Tornadoes · United States · Illinois · 2010
EF0 tornado, East Lynn to Rossville, Illinois, June 21, 2010
From East Lynn to Rossville, this EF0 tornado ran 0.6 miles across Vermilion County on June 21, 2010, touching down at 7:02 PM CDT and reaching 50 yards wide. It killed nobody.
The rating scale
Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Enhanced Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.
EF065 to 85 mphthis tornado
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
EF186 to 110 mph
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
EF2111 to 135 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.
EF3136 to 165 mph
Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.
EF4166 to 200 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
EF5over 200 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.
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
- EF0
- Date
- June 21, 2010
- Touchdown
- 7:02 PM CDT (00:02 UTC)
- Lifted
- 7:04 PM CDT (00:04 UTC)
- On the ground
- 2 minutes
- Path length
- 0.6 miles (1.0 km)
- Path width
- 50 yards (46 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- County
- Vermilion County
- Touchdown point
- 40.402, -87.714
- Lift-off point
- 40.403, -87.703
- Record number
- 1006211802-01
What the Weather Service recorded
A nearly stationary, west to east oriented, frontal boundary wobbled north and south across northern and central Illinois during the afternoon hours of the 21st into the early morning hours of the 22nd. The movement of the front was largely modulated by outflows from various thunderstorm complexes. A few of these storm complexes developed over or moved across central Illinois. One complex produced two weak tornadoes and several funnel clouds as it developed over east central Illinois during the early evening. Other storms produced damaging wind gusts, heavy rainfall, and small hail.
A tornado briefly touched down in a field. No damage was reported.
A tornado briefly touched down in a field. No damage was reported.
From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.
The warnings
5 minutes of warning. NWS ILX issued a tornado warning for this county at 23:57 UTC, 5 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 01:00 UTC.
The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 23:34 UTC and running to 02:51 UTC.
| Issued (UTC) | Expired | Product | Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23:22 UTC | 00:00 UTC | Tornado Warning | ILX |
| 23:34 UTC | 02:51 UTC | Tornado Watch | ILX |
| 23:57 UTC | 01:00 UTC | Tornado Warning | ILX |
| 00:22 UTC | 06:30 UTC | Flash Flood Warning | ILX |
| 01:17 UTC | 01:38 UTC | Tornado Warning | ILX |
| 02:43 UTC | 08:30 UTC | Flash Flood Warning | ILX |
| 02:51 UTC | 10:00 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | ILX |
| 05:08 UTC | 05:45 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILX |
| 06:27 UTC | 15:30 UTC | Flood Advisory | ILX |
| 17:00 UTC | 20:00 UTC | Heat Advisory | ILX |
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 forecast that day
The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a Slight Risk, with a 0.05 chance of a tornado within 25 miles. The outlook in force was issued at 22:48 UTC.
SPC's Day 1 convective outlook as it stood when the tornado began, read at the touchdown point. The same archive is on the radar archive.
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), 00:00Z
0.0 hours before the tornado, 81 km from the path. June 22, 2010.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 4509 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -5 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 6254 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 931 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 27 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 14 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 93 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 194 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 1.7
- Supercell composite
- 10.5
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 7.4 K/km
Lincoln, IL (KILX), 12:00Z
12.0 hours after it, 81 km from the path. June 22, 2010.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 147 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -369 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 184 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1798 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 29 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 25 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 91 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 83 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 4.6 K/km
The surface observations
Danville (DNV), 25 km from the path, in the two hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Temp (°F) | Dew point (°F) | Wind | Gust (kt) | Pressure (mb) | Weather |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22:05 UTC | 85.28 | 73.4 | 150° 11 kt | 19 | 1013.5 | |
| 22:25 UTC | 85.64 | 74.12 | 170° 6 kt | 1014.2 | ||
| 22:45 UTC | 85.28 | 74.48 | 160° 5 kt | 1014.6 | ||
| 23:05 UTC | 86 | 75.56 | 170° 6 kt | 1014.2 | ||
| 23:25 UTC | 85.64 | 75.56 | 150° 7 kt | 1013.9 | ||
| 23:45 UTC | 85 | 75 | 170° 6 kt | 1014.2 | ||
| 00:05 UTC | 84 | 75.2 | 170° 7 kt | 1013.9 | ||
| 00:25 UTC | 83.48 | 75.38 | 170° 5 kt | 1014.2 | ||
| 00:45 UTC | 83.12 | 75.2 | 160° 6 kt | 1014.2 | ||
| 01:05 UTC | 81.68 | 75.56 | 190° 5 kt | 1014.9 | ||
| 01:25 UTC | 81.86 | 75.38 | 220° 6 kt | 1014.9 | ||
| 01:45 UTC | 79.52 | 70.88 | 80° 4 kt | 1014.6 |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.
