Tornadoes · United States · Illinois · 1995

F0 tornado, Saint Clair County, Illinois, May 18, 1995

This F0 tornado ran 0.4 miles across Saint Clair County on May 18, 1995, touching down at 12:46 PM CDT and reaching 73 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $500 to $5,000 of property damage.

The rating scale

Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.

  1. F040 to 72 mphthis tornado

    Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

  2. F173 to 112 mph

    Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

  3. F2113 to 157 mph

    Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.

  4. F3158 to 206 mph

    Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.

  5. F4207 to 260 mph

    Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

  6. F5261 to 318 mph

    Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.

  7. Unrated

    The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.

The record

Rating
F0
Date
May 18, 1995
Touchdown
12:46 PM CDT (17:46 UTC)
Path length
0.4 miles (0.6 km)
Path width
73 yards (67 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$500 to $5,000
County
Saint Clair County
Touchdown point
38.430, -90.050
Record number
445

The warnings

8 minutes of warning. NWS LSX issued a tornado warning for this county at 17:38 UTC, 8 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 18:30 UTC.

Issued (UTC)ExpiredProductOffice
04:56 UTC09:00 UTCFlash Flood WarningLSX
17:38 UTC18:30 UTCTornado WarningLSX

Every warning and watch covering the touchdown point that day, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service products. Lead time is measured from the issue of the warning in force to the touchdown time in the database, both of which were recorded to the minute by different people.

The air that afternoon

The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.

Lincoln, IL (KILX), 12:00Z

5.8 hours before the tornado, 228 km from the path. May 18, 1995.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Lincoln, IL at 12:00Z on 1995-05-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 0 joules per kilogram, CIN 0, lifted condensation level 507 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Lincoln, IL at 12:00Z on 1995-05-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 256 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 76 knots.1939587897117Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
0 J/kg
Surface CAPE
1 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
507 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
76 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
19 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
256 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
346 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.1
0-3 km lapse rate
2.6 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Lincoln, IL (KILX), 00:00Z

6.2 hours after it, 228 km from the path. May 19, 1995.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Lincoln, IL at 00:00Z on 1995-05-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 2 joules per kilogram, CIN 0, lifted condensation level 485 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Lincoln, IL at 00:00Z on 1995-05-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -12 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 29 knots.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
2 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
0 J/kg
Surface CAPE
28 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
485 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
29 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
9 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-12 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
45 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
4.4 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

Cahokia/St Louis (CPS), 18 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)Temp (°F)Dew point (°F)WindGust (kt)Pressure (mb)Weather
16:00 UTC72.866950° 8 kt1000.3
17:00 UTC7067360° 12 kt999.3
17:15 UTC63.8661.88350° 25 kt40999.3
17:26 UTC6060330° 20 kt35999
17:56 UTC330° 20 kt301003
18:00 UTC5856.84330° 25 kt351002.7
18:20 UTC56.8456330° 20 kt251002.7
19:00 UTC5856360° 25 kt1001.4
19:20 UTC6056.84360° 16 kt1000.3

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.

The radar

The St Louis radar (KLSX), 63 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 17:46 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track

Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 1995 tornado in IllinoisEvery tornado in Illinois since 1950Warnings in force in Illinois nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of May 18, 1995

