Environment and Radar
A warm front that actually more of a dew point boundary, was moving northward on late afternoon May 19th into the early evening bringing humid air northward across central and western Illinois. Combined with temperatures in the mid 80s to low 90s, this air mass had strong instability.
May 19: 7:00 pm Surface Weather Map |
As winds increased in the upper levels of the atmosphere across Missouri, eastern Iowa, and northwest Illinois, this leading edge of unstable air was able to be triggered with thunderstorms developing rapidly late in the day Sunday. These storms would evolve north to northeast, in particular one complex which had more organization. This developed a rain-cooled pool of air that produced a quicker forward motion and associated strong gusty winds.
Storm-Centric NWS Chicago Radar Loop - May 19: 7:50 pm - 10:30 pm |
This loop is focused on the organized storm area that evolved across northwest and north central Illinois Sunday evening, producing numerous reports of gusty winds and hail. Click to Enlarge. |
Storm Reports
Nationwide |
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL 1052 PM CDT SUN MAY 19 2013 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0805 PM TSTM WND GST 5 NW POLO 42.04N 89.65W 05/19/2013 E50.00 MPH OGLE IL CO-OP OBSERVER ESTIMATED 40 TO 50 MPH WIND GUSTS ON LEADING EDGE OF THUNDERSTORMS. SMALL TREE BRANCHES DOWN. 0820 PM TSTM WND GST FRANKLIN GROVE 41.84N 89.30W 05/19/2013 E60.00 MPH LEE IL BROADCAST MEDIA ESTIMATED GUST TO 60 MPH. SEVERE DUST STORM REPORTED WITH NEAR ZERO VISIBILITY. 0844 PM TSTM WND GST 2 N WINNEBAGO 42.30N 89.24W 05/19/2013 E45.00 MPH WINNEBAGO IL BROADCAST MEDIA ESTIMATED GUST TO 45 MPH AT WREX WITH A DECENT DUST STORM. 0847 PM HAIL PECATONICA 42.31N 89.36W 05/19/2013 E1.75 INCH WINNEBAGO IL TRAINED SPOTTER GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL NEAR TRASK BRIDGE AND EDDY ROADS. 0852 PM HAIL N ROCKFORD 42.27N 89.06W 05/19/2013 E0.25 INCH WINNEBAGO IL EMERGENCY MNGR PEA SIZE HAIL NEAR LATHAM AND ROCKTON AVE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF ROCKFORD. 0856 PM HAIL ROCKFORD 42.27N 89.06W 05/19/2013 E0.75 INCH WINNEBAGO IL AMATEUR RADIO DIME SIZE HAIL ON CHARLES STREET. 0857 PM HAIL ROCKFORD 42.27N 89.06W 05/19/2013 E0.75 INCH WINNEBAGO IL BROADCAST MEDIA DIME SIZE HAIL IN DOWNTOWN ROCKFORD. 0858 PM HAIL ROCKFORD 42.27N 89.06W 05/19/2013 E1.00 INCH WINNEBAGO IL TRAINED SPOTTER QUARTER SIZE HAIL NEAR GILFORD AND ALPINE. 0858 PM TSTM WND GST ROCKFORD 42.27N 89.06W 05/19/2013 E50.00 MPH WINNEBAGO IL TRAINED SPOTTER ESTIMATED GUST TO 50 MPH NEAR GILFORD AND ALPINE. 0858 PM TSTM WND DMG ROCKTON 42.45N 89.07W 05/19/2013 WINNEBAGO IL PUBLIC POWER LINES DOWN AND POLES LEANING. SHREDDED BRANCHES EVERYWHERE NEAR HONONEGAH ROAD. RELAYED FROM WREX. 0859 PM HAIL ROCKFORD 42.27N 89.06W 05/19/2013 E1.25 INCH WINNEBAGO IL TRAINED SPOTTER QUARTER TO HALF DOLLAR SIZE HAIL 2 MILES WEST OF DOWNTOWN. TIME ESTIMATED. 0905 PM HAIL ROCKFORD 42.27N 89.06W 05/19/2013 E0.25 INCH WINNEBAGO IL AMATEUR RADIO PEA SIZE HAIL NEAR LINDEN AND 35TH STREET. 0913 PM TSTM WND DMG 10 SE DURAND 42.33N 89.19W 05/19/2013 WINNEBAGO IL AMATEUR RADIO EIGHT INCH TREE BRANCHES ON ROUTE 75, ONE MILE EAST OF MERRIDIAN ROAD. 0913 PM HAIL BELVIDERE 42.25N 88.85W 05/19/2013 E0.25 INCH BOONE IL EMERGENCY MNGR ESTIMATED PEA SIZED HAIL AT BEAVER ROAD AND BEAVER SPRING. 0913 PM TSTM WND DMG 10 SE DURAND 42.33N 89.19W 05/19/2013 WINNEBAGO IL AMATEUR RADIO ESTIMATED 25 TO 30 INCH DIAMETER TREE DOWN ON ROUTE 75, APPROXIMATELY 1.5 MILES EAST OF MERRIDIAN ROAD. 0916 PM HAIL BELVIDERE 42.25N 88.85W 05/19/2013 E0.25 INCH BOONE IL TRAINED SPOTTER 0917 PM TSTM WND DMG LOVES PARK 42.34N 89.01W 05/19/2013 WINNEBAGO IL BROADCAST MEDIA TREES DOWN. 0919 PM HAIL BELVIDERE 42.25N 88.85W 05/19/2013 E0.88 INCH BOONE IL EMERGENCY MNGR NICKEL SIZE HAIL NEAR VIESTA AND JULIAN ROADS. 0925 PM HAIL POPLAR GROVE 42.37N 88.82W 05/19/2013 E0.88 INCH BOONE IL TRAINED SPOTTER NICKEL SIZE HAIL AT POPULAR GROVE AIRPORT. && $$ AKREIN