Tornadoes · United States · Indiana · 2013
EF0 tornado, Templeton, Indiana, May 31, 2013
This EF0 tornado ran 0.5 miles across Benton County on May 31, 2013, touching down at 8:30 PM EDT and reaching 20 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
- May 31, 2013
- Touchdown
- 8:30 PM EDT (00:30 UTC)
- Lifted
- 8:32 PM EDT (00:32 UTC)
- On the ground
- 2 minutes
- Path length
- 0.5 miles (0.8 km)
- Path width
- 20 yards (18 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- County
- Benton County
- Touchdown point
- 40.536, -87.205
- Lift-off point
- 40.536, -87.195
- Record number
- 1305311830-01
What the Weather Service recorded
Strong to severe thunderstorms moved across parts of northwest Indiana during the afternoon and evening hours of May 31st.
A tornado touched down in an open field near County Roads 500S and 600E. The tornado was on the ground for about a half mile and was captured on video. There was no reported damage.
From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.
The warnings
No tornado warning for this county appears in the archive as in force at the moment the tornado touched down.
| Issued (UTC) | Expired | Product | Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22:51 UTC | 00:00 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LOT |
| 03:12 UTC | 05:41 UTC | Tornado Watch | LOT |
| 03:25 UTC | 09:30 UTC | Flash Flood Warning | LOT |
| 04:11 UTC | 05:30 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LOT |
| 09:30 UTC | 14:00 UTC | Flood 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 Slight Risk, with a 0.02 chance of a tornado within 25 miles. The outlook in force was issued at 20:02 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 Chicago, IL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the tornado touched down at May 31, 6:33 PM EDT, 1 hour 57 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 31, 6:33 PM EDT, 1 hour 57 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
533 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013
.DISCUSSION...
336 PM CDT
THOUGHTS FROM THE EARLIER MESO DISCUSSION ARE STILL VALID AND HAVE
BEEN BOLSTERED BY THE SPREAD OF SHOWERS WITH ISOLATED TSRA INTO THE
FCST AREA THIS AFTERNOON WITH LITTLE ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT DIRECTLY
WEST OVER IOWA SO FAR. 0-6 KM BULK SHEAR CONTINUES TO BE MARGINAL
OVER MOST OF THE LOCAL REGION BUT IS BUILDING TOWARD 40 KTS IN THE
AREA OF APPROACHING CONVECTION TO OUR SOUTHWEST UNDER THE LEADING
EDGE OF AN UPPER LEVEL JET. A FEW STORMS COULD BECOME ORGANIZED IN
SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA...THOUGH THE SEVERE RISK OVERALL
APPEARS TO BE MARGINAL. TRENDS FOR THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT
ALSO WOULD CONTINUE TO FAVOR SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA FOR THE
HEAVIEST RAINFALL AMOUNTS AND THE CORRESPONDING FLOOD RISK...AND
THIS ALSO IS WHERE THE MOST RAIN HAS FALLEN OVER THE PAST WEEK. FOR
THESE REASONS...AFTER COORDINATION WITH NEIGHBORS...WILL PLAN TO
DROP THE FLOOD WATCH FOR NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA.
ALL OF THIS ACTIVITY IS BEING DRIVEN BY RICH BOUNDARY LAYER GULF
MOISTURE WRAPPING AROUND THE WESTERN SIDE OF A BERMUDA HIGH...AND
AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING FRONTAL ZONE TIED TO LOW PRESSURE OVER THE
DAKOTAS. THIS FRONTAL ZONE PUSHES THROUGH THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT
AND USHERS IN COOLER AND DRIER AIR FOR THE FIRST HALF OF NEXT WEEK.
UNSETTLED WEATHER WILL PERSIST UNTIL THAT TIME WITH THE FOCUS
GRADUALLY SHIFTING EASTWARD. SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM FORECAST
TRENDS FOR THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT ARE BASED ON CURRENT ACTIVITY
AND THE IDEA OF INCREASING DEVELOPMENT SUPPORTED BY LOW LEVEL
MOISTURE CONVERGENCE BEING DEPICTED IN THE RAP MODEL. IF THESE RAP
FIELDS CONTINUE TO BE VALID TOWARD MORNING...THE NORTHWEST HALF OF
THE AREA WOULD APPEAR TO DRY OUT BY MIDNIGHT AND REMAIN SO INTO THE
MORNING HOURS. THIS TREND ALSO IS SUPPORTED BY THE LATEST
NAM/ECMWF/GFS QPF FIELDS. CHANCES THEN INCREASE AGAIN DURING THE
DAY TOMORROW AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL VORT MAX AND THE
SURFACE FRONTAL ZONE.