The radar
The Chicago radar (KLOT), 137 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 00:02 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.
What was reported nearby
Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Report | Where | County | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21:55 UTC | FUNNEL CLOUD | 3 Sw Melvin | Ford, IL | |
| 21:58 UTC | FUNNEL CLOUD | 2 S Cissna Park | Iroquois, IL | ROTATING WALL CLOUD WITH INTENSIFYING FUNNEL CLOUD. |
| 21:58 UTC | FUNNEL CLOUD | 3 Nnw Paxton | Ford, IL | SPOTTER REPORT OF A LARGE ROTATING WALL CLOUD WITH A PRONOUNCED UPDRAFT AND ACCOMPANIED FUNNEL |
| 21:58 UTC | TORNADO | 2 Sw Melvin | Ford, IL | TOUCHDOWN ON US54 2 MILES SW OF MELVIN WITH DEBRIS |
| 23:00 UTC | FUNNEL CLOUD | Cissna Park | Iroquois, IL | FUNNEL CLOUD MOVING TOWARD WELLINGTON. POSSIBLE TOUCHDOWN. |
| 23:19 UTC | FUNNEL CLOUD | 2 S Cissna Park | Iroquois, IL | ROTATING FUNNEL CLOUD WITH INTENSIFYING FUNNEL CLOUD. |
| 23:22 UTC | TORNADO | 4 Ene Rankin | Vermilion, IL | TORNADO ON THE GROUND AT COUNTY LINE JUST NORTH OF EAST LYNN. REPORTED FROM VERMILION COUNTY ESDA. |
| 23:24 UTC | TORNADO | 5 Sw Claytonville | Iroquois, IL | SPOTTER REPORT OF A RAIN-WRAPPED TORNADO. |
| 23:39 UTC | FUNNEL CLOUD | 2 W Hoopeston | Vermilion, IL | |
| 23:53 UTC | FUNNEL CLOUD | Hoopeston | Vermilion, IL | INTERSECTION OF ROUTE 9 AND ROUTE 1 NEAR HOOPESTON...RELAYED FROM CHICAGO NWS. |
| 00:02 UTC | TORNADO | 3 Nw Rossville | Vermilion, IL | |
| 00:15 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Melvin | Ford, IL | ONE INCH DIAMETER TREE LIMB DOWN. TIME ESTIMATED BASED ON RADAR. |
| 00:15 UTC | HAIL 0.25 | Melvin | Ford, IL | PEA SIZED HAIL. TIME ESTIMATED BASED ON RADAR. |
| 00:30 UTC | FUNNEL CLOUD | Hoopeston | Vermilion, IL | |
| 00:32 UTC | FUNNEL CLOUD | Rossville | Vermilion, IL | FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED JUST NORTH OF ROSSVILLE. |
| 01:05 UTC | FLASH FLOOD | Melvin | Ford, IL | WATER IN FIELD DRAINING ACROSS ROAD. ROAD CLOSED. |
| 01:13 UTC | FUNNEL CLOUD | 2 Ne Paxton | Ford, IL | MOVING TOWARD CISSNA PARK. |
| 02:09 UTC | FLOOD | 5 E Rossville | Vermilion, IL | WATER ON ROAD NEAR THE INDIANA BORDER. |
| 02:30 UTC | HAIL 0.75 | Indianola | Vermilion, IL | |
| 02:35 UTC | TSTM WND GST 60 | 1 W Ridge Farm | Vermilion, IL | TIME ESTIMATED. |
