Quad Cities, IA/IL

Weather Forecast Office

Event Summary: February 28, 2017 First Local February Tornadoes Recorded

Overview

A warm front lifted northward across eastern Iowa,northwest Illinois, and far northeast Missouri during the day on Tuesday bringing an unusually warm air mass to the area. Severe thunderstorms developed during the afternoon and moved northeastward across the region. These storms produced numerous hail around the size of quarters with a few stones up to the size of tennis balls near Galva, Illinois along with several tornadoes. These were the first recorded February tornadoes in the local area.

Summaries from SPC & other NWS Offices

Tornado
Photos & Video
Radar
Storm Reports
Environment
Additional

Tornadoes:

Damage Survey Viewer

Tornado 1 - FOLLETS, IA

Clinton County

Date	02/28/2017
Time (Local)	353 PM
EF Rating	EF-0
Est. Peak Winds	70 mph
Path Length	0.04 miles (brief touch down)
Max Width	25 Yards
Injuries/Deaths	0 / 0
Summary: County emergency management witnessed a brief touch down with dirt debris, and no damage.

Track Map

Tornado 2 - CHERRY, IL
Bureau County

Date	02/28/2017
Time (Local)	943 - 946 PM
EF Rating	EF-1
Est. Peak Winds	94 mph
Path Length	2.34 miles
Max Width	50 yards
Injuries/Deaths	0 / 0
Summary: Survey teams found damage to trees and a destroyed farm shed along the path.

Track Map

Tornado 3 - COLETA, IL
Whiteside County

Date	2/28/2017
Time (Local)	444 PM - 446 PM
EF Rating	EF-1
Est. Peak Winds	100 MPH
Path Length	2.63 MILES
Max Width	75 YARDS
Injuries/Deaths	0 / 0
Summary: A damage survey found damage along the path of snapped pine trees, damaged farm outbuildings, and an unroofed attached garage and part of a house. A second house also sustained damage to its roof.

Track Map

Tornado - BRADFORD, IL
Bureau County

Date	2/28/2017
Time (Local)	412 PM - 420 PM
EF Rating	EF-1
Est. Peak Winds	95 MPH
Path Length	5.51 MILES
Max Width	100 YARDS
Injuries/Deaths	0 / 0
Summary: A damage survey team found that a tornado developed near Castleton in Stark County, and tracked northeast to 2 miles southeast of Bradford in Bureau County before lifting. Trees, an outbuilding and a few homes were damaged in its path.

Track Map

The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:

EF0 Weak 65-85 mph	EF1 Moderate 86-110 mph	EF2 Significant 111-135 mph	EF3 Severe 136-165 mph	EF4 Extreme 166-200 mph	EF5 Catastrophic 200+ mph

Photos & Video:


Hail near Hills, IA (photo: Adam Ciha)	Tornado Damage 1 mi E Coleta, IL (NWS Survey)	Tornado Damage 1 mi E Coleta, IL (NWS Survey)	Tornado Damage near Cherry, IL (NWS Survey)

