A strong cold front moved through the region. After the storms and front moved through, gradient winds developed briefly causing minor damage.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 LSX wrote it up.
A strong cold front moved through the region. After the storms and front moved through, gradient winds developed briefly causing minor damage. A 60 mph non-thunderstorm wind gust was recorded at Centralia Municipal Airport, a 59 mph non-thunderstorm wind gust was recorded at Scott Air Force Base and a non-thunderstorm wind gust of 63 mph was recorded at Alton-St. Louis Regional Airport.
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 Feb 20, 3:20 PM CST, 1 hour 10 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
320 PM CST Thu Feb 20 2014
.SHORT TERM: (Through Late Tonight)
Issued at 312 PM CST Thu Feb 20 2014
Several bands of thunderstorms have developed head of the front and
these will continue to push quickly eastward through the remainder
of the afternoon and into the early evening. Attendant with the
storms will be primarily a threat of damaging winds and small
hail, possibly an isolated tornado. All of the storms should exit
the CWA by 00z as the cold front surges eastward. We have been
observing an initial strong blast of southwest to west winds of
50-60 mph with the passage of the front coincident with an area of
deeper mixing within the dry slot. Following this brief blast, the
winds have been decreasing into the 20-30 mph range with gusts of
40-50 mph. Given this initial surge is brief we will continue with
just the wind advisory which covers the main thrust of the wind
event into the evening hours. The winds will remain gusty
overnight in the wake of the front and deepening cyclone, but will
diminish from the intensity of this afternoon and evening. Post-
frontal stratus will blanket the area for at least a portion of
this evening and then push out of the area by 03z. Within the
stratus there could be an accompanying sprinkle or flurry in
northeast MO and west central IL, otherwise clear skies expected
ovenight. We will be cancelling the flood watch as storms have
exited NEMO and are moving quite rapidly in south central IL and
don't pose a flood threat.
Glass
.LONG TERM: (Friday through Next Thursday)
Issued at 258 PM CST Thu Feb 20 2014
On Friday, gusty west winds to back to the southwest as a weak
surface ridge builds in. Winds will be gusting to near 35 mph at
times. Otherwise, mostly sunny with highs ranging from the upper
40s north to the upper 50s over central and southern Missouri.
A weak cold front slides through Friday night, but energy to
remain just north and northeast of forecast area, so should see
dry conditions. Did keep silent slight chance pops over northeast
MO and west central IL on Friday where some light snow/light rain
may be possible, but confidence is low right now.
By Saturday, surface ridge to build back in with cooler conditions
expected. Highs will only be in the upper 30s to upper 50s, but
still near normal for this time of year. Lows Saturday night will be
in the low 20s to low 30s. In the meantime, a stalled frontal
boundary will setup just south of forecast area with some
overrunning pcpn possible as a shortwave rides along the boundary,
but confidence is low at this time. Just kept silent slight
chance pops for Saturday night for some light rain/snow mix.
On Sunday, surface ridge to strengthen and bring in cooler weather
for the remainder of the forecast period. Highs on Sunday will only
be in the low 30s to mid 40s with lows Sunday night in the mid teens
to low 20s.
Beyond that, next chance for precipitation will be Monday and
Monday night, though best chances will be over northern MO and
northern half of IL, so kept silent slight chance pops in this
area. With colder air moving in, the precipitation will be in the
form of light snow with this system. Colder weather to persist
through mid week with highs in the mid 20s to low 40s through
Wednesday and lows in the teens to low 20s. Then even colder air
to filter in by Thursday with highs only in the upper teens to mid
30s.
Byrd
&&
.AVIATION: (For the 18z TAFs through 18z Friday Afternoon)
Issued at 1127 AM CST Thu Feb 20 2014
Surface low now NW of KMKC will move northeastward this afternoon
and tonight with the warm front lifting northward through KUIN
within the next hour or so, and the trailing cold front sweeping
eastward across the area this afternoon. Predominately VFR
conditons are expected ahead of the cold front along with gusty
southerly winds. The exception is with any thunderstorms occurring
along/ahead of front which could drop flight conditions briefly
to IFR and contain strong winds. Coverage of any storms is hard to
judge at this time and thus have just mentioned Vicinity in the
current TAFS and will update as needed once coverage and impacts
can be determined. Very strong southwest-west winds gusting 38-45
kts will occur with the passage of the cold front, along with a
period of MVFR cigs. Clouds will clear this evening and the winds
should diminish some this evening but will remain gusty through
the period.
Specifics for KSTL:
VFR conditions and gusty southerly winds are expected until a cold front
passage around 22z. Thunderstorm chances/coverage with the cold
front are hard to judge at this time, and thus have kept with a
mention of VCTS and will update if needed once coverage and impacts
can be determined. Very strong southwest-west winds gusting 38-45
kts will occur with the passage of the cold front at 22z, along
with a period of MVFR cigs into mid-evening. Clouds will clear
around 02-03z and the winds should diminish some this evening but
will remain gusty through the period.