78 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
May 183:30 AM CDTF0Brazos, TX1.0100$50,000 to $500,000
May 185:35 AM EDTF2Mercer, KY1.02008$500,000 to $5 million
May 185:35 AM EDTF2Mercer, KY1.0200$500,000 to $5 million
May 188:45 AM EDTF2Rowan, KY2.0200
May 188:00 AM CDTF0Liberty, TX1.050$5,000 to $50,000
May 188:08 AM CDTF0Liberty, TX1.073$5,000 to $50,000
May 188:20 AM CDTF1Liberty, TX6.550012$50,000 to $500,000
May 188:40 AM CDTF0Liberty, TX0.220$500 to $5,000
May 1810:25 AM CDTF1Pulaski, MO1.01002$5,000 to $50,000
May 1811:58 AM CDTF1Dickson, TN1.050
May 1812:05 PM CDTF2Jefferson, MO7.21503$50,000 to $500,000
May 1812:22 PM CDTF0, DC0.550$5,000 to $50,000
May 1812:30 PM CDTF2Davidson, TN15.07328$500,000 to $5 million
May 1812:37 PM CDTF1Monroe, IL0.683$50,000 to $500,000
May 1812:40 PM CDTF2Monroe, IL4.0300$50,000 to $500,000
May 1812:42 PM CDTF1Monroe, IL4.5100$5,000 to $50,000
May 1812:44 PM CDTF1Monroe, IL6.0200$5,000 to $50,000
May 1812:46 PM CDTF2Monroe, IL4.2170$50,000 to $500,000
May 1812:48 PM CDTF1Monroe, IL4.8150$50,000 to $500,000
May 181:05 PM CDTF0Saint Clair, IL8.0120$500 to $5,000
May 181:15 PM CDTF1Macon, TN1.023$50,000 to $500,000
May 181:15 PM CDTF0Randolph, IL6.070$5,000 to $50,000
May 181:17 PM CDTF0Randolph, IL3.550$5,000 to $50,000
May 181:26 PM CDTF0Washington, IL7.560$5,000 to $50,000
May 181:28 PM CDTF1Washington, IL18.0200$50,000 to $500,000
May 181:29 PM CDTF1Cape Girardeau, MO8.050$50,000 to $500,000
May 182:30 PM EDTF1Prince George's, MD0.3302$500,000 to $5 million
May 181:50 PM CDTF0Jefferson, IL0.340
May 181:55 PM CDTF2Lake, TN to KY24.0150$50,000 to $500,000
May 181:55 PM CDTF0Fayette, TN1.010$500 to $5,000
May 181:55 PM CDTF0Hardeman, TN8.050$500 to $5,000
May 183:30 PM EDTF2Caroline, MD10.0200
May 182:35 PM CDTF1Beauregard Parish, LA0.330
May 182:55 PM CDTF0Henderson, TN0.510$500 to $5,000
May 183:25 PM CDTF1Wabash, IL0.550$5,000 to $50,000
May 183:30 PM CDTF1Allen Parish, LA0.5301
May 183:30 PM CDTF1Evangeline Parish, LA0.523
May 184:00 PM ESTF1Martin, IN0.150$5,000 to $50,000
May 184:00 PM CDTF1Todd, KY0.550$5,000 to $50,000
May 184:12 PM CDTF1Trigg, KY0.550$5,000 to $50,000
May 184:15 PM CDTF2Trigg, KY10.073$50,000 to $500,000
May 185:15 PM EDTF2Hardin, KY0.5200$50,000 to $500,000
May 184:30 PM CDTF0Wayne, TN0.510$500 to $5,000
May 185:30 PM EDTF1Bullitt, KY2.0200$5,000 to $50,000
May 184:40 PM CDTF2Breckinridge, KY1.0200$50,000 to $500,000
May 184:40 PM CDTF0Prentiss, MS1.023$5,000 to $50,000
May 184:45 PM CDTF1Colbert, AL6.5150$50,000 to $500,000
May 184:52 PM CDTF4Lawrence, TN29.01,000332$500,000 to $5 million
May 184:55 PM CDTF0Rutherford, TN8.0734$5,000 to $50,000
May 186:00 PM EDTF1Pulaski, KY0.5200
May 185:04 PM CDTF0Metcalfe, KY1.0200
May 185:10 PM CDTF2Metcalfe, KY3.0200$50,000 to $500,000
May 186:10 PM EDTF2Laurel, KY3.0300$500,000 to $5 million
May 186:10 PM EDTF0Clay, KY0.110
May 185:25 PM CDTF2Warren, KY2.5100$50,000 to $500,000
May 186:25 PM EDTF0Breathitt, KY0.110
May 185:30 PM CDTF2Warren, KY1.5100$50,000 to $500,000
May 185:30 PM CDTF0DeKalb, TN2.023$500 to $5,000
May 186:30 PM EDTF2Perry, KY24.0100$50,000 to $500,000
May 185:33 PM CDTF4Limestone, AL39.01,300155$500,000 to $5 million

All 79 of them

What this means

Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.

Sources

NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.