Several tornadoes spawned by the remnants of Tropical Storm Bill

On the afternoon of June 19, 2015, remnants of Tropical Storm Bill moved over our region and 
spawned several tornadoes. Most of the tornadoes were fairly short lived but one had a bit
longer of a track. Damage from the tornadoes was mainly to trees/crops, but unfortunately, 
there was significant damage to one home and a business. Tropical storms are known to often
provide the necessary ingredients for tornadoes. As the tropical storm moves inland, the
winds near the surface will weaken but winds aloft will decrease at a slower rate. Therefore,
wind shear in the atmosphere can be strong enough to produce tornadoes, usually northeast of
the center of the storm.
 
A lot of times, tornadoes associated with tropical systems will be weak and short-lived, but  
stronger (EF2) tornadoes can occur. In addition, the rotational signatures seen on 
radar can be extremely weak, making it difficult for forecasters to issue warnings in time.  

Here is a glimpse of the radar on June 19, 2015, right before the first tornado occurred, 
showing the spiral bands rotating around the remnants of Bill. 



PRELIMINARY Damage Surveys 

.TORNADO 1...

RATING:                 EF-1
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND:    90 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/:  0.50 MILE
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/:   50 YARDS
FATALITIES:             0
INJURIES:               0

START TIME:             357 PM CDT
START LOCATION:         2 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GOREVILLE IL...
                        JOHNSON COUNTY

END TIME:               358 PM CDT
END LOCATION:           1.7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GOREVILLE IL...
                        JOHNSON COUNTY

SURVEY SUMMARY:         APPROXIMATELY A HALF MILE WEST OF INTERSTATE
                        24 NEAR EXIT 7. BRIEF TOUCHDOWN.
                        SEVERAL TREES AND LIMBS DOWN.

.TORNADO 2...

RATING:                 EF-1
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND:    95 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/:  0.25 MILE
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/:   70 YARDS
FATALITIES:             0
INJURIES:               0

START TIME:             453 PM CDT
START LOCATION:         1 MILE EAST OF MURPHYSBORO IL...
                        JACKSON COUNTY

END TIME:               454 PM CDT
END LOCATION:           0.75 MILE EAST-NORTHEAST OF MURPHYSBORO IL
                        ...JACKSON COUNTY

SURVEY SUMMARY:         OCCURRED ON THE EASTERN OUTSKIRTS OF
                        MURPHYSBORO ALONG AND EAST OF THE BIG MUDDY
                        RIVER JUST NORTH OF ILLINOIS ROUTE 13.
                        LARGE SECTION OF ROOF INCLUDING RAFTERS
                        OF A COMMERCIAL WOODEN BUILDING BLOWN UP TO
                        300 YARDS. PONTOON FLIPPED OVER. SECOND
                        PONTOON LOFTED ABOUT 200 YARDS. TWO WOODEN
                        POWER POLES SNAPPED. SEVERAL TREE LIMBS AND ONE
                        TREE DOWN. EYEWITNESS HAD VIDEO OF TORNADO.

.TORNADO #3...

RATING: EF-1
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND: 110 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/: .75 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/: 150 YARDS
FATALITIES: 0
INJURIES: 0

START TIME: 4:51 PM CDT
START LOCATION: 2SW WEST FRANKFORT IL (FRANKLIN COUNTY)

END TIME: 4:53 PM CDT
END LOCATION: 2.5 MILES WSW WEST FRANKFORT IL (FRANKLIN COUNTY)

DAMAGE: A LARGE TWO STORY HOUSE SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE LOSING
LARGE PORTIONS OF ITS ROOF AND THE FRONT PORCH. A SMALL STORAGE
SHED AND FENCING WAS ALSO DAMAGED. NEAR THE BEGINNING OF THE
DAMAGE PATH A GARAGE LOST MOST OF ITS ROOF. DOZENS OF TREES AND
TREE LIMBS WERE BROKEN OR UPROOTED. AT LEAST ONE EYEWITNESS SAW
THE TORNADO WHICH BEGAN ALONG DAVIS STREET AND THEN MOVED
NORTHWEST BEFORE ENDING ON THE WEST SIDE OF CR-6 NEAR THE GREEN
RIVER.

.TORNADO #4...

RATING: EF-0
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND: 75 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/: 0.35 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/: 50 YARDS
FATALITIES: 0
INJURIES: 0

START TIME: 5:24 PM CDT
START LOCATION: 1.75 MILES EAST OF MACEDONIA IL (HAMILTON COUNTY)

END TIME: 5:25 PM CDT
END LOCATION: 1.5 MILES EAST NORTHEAST OF MACEDONIA IL

DAMAGE: SEVERAL TREE LIMBS BROKEN. CORN STALKS FLATTENED.

.TORNADO #5...

RATING: EF-0
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND: 85 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/: 4.5 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/: 200 YARDS
FATALITIES: 0
INJURIES: 0

START TIME: 3:13 PM CDT
START LOCATION: 2.5 MILES WEST OF NORRIS CITY IL (WHITE COUNTY)

END TIME: 3:30 PM CDT
END LOCATION: 3.5 MILES SSW OF ENFIELD IL

DAMAGE: CORN BLOWN IN SEVERAL FIELDS. SEVERAL LARGE LIMBS BROKEN.
SMALL SHED BLOWN OVER. SMALL SECTION OF VINYL FENCE BROKEN. TREE UPROOTED.

.TORNADO 6...

RATING:                 EF-0
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND:    75 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/:  1.75 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/:   75 YARDS
FATALITIES:             0
INJURIES:               0

START TIME:             130 PM CDT
START LOCATION:         1 MILE NORTHEAST OF FARMINGTON KENTUCKY

END TIME:               136 PM CDT
END LOCATION:           2.75 MILES NORTHEAST OF FARMINGTON KENTUCKY

SURVEY SUMMARY: SEVERAL TREES AND TREE LIMBS BLOWN DOWN. A WHEAT FIELD
HAD A SWATH OF WHEAT BLOWN DOWN.