Glass
&&
.LSX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES:
MO...WIND ADVISORY until Midnight CST tonight FOR Audrain MO-Boone MO-
Callaway MO-Cole MO-Crawford MO-Franklin MO-Gasconade MO-
Iron MO-Jefferson MO-Knox MO-Lewis MO-Lincoln MO-Madison MO-
Marion MO-Moniteau MO-Monroe MO-Montgomery MO-Osage MO-Pike
MO-Ralls MO-Reynolds MO-Shelby MO-St. Charles MO-St.
Francois MO-St. Louis City MO-St. Louis MO-Ste. Genevieve
MO-Warren MO-Washington MO.
IL...WIND ADVISORY until Midnight CST tonight FOR Adams IL-Bond IL-
Brown IL-Calhoun IL-Clinton IL-Fayette IL-Greene IL-Jersey
IL-Macoupin IL-Madison IL-Marion IL-Monroe IL-Montgomery IL-
Pike IL-Randolph IL-St. Clair IL-Washington IL.
&&
WFO LSXHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO 415 PM CST THU FEB 20 2014 ILZ058>060-064-065-069-070-074-079-095>102-MOZ018-019-026-027- 034>036-041-042-047>052-059>065-072>075-084-085-099-211200- GREENE IL-MACOUPIN IL-MONTGOMERY IL-BOND IL-FAYETTE IL-CLINTON IL- MARION IL-WASHINGTON IL-RANDOLPH IL-ADAMS IL-BROWN IL-PIKE IL- CALHOUN IL-JERSEY IL-MADISON IL-ST. CLAIR IL-MONROE IL-KNOX MO- LEWIS MO-SHELBY MO-MARION MO-MONROE MO-RALLS MO-PIKE MO-BOONE MO- AUDRAIN MO-MONITEAU MO-COLE MO-OSAGE MO-CALLAWAY MO-MONTGOMERY MO- LINCOLN MO-GASCONADE MO-WARREN MO-ST. CHARLES MO-FRANKLIN MO- ST. LOUIS MO-ST. LOUIS CITY MO-JEFFERSON MO-CRAWFORD MO- WASHINGTON MO-ST. FRANCOIS MO-STE. GENEVIEVE MO-IRON MO- MADISON MO-REYNOLDS MO- 415 PM CST THU FEB 20 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN AND CENTRAL MISSOURI AS WELL AS WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING AS A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE AREA. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE SEVERE ACROSS SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AND SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS. DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREAT WITH ISOLATED TORNADOES POSSIBLE. VERY STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS ARE ALSO EXPECTED THROUGH TONIGHT. SEE THE WIND ADVISORY PRODUCT FOR MORE DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THERE IS AN ELEVATED FIRE DANGER FRIDAY AFTERNOON ACROSS PARTS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AS WELL AS SOUTHWESTERN ILLINOIS DUE TO WARM TEMPERATURES...GUSTY WINDS...LOW HUMIDITIES AND DRY FUELS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT HEAVY RAINFALL...ANY FLOODING OR SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE THIS EVENING. BYRD
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
354 PM CST THU FEB 20 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0330 PM TSTM WND GST PLAINVIEW 39.16N 89.99W
02/20/2014 M52 MPH MACOUPIN IL TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
JPPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
359 PM CST THU FEB 20 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0355 PM HAIL 1 N IRVING 39.22N 89.41W
02/20/2014 E0.25 INCH MONTGOMERY IL TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
BYRDPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
409 PM CST THU FEB 20 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0400 PM TSTM WND GST 3 S HIGHLAND 38.70N 89.68W
02/20/2014 M60 MPH MADISON IL TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
JPPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
418 PM CST THU FEB 20 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0400 PM TSTM WND DMG HIGHLAND 38.74N 89.68W
02/20/2014 MADISON IL TRAINED SPOTTER
SIDING AND SHINGLES BLOWN OFF OF HOMES...SMALL TREES
ALSO BLOWN DOWN.
&&
JPPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
419 PM CST THU FEB 20 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0410 PM NON-TSTM WND GST CADET 37.99N 90.69W
02/20/2014 E60 MPH WASHINGTON MO TRAINED SPOTTER
3 TO 4 INCH LIMBS BLOWN DOWN...LARGE TRELLIS BLOWN
DOWN.
&&
BYRDPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
420 PM CST THU FEB 20 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0419 PM TSTM WND GST AVISTON 38.61N 89.61W
02/20/2014 M50 MPH CLINTON IL AMATEUR RADIO
PEA SIZED HAIL ALSO OBSERVED
&&
JPThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A gradient wind gust of 63 mph was recorded at Alton-St. Louis Regional Airport. The gradient winds blew down several trees in Collinsville, some of which blocked roadways.
A 60 mph non-thunderstorm wind gust was recorded at Centralia Municipal Airport.
A 59 mph non-thunderstorm wind gust was recorded at Scott AFB.
Two semi trucks were blown off of I-55 near mile marker 41 in far southeast Macoupin County by gradient winds. No injuries were reported.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, February 2014
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: 504557, 504554, 504556, 504558.