AFTER A COOLER AND DRIER END TO THE WEEKEND AND START TO THE WORK
WEEK...THE NEXT UPPER TROUGH AND SFC LOW BEGIN TO APPROACH THE
AREA TOWARD THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK ALONG THE SIMILAR DAKOTAS TRACK
THAT WE HAVE SEEN WITH THE CURRENT SYSTEM. SFC WINDS TURNING
SOUTHEAST BY WEDNESDAY AND SOUTH BY THURSDAY WOULD ALLOW WARM MOIST
GULF AIR TO START WORKING BACK INTO THE AREA FOR LATE NEXT
WEEK...BUT AT THIS RANGE WILL ONLY PLAN TO CARRY CHANCE POPS.
LENNING
&&
.AVIATION...
//ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 22Z...
* WINDS MAY BACK TO SE FOR TIME EARLY THIS EVENING
* CHANCE OF MVFR CIGS DEVELOPING THIS EVENING
* CHANCE OF SHRA/TSRA AGAIN SAT AFTERNOON
IZZI
//DISCUSSION...UPDATED 22Z...
HAVE REMOVED PRECIP FOR TONIGHT WITH AXIS OF MOST ORGANIZED
PRECIPITATION LIKELY TO REMAIN WELL SOUTH OF THE CHGO TERMINALS.
AM CLOSELY WATCHING AREA OF DEVELOPING LOWER END MVFR CIGS OVER
WC IL...IF THIS AREA CONTINUES TO EXPAND MAY NEED TO INTRODUCE
SOME MVFR CIGS LATER THIS EVENING INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS.
IZZI
UPDATED 18Z...
THE ACTIVE PERIOD CONTINUES BUT THERE IS VERY HIGH UNCERTAINTY
REGARDING WHERE AND WHEN CONVECTION WILL OCCUR TODAY. TEMPS HAVE
CLIMBED INTO THE 70S WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE 60S WHICH SUGGESTS
FAVORABLE CONDITIONS. A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS OVER SOUTH DAKOTA
AND A LEFT OVER CONVECTIVE SYSTEM IS OVER NE MO/SE IA/W IL. SHOWERS
ARE SLOWLY MOVING NORTHEAST WITH A FEW CONVECTIVE CELLS FORMING OVER
FORD COUNTY IL IN THE LAST FEW MINUTES. EXPECTING THUNDERSTORMS TO
DEVELOP ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL IL AND PUSH EAST THROUGH THE EASTERN
TERMINALS. SINCE THE AXIS OF BEST INSTABILITY IS EAST OF RFD...KEPT
TS OUT OF RFD. THAT BEING SAID RFD MAY SEE A FEW STRAY SHOWERS OVER
THE NEXT FEW HOURS. GUSTY S WINDS ARE EXPECTED BUT MAY SEE A BRIEF
SHIFT TO SSE WINDS BEHIND THE THUNDERSTORMS.
EXPECTING A NARROW WINDOW OF TSRA OF ABOUT AN HOUR...FOLLOWED BY
SHOWERS. THE AREA WILL REMAIN UNSTABLE OVERNIGHT WITH SCATTERED
SHOWERS EXPECTED OVERNIGHT. ANOTHER ROUND OF TSRA AND SHOWERS IS
EXPECTED LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON/EARLY AS THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM
PASSES TO THE NORTH AND ITS COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE WEST.
STRONG S WINDS ARE ONCE AGAIN EXPECTED TOMORROW...BUT GUSTS WILL NOT
BE AS STRONG.
JEE
//ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 22Z...