Interactive Radar Loop

Storm Reports

SPC Storm Reports 2/28/2017	Interactive Storm Reports Map	Rainfall Total Map


PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL 1025 PM CST TUE FEB 28 2017 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0314 PM HAIL E GALVA 41.17N 90.04W 02/28/2017 M0.25 INCH HENRY IL TRAINED SPOTTER PEA HAIL MIXED WITH RAIN. 0319 PM HAIL N DEWITT 41.82N 90.55W 02/28/2017 E0.25 INCH CLINTON IA TRAINED SPOTTER PEA HAIL JUST ENDING. 0320 PM HAIL GALVA 41.17N 90.04W 02/28/2017 E0.75 INCH HENRY IL EMERGENCY MNGR WIDESPREAD PEA TO DIME SIZED HAIL IN GALVA 0324 PM HAIL MONTROSE 40.53N 91.42W 02/28/2017 E0.25 INCH LEE IA EMERGENCY MNGR PEA SIZED HAIL JUST ENDED. 0325 PM HAIL 3 SE DALLAS CITY 40.60N 91.12W 02/28/2017 M1.00 INCH HANCOCK IL TRAINED SPOTTER STARTED AS PEA SIZED AND INCREASED TO QUARTER. HAIL FELL FOR 2 MINTUES. 0340 PM HAIL 1 N LA HARPE 40.60N 90.97W 02/28/2017 M1.00 INCH HANCOCK IL TRAINED SPOTTER 3 TO 4 MILE LONG SWATH OF 1 INCH HAIL COVERING HIGHWAY 94. 0340 PM HAIL 1 NW WILLIAMSTOWN 41.58N 91.75W 02/28/2017 E0.50 INCH JOHNSON IA TRAINED SPOTTER HALF INCH HAIL 330 TO 340 PM. HAIL IS COVERING THE GROUND. 0340 PM HAIL NE ROSEVILLE 40.74N 90.66W 02/28/2017 E0.25 INCH WARREN IL TRAINED SPOTTER 0340 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 N LA HARPE 40.60N 90.97W 02/28/2017 HANCOCK IL TRAINED SPOTTER 1 INCH BRANCH DOWN ALONG HIGHWAY 94. 0343 PM HAIL WOODHULL 41.18N 90.32W 02/28/2017 E0.25 INCH HENRY IL EMERGENCY MNGR HEAVY RAIN AND PEA SIZED HAIL. 0348 PM HAIL NEW LIBERTY 41.72N 90.88W 02/28/2017 E0.25 INCH SCOTT IA AMATEUR RADIO PEA SIZED HAIL. 0348 PM HAIL 5 S IOWA CITY 41.59N 91.54W 02/28/2017 M0.25 INCH JOHNSON IA TRAINED SPOTTER 0352 PM HAIL 2 ESE NEW WINDSOR 41.19N 90.42W 02/28/2017 M0.75 INCH HENRY IL TRAINED SPOTTER DIME SIZED HAIL OCCURRING RIGHT NOW. 0355 PM TORNADO 3 S LOW MOOR 41.75N 90.36W 02/28/2017 CLINTON IA EMERGENCY MNGR EMERGENCY MANAGER OBSERVED A BRIEF TORNADO IN A FARM FIELD JUST NORTH OF FOLLETTS WITH 5 TO 10 SECONDS OF SWIRLING DIRT AT THE SURFACE. NO DAMAGE. TIME ESTIMATED. 0355 PM HAIL 2 E IOWA CITY 41.66N 91.49W 02/28/2017 E0.75 INCH JOHNSON IA TRAINED SPOTTER HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES.. 0355 PM HAIL SE IOWA CITY 41.66N 91.54W 02/28/2017 E1.25 INCH JOHNSON IA TRAINED SPOTTER 0355 PM HAIL CAMANCHE 41.79N 90.28W 02/28/2017 M1.00 INCH CLINTON IA TRAINED SPOTTER DIME TO QUARTER 0355 PM HAIL 1 WSW IOWA CITY 41.65N 91.55W 02/28/2017 E0.75 INCH JOHNSON IA TRAINED SPOTTER ESTIMATED PENNY SIZED HAIL ON THE WEST SIDE OF IOWA CITY. 0357 PM HAIL SE IOWA CITY 41.66N 91.54W 02/28/2017 E0.88 INCH JOHNSON IA TRAINED SPOTTER ESTIMATED DIME TO NICKEL SIZED HAIL ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE OF IOWA CITY RIGHT NOW. HAIL IS COVERING THE GROUND. 0359 PM HAIL 1 WNW LONG GROVE 41.70N 90.59W 02/28/2017 M0.50 INCH SCOTT IA TRAINED SPOTTER 0400 PM HAIL 1 S LOW MOOR 41.79N 90.35W 02/28/2017 E0.25 INCH CLINTON IA AMATEUR RADIO 0400 PM HAIL SE IOWA CITY 41.66N 91.54W 02/28/2017 M1.00 INCH JOHNSON IA TRAINED SPOTTER QUARTER SIZE HAIL ON SOUTHEAST SIDE OF IOWA CITY. 0401 PM HAIL 1 E LONG GROVE 41.69N 90.56W 02/28/2017 E1.00 INCH SCOTT IA AMATEUR RADIO ONE INCH HAIL WITH SOME NICKEL SIZED HAIL. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR. 0402 PM HAIL 2 W WEST BRANCH 41.67N 91.39W 02/28/2017 E1.50 INCH JOHNSON IA TRAINED SPOTTER 1.25 TO 1.50 INCH HAIL FALLING ON I-80 0404 PM HAIL CLINTON 41.84N 90.23W 02/28/2017 E0.25 INCH CLINTON IA AMATEUR RADIO PEA SIZED HAIL JUST STARTED. 