Tornado and Damaging Wind in Indiana, November 18, 2017

Name: Tornado and Damaging Wind in Indiana, November 18, 2017
Start: 2017-11-18T14:38
End: 2017-11-18T14:43
Location: Indiana

November 18, 2017 · NWS PAH · 2 events in 1 county or zone

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: $80,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

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.

A broken line of thunderstorms formed along a cold front as it surged southeast from Missouri into the lower Ohio Valley. A large pocket of clear sky during the morning helped warm the lower levels of the atmosphere. Instability became sufficient for storms to fire right along the front, where a rather strong capping inversion was broken. A vigorous upper-level trough moving rapidly eastward across the central Plains provided plenty of large-scale forcing for storm initiation. Very strong wind shear was supportive of isolated tornadoes along the evolving quasi-linear convective system. Scattered damaging wind gusts accompanied the leading edge of the activity.

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 Nov 18, 1:20 PM CST, 1 hour 18 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 18, 1:20 PM CST, 1 hour 18 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Paducah KY
120 PM CST Sat Nov 18 2017

.SHORT TERM...(Tonight through Monday night)
Issued at 119 PM CST Sat Nov 18 2017

In the very short term, departing thunderstorms and gusty gradient
winds will be the primary concern early this evening.
Showers/thunderstorms will exit the SE part of the FA by sunset as
the sruface cold front moves east into central KY. Gradient winds
will gradually decrease this evening as the surface low in the
vicinity of Lake Erie races northeast tonight. As such, will
maintain the current Wind Advisory strategy, allowing for a 00Z
expiration over the west half of the FA and a 03Z expiration across
the east half of the FA - the approximate times advisory criteria
values are no longer met.

Strong cold air advection behind the surface front will plummet
temps to freezing or below tonight. A cold NW flow aloft will set up
over the area in the wake of the departing 500mb trough. Despite
full sunshine Sunday temps will only rise into the 40s with max
temps north of Highway 13 in southern IL to around OWB only reaching
the lower 40s. Temperatures will rebound a bit on Monday as return
flow sets up west of the surface high moving on to the east of our
area and upper pattern trending to a more westerly flow.

.LONG TERM...(Tuesday through Saturday)
Issued at 119 PM CST Sat Nov 18 2017

While both the Euro and GFS 12Z deterministic runs both still
feature the dry cold fropa for the FA Tuesday pm/evening, the GFS
is much more robust as it stacks and closes Low pressure aloft
over the Tennessee valley by midday Wednesday. As a result, its
heights are some 100 meters lower at H5 than the Euro, and
presumably leads to colder output temps. This nuance aside, there
are little other differences in the solution for the long term.
Surface high pressure anchors the forecast thereafter,
prevailing/dominant throughout the Ms/Oh/Tn river valleys,
drifting slowly eastward with time toward the Thanksgiving Holiday
weekend.

The net result...a dry forecast that starts out seasonally mild
in the prefrontal airmass Tuesday, with highs in the upper 50s,
and the cold fropa Tue night brings the shot of cold air, with
lows from the mid 20s north to around 30 south. Wednesday looks to
be the coldest blast of air, with highs struggling into the upper
30s and lower 40s, and Wed night lows solidly in the mid 20s
Fa-wide. Thanksgiving day will moderate thru the 40s for
highs/30s for lows...and as high pressure shifts eastward...return
flow southerlies will commence a warming period that will rebound
temps on a move back closer to seasonal norms as we finish out
the week/and the forecast.

&&

.AVIATION...
Issued at 119 PM CST Sat Nov 18 2017

Showers are possible behind the line of storms late this afternoon,
mainly at KEVV and KOWB. Gradients wind gusts AOA 30 knots will
gradually subside this evening. Otherwise MVFR Cigs will dominate
this afternoon with temporarly restricted visibilities mainly as
line of storm passes. The winds should diminish from 00z-06z and
continue from the NW. Skies will clear tonight.

&&

.PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IL...Wind Advisory until 6 PM CST this evening for ILZ075-080-081-084-
     085-088-089-092-093.

     Wind Advisory until 9 PM CST this evening for ILZ076>078-082-083-
     086-087-090-091-094.

MO...Wind Advisory until 6 PM CST this evening for MOZ076-086-087-100-
     107>112-114.

IN...Wind Advisory until 9 PM CST this evening for INZ081-082-085>088.

KY...Wind Advisory until 6 PM CST this evening for KYZ001>004.