* MEDIUM CONFIDENCE IN WINDS THIS EVENING
* LOW/MEDIUM CONFIDENCE IN CIGS TONIGHT
* LOW CONFIDENCE IN TSRA CHANCES SATURDAY
IZZI
//OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 00Z SUNDAY-12Z FRIDAY...UPDATED 12Z...
SATURDAY NIGHT...CHC OF SHRA DURING THE EVE. MVFR POSSIBLE.
SUNDAY...SLT CHC OF MORNING SHRA.
MONDAY...VFR LIKELY.
TUESDAY...CHC OF MORNING MVFR.
WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY...CHC OF TSRA.
MTF
&&
.MARINE...
222 PM CDT
AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE THAT HAS PERSISTED OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS
WILL FINALLY BEGIN TO MOVE EAST TONIGHT...PASSING OVER NORTHERN LAKE
MICHIGAN LATE SATURDAY EVENING WITH A TRAILING COLD FRONT TURNING
MODERATE SOUTHERLY WINDS OF 15 TO 25 KT TO NORTHWESTERLY. MOIST FLOW
AHEAD OF THE FRONT HAS ALREADY LED TO DENSE FOG OVER MUCH OF THE
LAKE WHICH IS EXPECTED TO PERSIST UNTIL THE COLD FRONT PASSES
SATURDAY NIGHT. WINDS SHOULD THEN DIMINISH THROUGH THE DAY SUNDAY AS
HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FROM THE WEST...BECOMING CENTERED OVER LAKE
MICHIGAN ON MONDAY. LOW PRESSURE WILL DEVELOP OVER THE CENTRAL
PLAINS MONDAY...THEN LIFT NORTHEAST TO LAKE MICHIGAN LATE THURSDAY
INTO EARLY FRIDAY.
BMD
&&
.LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IL...FLASH FLOOD WATCH...ILZ021-ILZ022-ILZ023-ILZ032-ILZ033-ILZ039
UNTIL 7 PM SATURDAY.
IN...FLASH FLOOD WATCH...INZ001-INZ002-INZ010-INZ011-INZ019 UNTIL 7
PM SATURDAY.
LM...DENSE FOG ADVISORY...LMZ261-LMZ362-LMZ364-LMZ366-LMZ563-LMZ565-
LMZ567-LMZ669-LMZ671-LMZ673-LMZ675-LMZ777-LMZ868-LMZ870-
LMZ872-LMZ874-LMZ876-LMZ878 UNTIL 9 PM SATURDAY.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...INDIANA NEARSHORE WATERS UNTIL 10 PM FRIDAY.
&&
VISIT US AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/CHICAGO (ALL LOWERCASE)
FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER...AND YOUTUBE AT:
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/US.NATIONALWEATHERSERVICE.CHICAGO.GOV
WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSCHICAGO
WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSCHICAGOHazardous weather outlook, May 31, 5:41 PM EDT, 2 hours 49 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL 441 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013 ILZ003>006-008-010>014-019>023-032-033-039-INZ001-002-010-011-019- 012145- WINNEBAGO-BOONE-MCHENRY-LAKE ILLINOIS-OGLE-LEE-DE KALB-KANE- DUPAGE-COOK-LA SALLE-KENDALL-GRUNDY-WILL-KANKAKEE-LIVINGSTON- IROQUOIS-FORD-LAKE INDIANA-PORTER-NEWTON-JASPER-BENTON- 441 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013 /541 PM EDT FRI MAY 31 2013/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS... NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. WEATHER HAZARDS EXPECTED: THUNDERSTORMS...SOME MAY PRODUCE: DAMAGING WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. HEAVY RAIN WHICH MAY CAUSE FLASH FLOODING. QUARTER SIZE HAIL. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AREAS AFFECTED AND TIMING: THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE ACROSS CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND SHOULD OVERSPREAD EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND NORTHWESTERN INDIANA DURING THE EVENING. DISCUSSION: SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST TONIGHT ACROSS CENTRAL MISSOURI THROUGH ILLINOIS INTO NORTHWEST INDIANA. SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR...WHICH WOULD RESULT IN FLASH FLOODING. THE ANTICIPATED CORRIDOR OF HEAVY RAIN HAS SHIFTED FARTHER SOUTH THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT...AND NOW WILL BE MAINLY SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80 ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND NORTHWESTERN INDIANA. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS ALSO COULD BECOME SEVERE...WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS BEING THE MAIN THREAT. PORTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS AND VERMILION RIVERS WILL REMAIN IN FLOOD. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. ANOTHER ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED SATURDAY AFTERNOON INTO SATURDAY EVENING...MAINLY ALONG AND EAST OF THE INTERSTATE 55 CORRIDOR. THESE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS THE MAIN THREAT. HEAVY RAIN AND FLASH FLOODING WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY. PORTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS AND VERMILION RIVERS WILL REMAIN IN FLOOD. RISES ON OTHER AREA RIVERS ARE POSSIBLE AS WELL. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED EARLY THIS EVENING...ESPECIALLY SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80. && LMZ740>745-012145- WINTHROP HARBOR TO WILMETTE HARBOR- WILMETTE HARBOR TO NORTHERLY ISLAND- NORTHERLY ISLAND TO CALUMET HARBOR-CALUMET HARBOR TO GARY- GARY TO BURNS HARBOR-BURNS HARBOR TO MICHIGAN CITY- 441 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE ILLINOIS NEARSHORE WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN AND THE INDIANA NEARSHORE WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT. STRONG WINDS WILL CREATE HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS FOR SMALL CRAFT IN THE INDIANA NEARSHORE WATERS THROUGH THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE WIND GUSTS 35 KNOTS OR HIGHER AS WELL AS LARGE HAIL. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY. && LMZ080-261-362-364-366-563-565-567-669-671-673-675-777-779-868- 870-872-874-876-878-012145- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM MICHIGAN CITY IN TO ST. JOSEPH MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM SEUL CHOIX POINT TO ROCK ISLAND PASSAGE 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN SOUTH OF A LINE FROM SEUL CHOIX POINT TO THE MACKINAC BRIDGE AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM CHARLEVOIX MI TO SOUTH FOX ISLAND 5 NM OFFSHORE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM CHARLEVOIX TO POINT BETSIE MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM POINT BETSIE TO MANISTEE MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM ROCK ISLAND PASSAGE TO STURGEON BAY WI- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM STURGEON BAY TO TWO RIVERS WI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM TWO RIVERS TO SHEBOYGAN WI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM SHEBOYGAN TO PORT WASHINGTON WI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM PORT WASHINGTON TO NORTH POINT LIGHT WI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM NORTH POINT LIGHT TO WIND POINT WI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM WIND POINT WI TO WINTHROP HARBOR IL 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM WINTHROP HARBOR TO WILMETTE HARBOR IL 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM WILMETTE HARBOR IL TO MICHIGAN CITY IN 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM PENTWATER TO MANISTEE MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM WHITEHALL TO PENTWATER MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM GRAND HAVEN TO WHITEHALL MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM HOLLAND TO GRAND HAVEN MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM SOUTH HAVEN TO HOLLAND MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM ST. JOSEPH TO SOUTH HAVEN MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- 441 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE OPEN WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT. AREAS OF DENSE FOG ARE EXPECTED ACROSS MOST OF THE LAKE TODAY AND TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE WIND GUSTS 35 KNOTS OR HIGHER AS WELL AS LARGE HAIL. AREAS OF DENSE FOG ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST INTO SUNDAY. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY. && VISIT US AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/CHICAGO (ALL LOWERCASE) FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER...AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/US.NATIONALWEATHERSERVICE.CHICAGO.GOV WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSCHICAGO WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSCHICAGO
In the hours before
Local storm report, May 31, 6:35 PM EDT, 1 hour 55 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
535 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0532 PM TSTM WND GST CHATSWORTH 40.75N 88.29W
05/31/2013 E40 MPH LIVINGSTON IL TRAINED SPOTTER
WINDS 35 TO 40 MPH.
&&
CLocal storm report, May 31, 6:48 PM EDT, 1 hour 42 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
548 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0529 PM TSTM WND DMG CHATSWORTH 40.75N 88.29W
05/31/2013 LIVINGSTON IL LAW ENFORCEMENT
NUMEROUS TREES BEING REPORTED DOWN. A SEMI WAS REPORTED
FLIPPED OVER.