0410 PM HAIL MCCAUSLAND 41.74N 90.45W 02/28/2017 E0.88 INCH SCOTT IA PUBLIC DELAYED REPORT. PEA TO NICKEL SIZED HAIL. FROM FACEBOOK. 0411 PM HAIL 2 ENE CLINTON 41.85N 90.20W 02/28/2017 M0.75 INCH CLINTON IA TRAINED SPOTTER PEA TO DIM SIZED HAIL 0412 PM HAIL GALVA 41.17N 90.04W 02/28/2017 E0.75 INCH HENRY IL TRAINED SPOTTER HAIL TO THE SIZE OF DIMES. 0413 PM HAIL 4 SSW CLINTON 41.79N 90.25W 02/28/2017 E0.75 INCH CLINTON IA TRAINED SPOTTER HAIL TO THE SIZE OF DIMES. 0414 PM HAIL WEST LIBERTY 41.57N 91.26W 02/28/2017 E1.00 INCH MUSCATINE IA TRAINED SPOTTER TO SIZE OF QUARTERS. 0415 PM HAIL GALVA 41.17N 90.04W 02/28/2017 M2.50 INCH HENRY IL EMERGENCY MNGR ESDA CONFIRMS 2 TO 2.5 INCH HAIL 415 TO 419 PM. 0415 PM HAIL GALVA 41.17N 90.04W 02/28/2017 E2.00 INCH HENRY IL TRAINED SPOTTER GOLFBALL TO SLIGHTLY BIGGER RIGHT NOW. DURATION 3 MINUTES SO FAR. 0415 PM HAIL 1 SW WILLIAMSBURG 41.66N 92.02W 02/28/2017 E0.25 INCH IOWA IA TRAINED SPOTTER HAIL OCCURRING RIGHT NOW. 0418 PM HAIL 4 SSW CLINTON 41.79N 90.26W 02/28/2017 M1.00 INCH CLINTON IA CO-OP OBSERVER DELAYED REPORT. A MIXTURE OF PEA...NICKEL...AND QUARTER SIZED HAIL. HAIL OCCURRED 418-421 PM CST. 0420 PM HAIL 1 E GALVA 41.17N 90.02W 02/28/2017 M2.50 INCH HENRY IL TRAINED SPOTTER MOSTLY QUARTER TO HALF DOLLAR SIZED. 0422 PM HAIL 2 W USTICK 41.88N 90.04W 02/28/2017 E0.75 INCH WHITESIDE IL TRAINED SPOTTER SOME DIME SIZED HAIL BUT MAINLY PEA SIZED OCCURRING RIGHT NOW. 0423 PM HAIL KEWANEE 41.24N 89.93W 02/28/2017 E0.88 INCH HENRY IL TRAINED SPOTTER NICKEL HAIL POSSIBLY LARGER 423 TO 426 PM. 0442 PM HAIL 6 E HENNEPIN 41.26N 89.21W 02/28/2017 M1.25 INCH PUTNAM IL PUBLIC 0444 PM HAIL 1 W COLETA 41.91N 89.82W 02/28/2017 E1.00 INCH WHITESIDE IL TRAINED SPOTTER UP TO SIZE OF QUARTERS. 0454 PM HAIL STERLING 41.80N 89.69W 02/28/2017 E2.00 INCH WHITESIDE IL TRAINED SPOTTER FEW STONES UP TO HEN EGG. 0455 PM HAIL TISKILWA 41.29N 89.51W 02/28/2017 E0.88 INCH BUREAU IL TRAINED SPOTTER SIZE OF NICKELS. 0458 PM HAIL 3 ENE ROCK FALLS 41.80N 89.64W 02/28/2017 E1.75 INCH WHITESIDE IL TRAINED SPOTTER LARGEST SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN GOLF BALLS. 0459 PM HAIL STERLING 41.80N 89.69W 02/28/2017 E0.75 INCH WHITESIDE IL TRAINED SPOTTER DIME SIZED HAIL OCCURRING RIGHT NOW. 0508 PM HAIL S WARREN 42.49N 89.99W 02/28/2017 E1.00 INCH JO DAVIESS IL TRAINED SPOTTER HAIL OCCURRED 508 TO 509 PM. 0510 PM HAIL 4 SSW CLINTON 41.79N 90.26W 02/28/2017 E0.88 INCH CLINTON IA CO-OP OBSERVER DELAYED REPORT. SECOND ROUND OF HAIL PEA TO NICKEL SIZED 510-514 PM CST. 0518 PM HAIL 1 S KESWICK 41.44N 92.24W 02/28/2017 E1.00 INCH KEOKUK IA EMERGENCY MNGR 0522 PM HAIL NORTH LIBERTY 41.74N 91.61W 02/28/2017 E0.75 INCH JOHNSON IA TRAINED SPOTTER 0523 PM HAIL 2 NNW NORTH LIBERTY 41.76N 91.62W 02/28/2017 E0.25 INCH JOHNSON IA TRAINED SPOTTER BB TO PEA SIZED HAIL JUST ENDED. 0530 PM HAIL IOWA CITY 41.66N 91.54W 02/28/2017 E0.88 INCH JOHNSON IA PUBLIC DELAYED REPORT. TIME APPROXIMATED. 0530 PM TSTM WND GST FORT MADISON MUNICIPAL 40.67N 91.33W 02/28/2017 M55.00 MPH LEE IA AWOS FROM AWOS 0535 PM HAIL 2 ENE NORTH ENGLISH 41.52N 92.04W 02/28/2017 E0.88 INCH IOWA IA LAW ENFORCEMENT PEA TO NICKEL SIZED HAIL IN THE 2800 BLOCK OF 330TH STREET. 0550 PM HAIL HILLS 41.57N 91.54W 02/28/2017 E1.25 INCH JOHNSON IA PUBLIC SIZED BASED ON FACEBOOK PHOTO. 