| 02:37 UTC | FLASH FLOOD | Indianola | Vermilion, IL | 15 INCHES OF WATER OVER CITY ROADS. |
| 02:55 UTC | FUNNEL CLOUD | N Piper City | Ford, IL | PUBLIC REPORT. SPOTTED FROM CHATSWORTH...ESTIMATED LOCATION N OF PIPER CITY BY UNKNOWN DISTANCE. |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 2010 tornado in IllinoisEvery tornado in Illinois since 1950Warnings in force in Illinois nowThe forecast where you are
The other tornadoes of June 21, 2010
26 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 21 | 2:37 PM CDT | EF0 | Walsh, ND | 2.4 | 75 | |||
| June 21 | 2:49 PM CDT | EF0 | Marshall, MN | 9.6 | 75 | |||
| June 21 | 3:55 PM CDT | EF0 | Grand Forks, ND | 7.0 | 100 | |||
| June 21 | 3:59 PM CDT | EF0 | Marshall, MN | 2.1 | 100 | |||
| June 21 | 4:25 PM CDT | EF0 | Van Buren, IA | 0.1 | 25 | |||
| June 21 | 4:30 PM CDT | EF0 | Marshall, MN | 2.3 | 50 | |||
| June 21 | 4:58 PM CDT | EF0 | Ford, IL | 0.2 | 20 | |||
| June 21 | 4:00 PM MDT | EF0 | Valley, MT | 0.1 | 1 | |||
| June 21 | 5:21 PM CDT | EF0 | Lee, IA | 0.1 | 25 | |||
| June 21 | 4:54 PM MDT | EF0 | Morgan, CO | 0.1 | 50 | |||
| June 21 | 6:00 PM CDT | EF0 | Beltrami, MN | 0.1 | 25 | |||
| June 21 | 5:03 PM MDT | EF0 | Morgan, CO | 0.1 | 50 | |||
| June 21 | 6:22 PM CDT | EF0 | Vermilion, IL | 0.4 | 50 | |||
| June 21 | 6:24 PM CDT | EF0 | Iroquois, IL | 0.3 | 20 | |||
| June 21 | 5:56 PM MDT | EF0 | Washington, CO | 0.1 | 50 | |||
| June 21 | 7:30 PM CDT | EF0 | McDonough, IL | 0.6 | 25 | $5,000 | ||
| June 21 | 7:39 PM CDT | EF1 | Lafayette, WI | 2.2 | 75 | $15,000 | ||
| June 21 | 7:41 PM CDT | EF1 | Dane, WI | 0.2 | 40 | $15,000 | ||
| June 21 | 7:00 PM MDT | EF1 | Powder River, MT | 1.0 | 200 | $107,000 | ||
| June 21 | 7:10 PM MDT | EF2 | Powder River, MT | 0.5 | 100 | $150,000 | ||
| June 21 | 7:10 PM MDT | EF1 | Yuma, CO | 11.8 | 25 | $380,000 | ||
| June 21 | 8:15 PM CDT | EF1 | Jefferson, WI | 1.3 | 100 | $620,000 | ||
| June 21 | 9:11 PM CDT | EF2 | Waukesha, WI | 5.2 | 880 | 15 | $21 million | |
| June 21 | 9:36 PM CDT | EF1 | Waukesha, WI | 5.9 | 200 | $430,000 | ||
| June 21 | 9:45 PM CDT | EF0 | Sheridan, KS | 0.5 | 10 | |||
| June 21 | 12:58 AM EDT | EF0 | Ottawa, MI | 2.4 | 200 | $200,000 |
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.