     Wind Advisory until 9 PM CST this evening for KYZ005>022.

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 18, 2:22 PM CST, 16 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Paducah KY
222 PM CST Sat Nov 18 2017

ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087-
100-107>112-114-191100-
Jefferson-Wayne IL-Edwards-Wabash-Perry IL-Franklin-Hamilton-
White-Jackson-Williamson-Saline-Gallatin-Union-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-
222 PM CST Sat Nov 18 2017

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southern
Illinois, southwest Indiana, western Kentucky, and southeast
Missouri.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight

Thunderstorms, including the chance of strong to severe storms,
will remain possible late this afternoon and early this evening,
mainly for southwest Indiana and western Kentucky. Locally
damaging wind gusts with storms are possible, but strong winds
behind the front are also possible over southern Illinois and
southeast Missouri. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect
for part of the Area until 5 pm, and A Wind Advisory remains in
effect for all of the area into the evening hours. Refer to the
Watch and Advisory products for details.

In addition, Locally heavy rain may temporarily reduce
visibility, or cause localized ponding of water on roadways, as
the storms make passage.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotters are encouraged to relay their severe weather and wind
reports as quickly as possible.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Nov 18, 2:18 PM CST, 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
218 PM CST SAT NOV 18 2017

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

0217 PM     TSTM WND GST     EVANSVILLE              37.98N 87.54W
11/18/2017  E55 MPH          VANDERBURGH        IN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            WIND GUSTS 50 TO 55 MPH WITH TORRENTIAL RAINFALL.

&&

SMITTY

Local storm report, Nov 18, 2:19 PM CST, 19 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
219 PM CST SAT NOV 18 2017

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

0210 PM     TSTM WND GST     HENDERSON               37.84N 87.58W
11/18/2017  M53 MPH          HENDERSON          KY   AWOS

&&

SMITTY

Local storm report, Nov 18, 2:27 PM CST, 11 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
227 PM CST SAT NOV 18 2017

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

0226 PM     TSTM WND DMG     EVANSVILLE              37.98N 87.54W
11/18/2017                   VANDERBURGH        IN   UTILITY COMPANY

            ESTIMATED 250 CUSTOMERS WITHOUT POWER.

&&

SMITTY

Local storm report, Nov 18, 2:30 PM CST, 8 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
230 PM CST SAT NOV 18 2017

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

0215 PM     TSTM WND DMG     PADUCAH                 37.07N 88.64W
11/18/2017                   MCCRACKEN          KY   TRAINED SPOTTER

            REPORTED POWER OUTAGES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

&&

SMITTY

Local storm report, Nov 18, 2:31 PM CST, 7 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
231 PM CST SAT NOV 18 2017

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

0225 PM     TSTM WND GST     BOONVILLE               38.05N 87.27W
11/18/2017  M52 MPH          WARRICK            IN   BROADCAST MEDIA

            MEASURED AT COURTHOUSE SQUARE.

&&

SMITTY

Local storm report, Nov 18, 2:34 PM CST, 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
234 PM CST SAT NOV 18 2017

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

0215 PM     TSTM WND GST     MARION                  37.33N 88.08W
11/18/2017  M51 MPH          CRITTENDEN         KY   AWOS

&&

SMITTY

The radar

The Evansville,IN radar (KVWX), 66 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:35 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 tornado, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, Spencer

When: November 18, 2:38 PM CST to 2:41 PM CST
Where: Spencer County, 1.46 mi SSE of Lake Mill to 2.79 mi NNW of Rockport
Rating: EF1
Path length: 2.38 mi
Path width: 300 yd
Property damage: $70,000
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 37.910, -87.113

The tornado touched down about one-half mile north of Indiana Route 66, on the north side of Reo. The tornado lifted about 2.5 miles northeast of Reo. A dozen trees were uprooted or snapped. A detached garage was blown down. Around a half dozen barns and sheds experienced loss of metal roofing. At least a half dozen homes sustained shingle or fascia damage. Maximum winds were estimated near 90 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind, Spencer

When: November 18, 2:43 PM CST
Where: Spencer County, 3 mi N of Rockport
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Unknown
Coordinates: 37.923, -87.050

A tractor-trailer rig was blown over on U.S. Highway 231.

What these are

Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Indiana in 2017 Every state in 2017 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Indiana, 2017 Warnings in Indiana, November 2017

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: 724009, 724010.