0559 PM HAIL 2 SSE HILLS 41.55N 91.53W 02/28/2017 M1.00 INCH JOHNSON IA TRAINED SPOTTER CONTINUED THROUGH PHONE CALL. 0559 PM HAIL 4 S IOWA CITY 41.60N 91.54W 02/28/2017 E0.88 INCH JOHNSON IA TRAINED SPOTTER 0620 PM HAIL LOST NATION 41.97N 90.82W 02/28/2017 E0.25 INCH CLINTON IA LAW ENFORCEMENT OCCURRING NOW. 0626 PM HAIL 5 NNE WEST LIBERTY 41.64N 91.23W 02/28/2017 E1.00 INCH CEDAR IA TRAINED SPOTTER 0702 PM HAIL DEWITT 41.82N 90.55W 02/28/2017 M0.25 INCH CLINTON IA LAW ENFORCEMENT 0715 PM HAIL BONAPARTE 40.70N 91.80W 02/28/2017 M0.75 INCH VAN BUREN IA TRAINED SPOTTER PEA TO DIME SIZED HAIL. HAIL FELL FOR 10 TO 15 MINUTES, 0725 PM HAIL LAKE THUNDERBIRD 41.22N 89.45W 02/28/2017 E0.25 INCH PUTNAM IL AMATEUR RADIO 0728 PM HAIL HOUGHTON 40.78N 91.61W 02/28/2017 E1.00 INCH LEE IA LAW ENFORCEMENT ONE INCH HAIL FROM 728 TO 738 PM CST. 0740 PM HAIL 3 S NEW LONDON 40.88N 91.41W 02/28/2017 E0.88 INCH HENRY IA TRAINED SPOTTER PEA TO NICKEL HAIL STARTED AT 740 PM AND CONTINUES AS OF 746 PM CST. 0742 PM HAIL 3 ENE CHARLIE HEATH MEM 40.60N 91.84W 02/28/2017 M0.25 INCH CLARK MO TRAINED SPOTTER 45 SECONDS OF PEA SIZED HAIL. 0749 PM HAIL 3 S NEW LONDON 40.88N 91.41W 02/28/2017 E1.00 INCH HENRY IA PUBLIC 0750 PM HAIL KEITHSBURG 41.10N 90.94W 02/28/2017 E0.75 INCH MERCER IL TRAINED SPOTTER PEA HAIL STARTED AT 750 PM CST...GREW TO DIME SIZED...AND ENDED AT 810 PM CST. 0752 PM HAIL 1 WSW LOWELL 40.83N 91.45W 02/28/2017 E1.50 INCH HENRY IA PUBLIC DELAYED REPORT. FROM SOCIAL MEDIA. 0753 PM HAIL 3 SSW NEW LONDON 40.89N 91.43W 02/28/2017 E0.25 INCH HENRY IA TRAINED SPOTTER PEA HAIL OCCURRING RIGHT NOW. 0755 PM HAIL S DANVILLE 40.86N 91.31W 02/28/2017 M1.50 INCH DES MOINES IA PUBLIC FROM FACEBOOK PICTURE. 0755 PM HAIL 2 SW DONNELLSON 40.62N 91.60W 02/28/2017 M0.25 INCH LEE IA TRAINED SPOTTER COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF PEA SIZED HAIL. 0812 PM HAIL GALVA 41.17N 90.04W 02/28/2017 M1.00 INCH HENRY IL EMERGENCY MNGR 0824 PM HAIL 2 N FORT MADISON 40.65N 91.35W 02/28/2017 M0.25 INCH LEE IA TRAINED SPOTTER 0835 PM HAIL 2 WSW ANDALUSIA 41.42N 90.76W 02/28/2017 E0.75 INCH ROCK ISLAND IL TRAINED SPOTTER SIZE ESTIMATED FROM SOCIAL MEDIA PHOTO. 0835 PM HAIL LA MOILLE 41.53N 89.28W 02/28/2017 M1.75 INCH BUREAU IL PUBLIC QUARTER SIZE HAIL THAT INCREASED TO GOLF BALL SIZE. REPORT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA AND FORWARDED BY WFO CHICAGO 0839 PM HAIL ANDALUSIA 41.44N 90.73W 02/28/2017 M0.25 INCH ROCK ISLAND IL PUBLIC 0843 PM HAIL ALPHA 41.19N 90.38W 02/28/2017 M0.25 INCH HENRY IL TRAINED SPOTTER HEAVY RAIN AND PEA SIZED HAIL 0846 PM HAIL 5 SE DAVENPORT 41.50N 90.54W 02/28/2017 E0.25 INCH ROCK ISLAND IL TRAINED SPOTTER PEA HAIL FROM 846 TO 851 PM CST. 0847 PM HAIL 2 SSE DAVENPORT 41.53N 90.59W 02/28/2017 M0.25 INCH SCOTT IA TRAINED SPOTTER SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN A PEA AT 3/8 OF AN INCH. 0850 PM HAIL DAVENPORT 41.56N 90.60W 02/28/2017 E0.25 INCH SCOTT IA TRAINED SPOTTER PEA SIZED HAIL ON EAST KIMBERLY ROAD. 0850 PM HAIL 2 S BETTENDORF 41.53N 90.48W 02/28/2017 M0.25 INCH SCOTT IA TRAINED SPOTTER 0852 PM HAIL 6 NW CAMBRIDGE 41.35N 90.28W 02/28/2017 M0.75 INCH HENRY IL TRAINED SPOTTER 0910 PM TSTM WND GST SW KEWANEE 41.24N 89.93W 02/28/2017 E55.00 MPH HENRY IL PUBLIC WEIGHTED DOWN TRAMPOLINE BLOWN INTO NEIGHBORS YARD. FROM SOCIAL MEDIA. 0910 PM NON-TSTM WND GST MACOMB MUNICIPAL AIRPOR 40.52N 90.65W 02/28/2017 E53.00 MPH MCDONOUGH IL AWOS FROM AWOS

