Tornadoes · United States · Illinois · 2015

EF0 tornado, Jeisyville, Illinois, April 9, 2015

Name: EF0 tornado, Jeisyville, Illinois, April 9, 2015
Start: 2015-04-10T00:47:00.000Z
End: 2015-04-10T00:48:00.000Z
Location: Jeisyville, Illinois

This EF0 tornado ran 0.1 miles across Christian County on April 9, 2015, touching down at 7:47 PM CDT and reaching 10 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: April 9, 2015
Touchdown: 7:47 PM CDT (00:47 UTC)
Lifted: 7:48 PM CDT (00:48 UTC)
On the ground: 1 minutes
Path length: 0.1 miles (0.2 km)
Path width: 10 yards (9 m)
Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
County: Christian County
Touchdown point: 39.554, -89.436
Lift-off point: 39.556, -89.435
Record number: 1504091847-01

What the Weather Service recorded

A strong cold front interacting with a moderately unstable and sheared environment triggered widespread strong to severe thunderstorms across central Illinois during the late afternoon and evening of April 9th. Many of the storms produced large hail and damaging wind gusts, with the largest hailstones of around 3 inches in diameter being reported near Mahomet in Champaign County. In addition, two weak tornadoes briefly touched down...one near Dunlap in Peoria County and the other near Tovey in Christian County. No damage was reported with either tornado.

A tornado briefly touched down in an open field about 2.6 miles south-southeast of Tovey at 7:47 PM CDT. No damage was reported before the tornado quickly lifted at 7:48 PM CDT.

From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.

The forecast that day

The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a Enhanced Risk, with a 0.10 chance of a tornado within 25 miles. The outlook in force was issued at 20:00 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.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the tornado touched down, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Lincoln, IL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the tornado touched down at Apr 9, 7:12 PM CDT, 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 9, 7:12 PM CDT, 35 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
712 PM CDT Thu Apr 9 2015

.SHORT TERM...(Tonight)
ISSUED AT 307 PM CDT THU APR 9 2015

19z/2pm surface analysis shows 998mb low centered over southeast
Iowa, with cold front trailing southward into western Missouri.
Line of convection is rapidly developing along the front within the
moderately unstable and uncapped airmass in the warm sector.  0-6km
bulk shear values will be on the increase as the afternoon
progresses as a mid-level short-wave approaches from the west,
resulting in continued convective intensification.  HRRR has had a
good handle on the situation throughout the day, with its latest
iteration agreeing closely with prior runs.  Based on satellite
timing tools and HRRR guidance, it appears the line of storms will
cross the Mississippi River by 23z/6pm, then will track through the
Illinois River Valley and to the I-55 corridor by about 02z/8pm.
Damaging wind gusts will be the primary threat, but large hail and a
few tornadoes will be possible as well.  As the storms move further
east, they will likely congeal into a solid line and the tornado
threat will diminish accordingly.  Once the front passes, windy and
cooler weather will be on tap overnight with a slow west to east
clearing trend by dawn.

&&

.LONG TERM...(Friday through Thursday)
ISSUED AT 307 PM CDT THU APR 9 2015

Morning upper air shows a potential severe event this afternoon and
evening, as main upper level shortwave and vort max over southwest
NE at 12z will be rotating to the east. Low level thermal ridge and
moisture axis extends into MO/IL ahead of the approaching front.
low level jet is particularly strong flowing into MO/western IL and
so ample shear available in warm sector.

HRRR model and NAM a little slower on the movement of the front
through the region, going through this evening. Shear with strong
upper jet and low level southern jet will make severe potential with
severe storms possible on the cold front as it sweeps through.
Deepening surface low to move northeast into eastern IA and then
southern WI.

High pressure in control until weak front moves in and brings
showers on late Sunday and Sunday night. Another chance off showers
Tuesday into Thursday.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Friday evening)
ISSUED AT 700 PM CDT THU APR 9 2015

Line of storms firing along a cold front will produce heavy rain,
hail and possible tornadoes. Lower chances that any terminal site
will get hit directly by any severe weather, but still possible.
Target window should be 2 hours as the line moves through, so we
continued with 2hr tempos for heavy rain and MVFR vis/cig.
Upstream obs and satellite images show a break in the MVFR cigs
should follow the line, before MVFR clouds return in wrap-around
moisture behind the low pressure system. Will continue MVFR clouds
until 10z at PIA, then advance clearing eastward into Friday
morning.

Strong winds will continue both ahead of the front and behind.
Wind direction will remain SW ahead of the front, with gusts to
30kt, then become west later tonight. Gusts will increase to
25-30kt tomorrow as mid level jet winds continue to be strong.

&&

.ILX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FLASH FLOOD WATCH until 1 AM CDT Friday FOR ILZ054>057-061>063-
066>068-071>073.

&&

SHORT TERM...Barnes
LONG TERM...Goetsch
AVIATION...Shimon

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 9, 3:50 PM CDT, 3 hours 57 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
350 PM CDT THU APR 9 2015

ILZ027>031-036>038-040>053-101100-
CASS-CHAMPAIGN-CHRISTIAN-DE WITT-FULTON-KNOX-LOGAN-MACON-MARSHALL-
MASON-MCLEAN-MENARD-MORGAN-PEORIA-PIATT-SANGAMON-SCHUYLER-SCOTT-
STARK-TAZEWELL-VERMILION-WOODFORD-
350 PM CDT THU APR 9 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL
ILLINOIS AND EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH INTO THE AREA THIS EVENING...TRIGGERING A
ROUND OF POTENTIALLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. DAMAGING WIND GUSTS IN
EXCESS OF 60 MPH, LARGE HAIL GREATER THAN QUARTER SIZED, AND
ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

ACTIVE WEATHER WILL RETURN EARLY NEXT WEEK...WITH THUNDERSTORM
CHANCES ON SUNDAY AND AGAIN TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY LATER TODAY...MAINLY BETWEEN 4 PM
AND 10 PM.

