Extreme Heat in the Central US Expands to the East; Heavy Rains from the Southern Plains to the Great Lakes

Dangerous, long-lasting heat remains across the Mid-South to Mid-Mississippi Valley, while heat expands into the Northeast for a brief period on Friday. Strong to isolated severe thunderstorms and heavy rain pose a flash flooding threat from from the southern High Plains east to the Great Lakes. Tropical Depression 12W brings heavy rain to Guam & the Marianas through Saturday. Read More >

Overview

A round of strong to severe thunderstorms impacted the region during the late night and early morning hours of Jan. 11-12. The storms produced some gusty winds and even a tornado as they crossed the Mississippi River into extreme southern Illinois and extreme west Kentucky. The main hazard then became large hail across western Kentucky.

Tornado
Damage Photos
Radar
Storm Reports

Tornadoes:

Tornado - North of LaCenter, KY to Hillerman, IL
Ballard, McCracken, Massac Counties

Date	Jan. 12, 2023
Time (Local)	2:03 AM-2:10 AM CST
EF Rating	EF-1
Est. Peak Winds	90 mph
Path Length	6.7 miles
Max Width	200 yards
Injuries/Deaths	0 / 0
Summary: Tornado began several miles northwest of Kevil, KY. A few homes were damaged, including roof and siding damage. Many trees were snapped and/or uprooted. Multiple metal roof panels were blown off two large barns. The top half of a clay tile silo was destroyed. The tornado ended in western Massac County near Hillerman.

Track Map (click for full size)

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

Tornado Damage Photos:

Click on photos for larger size.


Northern Ballard Co. damage	Silo damage in Ballard Co., KY	Minor tree damage at end of tornado track in Massac Co, IL	Larger scale path map.

Radar

Regional radar loop from 1:00 AM to 6:00 AM CST (Courtesy of Iowa State).

Paducah radar still images (click on images for full size).


0.5 degree reflectivity (left) and SRM (right) at 2:04 AM CST near tornado touchdown time	0.5 degree reflectivity (left) and KDP (right) at 3:34 AM CST during Reidland, KY hailstorm

Storm Reports

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
546 PM CST THU JAN 12 2023

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0104 AM     HAIL             BLOOMFIELD              36.89N 89.93W
01/12/2023  E0.50 INCH       STODDARD           MO   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            FAIRLY LENGTHY AMOUNT OF UP TO HALF INCH
            HAIL AS STORM PASSED THE SHERIFFS OFFICE.

0203 AM     TORNADO          5 NW KEVIL              37.14N 88.95W
01/12/2023                   BALLARD            KY   NWS STORM SURVEY

            EF-1 TORNADO WITH PEAK WINDS NEAR 90 MPH.
            TRACK BEGAN IN NORTHERN BALLARD CO KY AND
            ENDED IN MASSAC COUNTY IL NEAR HILLERMAN,
            IL. PATH LENGTH 6.7 MI AND MAX WIDTH ABOUT
            200 YDS. DAMAGE TO A FEW HOMES, INCLUDING
            ROOF AND SIDING LOSS. MANY TREES SNAPPED
            AND/OR UPROOTED. MULTIPLE METAL ROOF PANELS
            BLOWN OFF TWO LARGE BARNS. MINOR FENCE
            DAMAGE AT A CHURCH. TOP HALF OF A CLAY TILE
            SILO DESTROYED.

0223 AM     HAIL             MARION                  37.34N 88.08W
01/12/2023  E1.75 INCH       CRITTENDEN         KY   BROADCAST MEDIA

            PHOTOS OF GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL IN MARION, KY.
            TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.

0249 AM     HAIL             CLAY                    37.48N 87.82W
01/12/2023  E1.00 INCH       WEBSTER            KY   TRAINED SPOTTER



0300 AM     HAIL             1 NNE MELODY HILL       38.03N 87.51W
01/12/2023  U0.75 INCH       VANDERBURGH        IN   PUBLIC

            REPORT FROM MPING: DIME (0.75 IN.).

0304 AM     HAIL             STURGIS                 37.55N 87.98W
01/12/2023  E1.00 INCH       UNION              KY   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            UNION CO DISPATCH PROVIDED A REPORT OF
            QUARTER SIZED HAIL WHEN THE STORMS MOVED
            THROUGH. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.


0320 AM     HAIL             1 E LYNNVILLE           38.20N 87.30W
01/12/2023  U0.75 INCH       WARRICK            IN   PUBLIC

            REPORT FROM MPING: DIME (0.75 IN.).

0334 AM     HAIL             1 NNW REIDLAND          37.02N 88.53W
01/12/2023  E1.75 INCH       MCCRACKEN          KY   PUBLIC

            GOLFBALL HAIL REPORTED IN REIDLAND.

0335 AM     HAIL             REIDLAND                37.01N 88.53W
01/12/2023  M1.00 INCH       MCCRACKEN          KY   EMERGENCY MNGR

            QUARTER SIZED HAIL BETWEEN EXITS 16 AND 17
            IN THE REIDLAND AREA.

0347 AM     HAIL             1 SE CALVERT CITY       37.03N 88.34W
01/12/2023  U1.00 INCH       MARSHALL           KY   PUBLIC

            REPORT FROM MPING: QUARTER (1.00 IN.).

0400 AM     HAIL             2 NW MASONVILLE         37.69N 87.06W
01/12/2023  M0.88 INCH       DAVIESS            KY   PUBLIC



0412 AM     HAIL             2 W PRINCETON           37.11N 87.91W
01/12/2023  E1.00 INCH       CALDWELL           KY   STORM CHASER



0419 AM     HAIL             2 WNW SEBREE            37.62N 87.57W
01/12/2023  U1.75 INCH       WEBSTER            KY   PUBLIC

            REPORT FROM MPING: GOLF BALL (1.75 IN.).

0519 AM     HAIL             3 SW MURRAY             36.58N 88.34W
01/12/2023  U0.50 INCH       CALLOWAY           KY   PUBLIC

            REPORT FROM MPING: HALF-INCH (0.50 IN.).

0530 AM     HAIL             4 SW CADIZ              36.83N 87.87W
01/12/2023  M0.25 INCH       TRIGG              KY   CO-OP OBSERVER

            PEA SIZED HAIL 4 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CADIZ.

0603 AM     HAIL             HOPKINSVILLE            36.85N 87.49W
01/12/2023  M0.25 INCH       CHRISTIAN          KY   TRAINED SPOTTER

            PEA SIZED HAIL AT THE JENNIE STUART MEDICAL
            CENTER IN HOPKINSVILLE.

0617 AM     HAIL             PEMBROKE                36.77N 87.36W
01/12/2023  M0.25 INCH       CHRISTIAN          KY   TRAINED SPOTTER

            PEA SIZED HAIL IN THE PEMBROKE AREA.

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Extreme Heat in the Central US Expands to the East; Heavy Rains from the Southern Plains to the Great Lakes

Overview of the Jan. 11-12 thunderstorms and a tornado