Tornadoes · United States · Illinois · 2013

EF1 tornado, DeKalb County, Illinois, June 12, 2013

Name: EF1 tornado, DeKalb County, Illinois, June 12, 2013
Start: 2013-06-12T21:32:00.000Z
End: 2013-06-12T21:37:00.000Z
Location: DeKalb County, Illinois

This EF1 tornado ran 2.3 miles across DeKalb County on June 12, 2013, touching down at 4:32 PM CDT and reaching 100 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $20,000 of property damage.

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 mph
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
EF186 to 110 mphthis tornado
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: EF1
Date: June 12, 2013
Touchdown: 4:32 PM CDT (21:32 UTC)
Lifted: 4:37 PM CDT (21:37 UTC)
On the ground: 5 minutes
Path length: 2.3 miles (3.7 km)
Path width: 100 yards (91 m)
Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $20,000
County: DeKalb County
Touchdown point: 41.734, -88.892
Lift-off point: 41.731, -88.849
Record number: 1306121532-01

The damage survey

3 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS LOT, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF1. The highest wind the damage implies is 95 mph.

Dozens of large hardwood treeds snapped in a convergent path.
Corn smashed. Could see the ending of the crop damage in the field.

Survey points are preliminary and are the raw material the published rating was built from. Source: NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit.

The warnings

7 minutes of warning. NWS LOT issued a tornado warning for this county at 21:25 UTC, 7 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 22:15 UTC.

The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 18:54 UTC and running to 04:00 UTC.

Issued (UTC)	Expired	Product	Office
18:54 UTC	04:00 UTC	Tornado Watch	LOT
21:00 UTC	08:09 UTC	Flash Flood Watch	LOT
21:17 UTC	22:15 UTC	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LOT
21:25 UTC	22:15 UTC	Tornado Warning	LOT
22:04 UTC	22:25 UTC	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LOT
22:17 UTC	04:00 UTC	Flash Flood Warning	LOT
23:08 UTC	02:00 UTC	Flash Flood Warning	LOT
23:24 UTC	00:00 UTC	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LOT
01:41 UTC	02:15 UTC	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LOT
02:02 UTC	02:29 UTC	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LOT
03:27 UTC	03:57 UTC	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LOT

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 High Risk, with a 0.15 chance of a tornado within 25 miles, in the hatched area where significant tornadoes were expected. The outlook in force was issued at 20:01 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.

Davenport, (KDVN), 12:00Z

9.5 hours before the tornado, 136 km from the path. June 12, 2013.

Skew-T log-p

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.

Hodograph

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: 1812 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -167 J/kg
Surface CAPE: 1026 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1138 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 47 kt
0-1 km bulk shear: 27 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 42 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 185 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 1.0
0-3 km lapse rate: 3.5 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Davenport, (KDVN), 00:00Z

2.5 hours after it, 136 km from the path. June 13, 2013.

Skew-T log-p

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.

Hodograph

Mixed-layer CAPE: 1702 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -7 J/kg
Surface CAPE: 2519 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1576 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 32 kt
0-1 km bulk shear: 15 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 73 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 55 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.2
Supercell composite: 3.2
0-3 km lapse rate: 7.6 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The radar