&&
BEACHLERLocal storm report, May 31, 6:57 PM EDT, 1 hour 33 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
557 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0532 PM TSTM WND DMG PIPER CITY 40.76N 88.19W
05/31/2013 FORD IL COUNTY OFFICIAL
REPORTS OF PINE TREES UPROOTED AND DOWNED POWER LINES.
&&
KBIRKLocal storm report, May 31, 7:18 PM EDT, 1 hour 12 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
618 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0612 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 1 S MARTINTON 40.90N 87.73W
05/31/2013 IROQUOIS IL TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
BEACHLERSpecial weather statement, May 31, 8:26 PM EDT, 4 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL 726 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013 ILZ033-INZ010-011-019-010100- BENTON IN-IROQUOIS IL-JASPER IN-NEWTON IN- 826 PM EDT FRI MAY 31 2013 ...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT... AT 826 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR FREELAND PARK...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. THIS STORM MAY PRODUCE HAIL TO HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH. CITIES AND TOWNS AFFECTED... PERKINS... RAUB... FREELAND PARK... GOODLAND... WADENA... PERCY JUNCTION... LOCHIEL... PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... && LAT...LON 4085 8724 4071 8711 4060 8751 4069 8757 TIME...MOT...LOC 0026Z 240DEG 32KT 4068 8741 RATZER
Local storm report, May 31, 8:30 PM EDT, 0 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
730 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0715 PM HEAVY RAIN 6 N GIFFORD 41.15N 87.04W
05/31/2013 M0.75 INCH JASPER IN COCORAHS
RAIN FELL IN 20 MINUTES.
&&
CThe 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
0.5 hours before the tornado, 126 km from the path. June 1, 2013.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 2269 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -6 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 3238 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 706 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 52 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 25 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 228 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 244 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 3.6
- Supercell composite
- 15.2
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 6.5 K/km
Lincoln, IL (KILX), 12:00Z
11.5 hours after it, 126 km from the path. June 1, 2013.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 17 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -230 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 4 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 642 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 55 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 17 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 151 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 189 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 4.4 K/km
The surface observations
Lafayette (LAF), 26 km from the path, in the two hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Temp (°F) | Dew point (°F) | Wind | Gust (kt) | Pressure (mb) | Weather |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22:54 UTC | 75 | 67 | 200° 5 kt | 1010.8 | ||
| 23:14 UTC | 75.2 | 66.2 | 170° 7 kt | 1010.5 | ||
| 23:54 UTC | 75 | 68 | 170° 10 kt | 17 | 1009.8 | |
| 00:46 UTC | 73.4 | 68 | 180° 8 kt | 17 | 1009.5 | VCTS |
| 00:54 UTC | 74 | 68 | 180° 9 kt | 18 | 1009.1 | VCTS |
| 01:01 UTC | 73.4 | 66.2 | 170° 9 kt | 21 | 1008.8 | |
| 01:54 UTC | 74 | 67 | 190° 10 kt | 16 | 1010.2 |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.