Environment

SPC Severe Weather Event Feb 28, 2017

An upper level disturbance lifted out of the Rockies into the central Great Plains (Fig. 2), and promoted development of a broad area of surface low pressure and a strong cold front from eastern Iowa southwest to northwest Texas (Fig. 1) on Tuesday afternoon. These features, combined with transport of warm air (Fig. 7) and moisture at lower levels (Fig. 3) aided in promoting convective development across east central Iowa and northwest Illinois.


Figure 1: 21z (3:00 P.M) Surface Analysis 02/28/17	Figure 2: 500 mb Height, Temperature and Wind	Figure 3: 850 mb Moisture Transport

While all modes of severe weather were forecast for this event, most reports received were large hail. Extremely high 0-6 km shear approaching 50-60 knots (Fig. 4) was the driver of large hail, with sizes approaching half dollar size near Iowa City, to the sizes of golf balls and tennis balls over Galva in Henry Co. IL. Very high low level helicity approaching 300-400 m2/s2 (Fig. 5), low cloud heights (Fig. 6) and close proximity of the low level warm front promoted development of tornadoes, including an EF-1 tornado near Cherry in Bureau County, and brief EF-0 tornado near Follets in Clinton County. A stronger EF3 tornado developed just east of Bureau and Putnam counties over Naplate and Ottawa. Although cloudy skies dominated for much of the day, modest instability in the form of 1000 J/kg of MUCAPE (Fig. 6) was able to develop across the area.


Figure 4: 0-6 km Deep Layer Vertical Wind Shear	Figure 5: 0-3 km Storm Relative Helicity	Figure 6: 22z (4:00 PM) Analysis of MUCAPE (J/kg) and LCL heights (ft)

Additional Maps


Figure 7: 850mb temp advection

Additional Information

The Forecast


SPC Day 3 Categorical Outlook	SPC Day 3 Probabilistic Outlook	SPC Day 2 Categorical Outlook	SPC Day 2 Probabilistic Outlook

SPC Day 1 Categorical Outlook	SPC Day 1 Tornado Outlook	SPC Day 1 Hail Outlook	SPC Day 1 Wind Outlook

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Severe Weather in the Central Plains; Fire Concerns in the Southern High Plains and Southwest; Late-Season Mountain Snow

Event Summary: February 28, 2017 ** First Local February Tornadoes Recorded **

Event Summary: February 28, 2017 First Local February Tornadoes Recorded