The Chicago radar (KLOT), 67 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 21:32 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
20:43 UTC	FUNNEL CLOUD	Harmon	Lee, IL	RELAYED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA
21:06 UTC	FUNNEL CLOUD	Paw Paw	Lee, IL	ROUTE 251 AND INTERSTATE 39
21:15 UTC	HAIL 1.5	Waterman	Dekalb, IL
21:26 UTC	HAIL 0.25	5 Ne Paw Paw	De Kalb, IL
21:29 UTC	HAIL 1	1 Se Sublette	Lee, IL	NEAR US 52 AND MAYTOWN ROAD.
21:30 UTC	TSTM WND DMG	2 Ne Paw Paw	Lee, IL	LARGE OAK TREE DOWNED ALONG WITH SEVERAL LARGE BRANCHES. TIME ESTIMATED PER RADAR.
21:32 UTC	HAIL 1.75	3 Sw Shabbona	De Kalb, IL	LARGE HAIL WAS REPORTED BY THE PUBLIC. AN NWS STORM SURVEY TEAM IN THE SAME AREA DETERMINED AN APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE WIDE SWATH OF MAJOR CROP SHREDDING AND SMASHING DUE TO HAIL. BASED ON THE REPORTS AND THE DAMAGE SEEN
21:32 UTC	TORNADO	3 Sw Shabbona	De Kalb, IL	A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY DETERMINED AN EF-1 TORNADO WITH MAXIMUM WINDS AROUND 95 MPH MOVED 2.25 MILES ENDING 3SE OF SHABBONA. THE MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH WAS AROUND 100 YARDS. THE PRIMARY DAMAGE WAS DOZENS OF L
21:35 UTC	TSTM WND DMG	4 S Shabbona	De Kalb, IL	SHERIFF REPORTS TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN IN AN AREA AROUND SHABBONA ROAD AND SLEEPY HOLLOW ROAD FROM A POSSIBLE TORNADO.
21:35 UTC	TSTM WND DMG	Shabbona	Dekalb, IL	SHABBONA LAKE STATE PARK BOATS TOSSED ONTO BOATS. LARGE TREES SNAPPED AT TRUNK OR UPROOTED. POWER POLES DOWN NEAR STATE PARK OFFICE.
21:35 UTC	HAIL 1.75	5 S Aurora	Kendall, IL	QUARTER TO GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL REPORTED ON EAST SIDE OF OSWEGO.
21:39 UTC	TSTM WND DMG	5 S Shabbona	De Kalb, IL	LARGE GRAIN BIN DENTED. MULTIPLE LARGE TREES DOWNED AT A COUPLE FARMSTEADS. TIME ESTIMATED PER RADAR.
21:44 UTC	FUNNEL CLOUD	Somonauk	La Salle, IL	CHICAGO RD AND SOMONAUK RD
21:45 UTC	TSTM WND DMG	Leland	La Salle, IL	NUMEROUS LARGE OAK TREES DOWNED IN TOWN.
21:48 UTC	HAIL 1.75	5 Ne Earlville	De Kalb, IL	RELAYED TO STORM DAMAGE SURVEY TEAM. OCCURRED NEAR THE SMALL TOWN OF ROLLO. TIME ESTIMATED PER RADAR.
21:52 UTC	FUNNEL CLOUD	2 Nnw Somonauk	De Kalb, IL	RELAYED THROUGH THE PUBLIC. TIME ESTIMATED PER RADAR.
21:58 UTC	TSTM WND DMG	Shabbona	Dekalb, IL	TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN
22:03 UTC	HAIL 0.25	Genoa	Dekalb, IL
22:03 UTC	HAIL 1	Earlville	La Salle, IL
22:08 UTC	TSTM WND DMG	4 Sw Yorkville	Kendall, IL	A FEW UTILITY POLES AND A LARGE TREE DOWNED ALONG BUDD ROAD. TIME ESTIMATED PER RADAR.
22:09 UTC	TSTM WND DMG	2 E Little Rock	Kendall, IL	LARGE TREE AND SEVERAL LARGE BRANCHES DOWNED ALONG CHICAGO ROAD AT MULTIPLE FARMSTEADS.
22:11 UTC	TSTM WND DMG	4 Ne Plano	Kendall, IL	A HALF DOZEN LARGE GRAIN BINS DENTED INCLUDING ONE BIN SHIFTED SEVERAL FEET WITH ITS ROOF PEELED AWAY. IN ADDITION...A LARGE BARN DOOR WAS BLOWN OFF AND INTO A HOUSE PORCH CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE TO THE HOME. WINDS ESTIMATE
22:11 UTC	TSTM WND GST 65	Sandwich	Dekalb, IL
22:14 UTC	FUNNEL CLOUD	2 S Yorkville	Kendall, IL	REPORTED WITH PHOTOS NEAR THE JUNCTION OF IL HIGHWAYS 47 AND 71.
22:15 UTC	TSTM WND DMG	9 S Yorkville	Kendall, IL	TREES DOWN NEAR ROUTES 47 AND 52. POSSIBLE TORNADO.
22:15 UTC	HAIL 0.25	4 Se Little Rock	Kendall, IL
22:22 UTC	HAIL 0.88	2 Sw Sugar Grove	Kane, IL
22:25 UTC	HAIL 1	Plano	Kendall, IL	BETWEEN YORKVILLE AND PLANO. ESTIMATED 70 MPH WINDS. TREES BENT OVER.
22:28 UTC	FUNNEL CLOUD	Plainfield	Will, IL
22:31 UTC	FUNNEL CLOUD	South Elgin	Kane, IL	RT 31 AND STEARNS RD
22:31 UTC	TSTM WND GST 69	2 Sw Lisbon	Kendall, IL
22:31 UTC	HAIL 0.25	Aurora	Kane, IL	ORCHARD AND INDIAN TRAIL RD. SOCIAL MEDIA.
22:32 UTC	HAIL 1.75	Oswego	Kendall, IL	CHESTNUT AND GROVE RD.
22:33 UTC	TSTM WND DMG	4 W Plainfield	Kendall, IL	LARGE TREE SNAPPED
22:34 UTC	HAIL 0.75	Oswego	Kendall, IL
22:35 UTC	HAIL 0.75	4 Ese Troy Grove	La Salle, IL
22:35 UTC	HAIL 1.5	Naperville	Dupage, IL
22:35 UTC	HAIL 1.75	5 S Aurora	Kendall, IL	QUARTER TO GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL REPORTED ON EAST SIDE OF OSWEGO...TIME CORRECTED FROM EARLIER REPORT. ACTUAL TIME WAS AROUND 535 PM CDT.
22:35 UTC	HEAVY RAIN 0.79	4 Wsw Gilberts	Kane, IL	RAIN FELL IN 20 MINUTES
22:37 UTC	HAIL 1	Oswego	Kendall, IL

