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0725 PM HAIL ELIZABETHTOWN 37.45N 88.30W
09/07/2012 E1.75 INCH HARDIN IL BROADCAST MEDIA
&&
DLLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
737 PM CDT FRI SEP 07 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0722 PM TSTM WND GST CARBONDALE 37.72N 89.22W
09/07/2012 M60 MPH JACKSON IL ASOS
&&
DLLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
742 PM CDT FRI SEP 07 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0730 PM TSTM WND DMG MARION 37.73N 88.94W
09/07/2012 WILLIAMSON IL TRAINED SPOTTER
TREES DOWN ALONG SOUTH MARKET STREET
&&
DLLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
801 PM CDT FRI SEP 07 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0730 PM TSTM WND DMG MARION 37.73N 88.94W
09/07/2012 WILLIAMSON IL EMERGENCY MNGR
A ROOF OFF A BUSINESS AND MANY TREES DOWN
&&
DLLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
808 PM CDT FRI SEP 07 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0802 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 NW GALATIA 37.87N 88.65W
09/07/2012 SALINE IL EMERGENCY MNGR
THREE TREES DOWN ON HIGHWAY 34.
&&
DLLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
815 PM CDT FRI SEP 07 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0809 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 4 SE PATTON 37.40N 89.99W
09/07/2012 BOLLINGER MO EMERGENCY MNGR
&&
DLLThe Evansville,IN radar (KVWX), 11 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:14 UTC.
12 thunderstorm wind, 3 heavy rain, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Low-lying flooding was reported on main roads into Poseyville. A cocorahs observer a few miles northwest of Poseyville measured a storm total rainfall of 2.52 inches.
A trained spotter measured 2.10 inches of rain in an hour and ten minutes.
Trees were blown down in the south part of Evansville.
Large tree limbs were down on power lines, causing power outages.
Minor roof damage occurred to three homes. Several trees were down on power lines, and power lines were down.
Several trees were blown down. Power outages were reported.
Substantial tree damage occurred in northwest parts of the county. Trees were down on power lines, causing numerous power outages.
Many trees were blown down in Darmstadt. A barn was blown into the road at Darmstadt. Power lines were blown down in and around the city of McCutchanville.
Substantial tree damage occurred in southwest parts of the county. Trees were down on power lines, causing numerous power outages.
A trained spotter estimated wind gusts to 65 mph. Power outages were reported.
A trained spotter measured 1.25 inches of rain in 20 minutes.
Wind gusts were estimated near 70 mph in downtown Evansville. Power outages were reported.
Several small trees were blown down on Highway 62.
A roof was partially blown off a car wash. Two trees were blown down.
Tree limbs were blown down, some of which were large. A wind gust was clocked at 67 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Indiana in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Indiana, September 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: 407212, 407214, 407215, 407216, 407217, 407226, 407232, 407218, 407221, 407219, 407220, 407213, 407222, 407224, 407223, 407225.