Marion, Illinois tornado outbreak

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Marion, Illinois tornado outbreak
The F-4 Marion tornado crossing Interstate 57 near Illinois Route 13
The F-4 Marion tornado crossing Interstate 57 near Illinois Route 13
Date of tornado outbreak: May 29, 1982
Duration1: 13 hours, 10 minutes
Maximum rated tornado2: F4 tornado
Tornadoes caused: 8 confirmed
Damages: >$166 million 1997 USD[1]
Fatalities: 10
Areas affected: Southern Illinois

1Time from first tornado to last tornado
2Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita Scale

The Marion, Illinois tornado outbreak was a small, yet severe tornado outbreak that affected southern portions of the midwestern United States on May 29, 1982. Tornadoes touched down in the states of Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana, with Marion, Illinois being the hardest hit. Ten fatalities occurred there after the town took a direct hit from an F4 tornado.[2] The outbreak also produced a F3 tornado affecting the Conant, Illinois area and several weaker tornadoes in the surrounding area.[3]

Contents

[edit] Meteorlogical sypnosis

Radar loop of the storm that produced the Marion, Illinois tornado.
Radar loop of the storm that produced the Marion, Illinois tornado.
Satellite photo of the clouds that produced the storm.
Satellite photo of the clouds that produced the storm.
Map of counties with confirmed tornadoes on May 29, 1982
Map of counties with confirmed tornadoes on May 29, 1982

On the 12:00 UTC surface chart, a cold front was draped from Minnesota southwest across Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, and into Texas. A triple point was found just south of Des Moines, Iowa, with a warm front positioned east across northern Illinois and Indiana. Morning dew points ranged from 65 °F (18 °C) at Saint Louis, Missouri and Louisville, Kentucky, to 72 °F (22 °C) at Memphis, Tennessee. 70 °F (21 °C) or 71 °F (22 °C) dew points were found in Fort Smith, Arkansas, Springfield and Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and Fort Campbell, Kentucky. An outflow boundary was draped over Central Illinois and Missouri from overnight convection that was decaying as it tracked east across the two states.[4] This outflow boundary provided the potential for storms to redevelop.[5] By mid-afternoon, temperatures at Carbondale, Illinois and Marion had risen to the middle and upper 80s with dew points near 70 °F (21 °C).[4] At 1:03 p.m. a Tornado watch was issued for the region. Later on in the afternoon the National Weather Service in Saint Louis, Missouri issued several severe weather warnings for Williamson County and several surrounding counties. At 2:58 p.m. a severe thunderstorm warning was issued for Jackson County and Williamson County. At 3:00 p.m. a tornado was observed near Carterville, Illinois prompting a tornado warning at 3:19 p.m.[3]

[edit] Confirmed tornadoes

Confirmed
Total		 Confirmed
F0		 Confirmed
F1		 Confirmed
F2		 Confirmed
F3		 Confirmed
F4		 Confirmed
F5
8 2 2 0 3 1 0
Confirmed tornadoes - May 29, 1982
F#
Location
County
Time (CST)
Path length
Damage
Illinois
F4 Marion Williamson 1405 17 miles See section on this tornado
F3 Unknown Montgomery 1305 3 miles None reported
F3 Unknown Perry 1311 4 miles None reported
F3 Unknown Perry 1320 3 miles 7 injuries reported
F0 Unknown Saline 1526 Not reported None reported
F0 Unknown Saline 1546 Not reported None reported
Indiana
F1 Unknown Gibson 1610 Not reported $250,000 propery damage
Missouri
F1 Unknown Boone 0300 0 Miles None reported
Sources: National Climatic Data Center Storm Data

[edit] Marion, Illinois tornado

Damage to the Marion area.
Damage to the Marion area.

The Marion, Illinois tornado touched down near Carterville, Illinois at 3:00 p.m. resulting in damage to a subdivision near John A. Logan College. The tornado then tracked into downtown Carterville then tracked southeast into Crainville, Illinois.[3] At 3:16 p.m. the tornado either formed a new funnel or changed course as it tracked into the west side of Marion along Illinois Route 13 causing extensive damage throughout the city. During this time the tornado was observed as a multiple-vortex tornado with up to three smaller tornadoes swirling around the main tornado.[2] The tornado struck a car along Interstate 57, causing it to explode.[2] By 3:30 p.m. the tornado had exited the city and dissipated near Illinois Route 166. The tornado had destroyed the Shawnee Village Apartment Complex and severely damaged three shopping centers. The tornado heavily damaged the area surrounding the Interstate 57 and Illinois Route 13 interchange including the Marion Ford dealership. According to a local newspaper, the mayor of Marion received minor injuries as he exited the Town and Country Shopping Center.[6] The tornado also damaged two schools, 648 homes, and 52 businesses.[2] The tornado caused 10 deaths, 181 injuries, and left in excess of 1,000 people homeless.[7]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ The thirty most damaging tornadoes since 1890 (HTML). National Severe Storms Laboratory.
  2. ^ a b c d Tornado track (HTML). NOAA/NWS (June 27, 2007).
  3. ^ a b c Timeline on tornado that devastated Marion on May 29, 1982 (HTML). The Southern (May 29, 2007).
  4. ^ a b May 29, 1982 Weather (HTML). NOAA/NWS (June 27, 2007).
  5. ^ Weather Gloassary for Storm Spotters (HTML). NOAA/NWS (March 28, 2006).
  6. ^ The 1982 tornado cut a tragic path through Marion (HTML). The Southern (May 29, 2007).
  7. ^ Storm Data (HTML). National Climactic Data Center.

[edit] External links

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