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.

This ground now

The live radar over the track Every 2013 tornado in Illinois Every tornado in Illinois since 1950 Warnings in force in Illinois now The forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of June 12, 2013

20 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Injuries	Damage
June 12	4:08 PM CDT	EF3	Wright, IA	6.2	200		$500,000
June 12	4:19 PM CDT	EF1	Wright, IA	5.0	125		$20,000
June 12	4:21 PM CDT	EF0	Wright, IA	1.1	50
June 12	4:32 PM CDT	EF2	Franklin, IA	5.2	300		$300,000
June 12	4:46 PM CDT	EF1	Franklin, IA	3.4	75		$50,000
June 12	4:53 PM CDT	EF0	Franklin, IA	1.3	125
June 12	4:56 PM CDT	EF0	Franklin, IA	1.1	50		$10,000
June 12	6:50 PM CDT	EF0	Jo Daviess, IL	0.5	20
June 12	6:53 PM CDT	EF2	Carroll, IL	6.6	880	1
June 12	7:50 PM CDT	EF0	Kankakee, IL	0.2	50		$35,000
June 12	11:27 PM EDT	EF0	Van Wert, OH	0.6	80
June 12	11:35 PM EDT	EF0	Mercer, OH	0.1	100		$40,000
June 12	11:55 PM EDT	EF0	Henry, OH	0.0	25
June 12	11:59 PM EDT	EF1	Henry, OH	0.4	50
June 12	12:02 AM EDT	EF1	Henry, OH	0.2	75
June 12	12:03 AM EDT	EF0	Henry, OH	0.1	15
June 12	12:03 AM EDT	EF0	Henry, OH	0.3	15
June 12	12:03 AM EDT	EF0	Auglaize, OH	2.3	50		$350,000
June 12	12:25 AM EDT	EF0	Wood, OH	0.9	50		$100,000
June 12	1:15 AM EDT	EF0	Delaware, OH	0.2	50		$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.