The radar
The Indianapolis radar (KIND), 121 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 00:28 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23:30 UTC | TSTM WND GST 65 | Mount Ayr | Newton, IN | NUMEROUS BRANCHES DOWN, POWER POLES LEANING. |
| 00:30 UTC | HEAVY RAIN 1.15 | Ene Kentland | Newton, IN | IN LAST HOUR. |
| 00:30 UTC | HEAVY RAIN 1.18 | 5 Wsw Gifford | Jasper, IN | IN THE PAST 45 MINUTES. |
| 00:30 UTC | TORNADO | 1 N Templeton | Benton, IN | A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN BRIEFLY IN AN OPEN FIELD NEAR COUNTY ROAD 500S AND COUNTY ROAD 600E. THE TORNADO WAS ON THE GROUND FOR ABOUT 1/2 MILE AND WAS CAPTURED ON VIDEO. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE. |
| 01:15 UTC | FLASH FLOOD | Mount Ayr | Newton, IN | AROUND 2 FEET OF FLOWING WATER. |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 2013 tornado in IndianaEvery tornado in Indiana since 1950Warnings in force in Indiana nowThe forecast where you are
The other tornadoes of May 31, 2013
35 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 31 | 6:05 AM CDT | EF1 | Tipton, TN | 0.8 | 250 | $180,000 | ||
| May 31 | 1:53 PM CDT | EF0 | Walsh, ND | 0.1 | 25 | |||
| May 31 | 2:17 PM CDT | EF0 | Walsh, ND | 2.3 | 25 | |||
| May 31 | 4:18 PM CDT | EF0 | Montgomery, KS | 0.4 | 50 | |||
| May 31 | 5:35 PM CDT | EF0 | Kingfisher, OK | 1.0 | 50 | |||
| May 31 | 5:55 PM CDT | EF0 | Canadian, OK | 0.3 | 30 | $1,000 | ||
| May 31 | 6:03 PM CDT | EF3 | El Reno tornado, OK | 16.2 | 4,576 | 8 | 26 | $300,000 |
| May 31 | 6:09 PM CDT | EF0 | Floyd, IA | 0.2 | 10 | |||
| May 31 | 6:12 PM CDT | EF0 | Canadian, OK | 0.5 | 120 | |||
| May 31 | 6:13 PM CDT | EF0 | Canadian, OK | 0.5 | 350 | |||
| May 31 | 6:18 PM CDT | EF0 | Osage, OK | 0.1 | 50 | |||
| May 31 | 6:20 PM CDT | EF0 | Montgomery, MO | 0.5 | 30 | |||
| May 31 | 6:21 PM CDT | EF0 | Montgomery, MO | 0.2 | 30 | |||
| May 31 | 6:28 PM CDT | EF0 | Montgomery, MO | 1.1 | 40 | |||
| May 31 | 6:29 PM CDT | EF2 | Canadian, OK | 5.0 | 150 | 1 | $20,000 | |
| May 31 | 6:30 PM CDT | EF1 | Osage, OK | 2.5 | 200 | $2,000 | ||
| May 31 | 6:38 PM CDT | EF1 | Washington, OK | 1.2 | 200 | $5,000 | ||
| May 31 | 6:51 PM CDT | EF1 | Canadian, OK | 5.7 | 600 | $150,000 | ||
| May 31 | 6:55 PM CDT | EF0 | Canadian, OK | 0.5 | 50 | |||
| May 31 | 7:21 PM CDT | EF0 | Nowata, OK | 1.1 | 310 | |||
| May 31 | 7:35 PM CDT | EF0 | Oklahoma, OK | 0.5 | 200 | $20,000 | ||
| May 31 | 7:37 PM CDT | EF1 | Franklin, MO | 10.0 | 550 | |||
| May 31 | 7:42 PM CDT | EF1 | Cleveland, OK | 1.0 | 100 | $100,000 | ||
| May 31 | 7:45 PM CDT | EF0 | Grady, OK | 0.2 | 50 | |||
| May 31 | 7:50 PM CDT | EF3 | Saint Charles, MO | 31.7 | 1,760 | 8 | $60 million | |
| May 31 | 7:53 PM CDT | EF1 | Oklahoma, OK | 1.1 | 300 | 8 | $80,000 | |
| May 31 | 8:01 PM CDT | EF1 | Jefferson, MO | 12.4 | 200 | |||
| May 31 | 8:21 PM CDT | EF1 | Nowata, OK | 3.5 | 320 | |||
| May 31 | 8:27 PM CDT | EF1 | Nowata, OK to MO, IL | 4.8 | 350 | 2 | $75,000 | |
| May 31 | 8:27 PM CDT | EF3 | Madison, MO to IL | 10.6 | 150 | |||
| May 31 | 8:49 PM CDT | EF2 | Macoupin, IL | 1.5 | 150 | |||
| May 31 | 9:02 PM CDT | EF1 | Montgomery, IL | 4.3 | 50 | |||
| May 31 | 10:03 PM CDT | EF1 | Macon, IL | 2.0 | 100 | $500,000 | ||
| May 31 | 11:23 PM CDT | EF1 | Delaware, OK | 1.8 | 500 | |||
| May 31 | 11:24 PM CDT | EF1 | Vermilion, IL | 0.5 | 70 | $50,000 |
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.