ILZ054>057-061>063-066>068-071>073-101100-
CLARK-CLAY-COLES-CRAWFORD-CUMBERLAND-DOUGLAS-EDGAR-EFFINGHAM-
JASPER-LAWRENCE-MOULTRIE-RICHLAND-SHELBY-
350 PM CDT THU APR 9 2015

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM CDT FRIDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL
ILLINOIS...EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH INTO THE AREA THIS EVENING...TRIGGERING A
ROUND OF STRONG TO POTENTIALLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. DAMAGING
WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH, LARGE HAIL GREATER THAN QUARTER
SIZED, AND ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE. IN ADDITION TO THE
THREAT FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLASH
FLOODING WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

ACTIVE WEATHER WILL RETURN EARLY NEXT WEEK...WITH THUNDERSTORM
CHANCES ON SUNDAY AND AGAIN TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY LATER TODAY...MAINLY BETWEEN 7 PM
AND MIDNIGHT.

BARNES

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 9, 7:17 PM CDT, 30 minutes before

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Local storm report, Apr 9, 7:18 PM CDT, 29 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
718 PM CDT THU APR 09 2015

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

0713 PM     HAIL             CHATHAM                 39.67N 89.70W
04/09/2015  M1.00 INCH       SANGAMON           IL   EMERGENCY MNGR

&&

DRH

Local storm report, Apr 9, 7:23 PM CDT, 24 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
723 PM CDT THU APR 09 2015

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

0720 PM     HAIL             PRINCEVILLE             40.93N 89.76W
04/09/2015  M0.75 INCH       PEORIA             IL   EMERGENCY MNGR

0720 PM     HAIL             DUNLAP                  40.86N 89.68W
04/09/2015  M0.75 INCH       PEORIA             IL   EMERGENCY MNGR

&&

DRH

Local storm report, Apr 9, 7:29 PM CDT, 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
729 PM CDT THU APR 09 2015

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

0717 PM     HAIL             2 NW DIVERNON           39.59N 89.68W
04/09/2015  M1.00 INCH       SANGAMON           IL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            AT 104 AND KESSLER RD.

&&

DRH

Local storm report, Apr 9, 7:33 PM CDT, 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
733 PM CDT THU APR 09 2015

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

0730 PM     HAIL             HOPEWELL                40.98N 89.46W
04/09/2015  M0.88 INCH       MARSHALL           IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

DRH

Local storm report, Apr 9, 7:38 PM CDT, 9 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
738 PM CDT THU APR 09 2015

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

0719 PM     HAIL             DIVERNON                39.57N 89.65W
04/09/2015  M1.00 INCH       SANGAMON           IL   EMERGENCY MNGR

0719 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     DIVERNON                39.57N 89.65W
04/09/2015                   SANGAMON           IL   EMERGENCY MNGR

&&

DRH

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

0.8 hours before the tornado, 97 km from the path. April 10, 2015.

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: 1160 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -28 J/kg
Surface CAPE: 2394 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1435 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 55 kt
0-1 km bulk shear: 33 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 296 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 356 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 1.4
Supercell composite: 15.8
0-3 km lapse rate: 7.1 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Lincoln, IL (KILX), 12:00Z

11.2 hours after it, 97 km from the path. April 10, 2015.

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: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -94884 J/kg
Surface CAPE: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 771 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 68 kt
0-1 km bulk shear: 40 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -65 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 113 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0
0-3 km lapse rate: 2.6 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

Taylorville (TAZ), 10 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)	Temp (°F)	Dew point (°F)	Wind	Gust (kt)	Pressure (mb)	Weather
00:00 UTC

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

The radar

The Lincoln radar (KILX), 67 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 00:44 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 track Every 2015 tornado in Illinois Every tornado in Illinois since 1950 Warnings in force in Illinois now The forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of April 9, 2015

18 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
April 9	1:32 PM CDT	EF0	Peoria, IL	0.1	10
April 9	5:04 PM CDT	EF1	Scott, IA	22.4	100			$20,000
April 9	6:22 PM EDT	EF0	Hillsdale, MI	0.6	70
April 9	5:40 PM CDT	EF1	Clinton, IA to IL	12.5	75
April 9	6:02 PM CDT	EF1	Carroll, IL	8.3	50
April 9	6:37 PM CDT	EF0	Boone, IL	2.8	25
April 9	6:38 PM CDT	EF2	Cherokee, TX	1.8	340			$300,000
April 9	6:39 PM CDT	EF4	Rochelle–Fairdale tornado, IL	30.1	700	2	11	$19 million
April 9	7:05 PM CDT	EF0	Ogle, IL	1.9	100
April 9	7:10 PM CDT	EF1	Gregg, TX	1.3	335			$1.0 million
April 9	7:15 PM CDT	EF1	Boone, IL	4.0	100			$80,000
April 9	7:20 PM CDT	EF1	Harrison, TX	4.5	760			$300,000
April 9	7:24 PM CDT	EF0	Boone, IL	0.4	30			$20,000
April 9	7:25 PM CDT	EF1	Boone, IL	3.9	50			$150,000
April 9	7:50 PM CDT	EF1	McHenry, IL	0.3	30
April 9	9:08 PM CDT	EF0	Custer, OK	0.2	30
April 9	9:16 PM CDT	EF0	Cape Girardeau, MO	1.8	150			$6,000
April 9	9:31 PM CDT	EF0	Cape Girardeau, MO	1.7	130			$60,000

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.