May 30, 2004

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May 30, 2004

• The Day of Supercells

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Storm Summary

• An outbreak of isolated supercell storms and
  tornadoes occurred during the midday hours,
  followed by a widespread damaging wind event
  during the evening. All combined, over 5 million
  dollars in damage occurred. Dozens of homes were
  damaged. Ten tornadoes were confirmed, including
  two that reached F-2 intensity. One F-2 tornado
  caused major damage in Newburgh, IN. Damaging
  winds occurred in 56 counties in southern
  Illinois, southwest Indiana, southeast Missouri,
  and western Kentucky. No injuries were reported.

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PDS Tornado Watch 331

• ...CORFIDI 403,0902 344,0924 344,0960 403,0940
  WWUS20 KWNS 301650 SEL1 SPC WW 301650
  ILZ000-INZ000-KYZ000-310000- URGENT -
  IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED TORNADO WATCH
  NUMBER 331 NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
  1150 AM EST SUN MAY 30 2004 THE NWS STORM
  PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH FOR
  PORTIONS OF EASTERN AND SOUTHERN ILLINOIS MUCH
  OF INDIANA WESTERN AND CENTRAL KENTUCKY
  EFFECTIVE THIS SUNDAY MORNING AND EVENING FROM
  1150 AM UNTIL 700 PM EST. ...THIS IS A
  PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION... DESTRUCTIVE
  TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL TO 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER...
  THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH...AND
  DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.
  THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 80 STATUTE
  MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 25 MILES
  NORTHWEST OF FORT WAYNE INDIANA TO 10 MILES WEST
  OF FORT CAMPBELL KENTUCKY. REMEMBER...A TORNADO
  WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
  TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE
  TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD
  BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER
  CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND
  POSSIBLE WARNINGS. OTHER WATCH
  INFORMATION...CONTINUE...WW 329...WW 330...
  DISCUSSION...NRN IL MCS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE
  EWD INTO IND LATER THIS AFTERNOON...WITH
  EMBEDDED SUPERCELLS MAINTAINING A THREAT FOR
  ISOLATED TORNADOES/DAMAGING SURFACE WINDS.
  FARTHER S AND E... SUPERCELLS ALSO EXPECTED TO
  DEVELOP IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS ALONG DIFFUSE
  NW/SE WARM FRONT ACROSS CNTRL PARTS OF IND/KY.
  ISOLATED ACTIVITY NOW DEVELOPING IN WARM SECTOR
  OVER SERN IL/WRN KY MAY ALSO PERSIST AS SURFACE
  HEATING COUNTERACTS WARM ADVECTION LIKELY
  OCCURRING IN THE 800-700 MB LAYER. VERY RICH
  MOISTURE INFLOW AND STRENGTHENING DEEP WIND
  FIELDS MAY SUPPORT A FEW TORNADOES IN ADDITION
  TO LARGE HAIL/HIGH WIND. AVIATION...TORNADOES
  AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL SURFACE
  AND ALOFT TO 2 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND
  SURFACE WIND GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS. A FEW
  CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 550. MEAN STORM
  MOTION VECTOR 27025.

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The Paths

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The Tornadoes
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The Damage
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Dangerous Clouds
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Helpful Links

• National Weather Service Paducah, Kentucky
• Weather Safety
• Evansville Radar
• Note on the power point All pictures and some
  information may be credited to NOAA and the
  National Weather Service Forecast Office in
  Paducah, KY.