Power Outage in Marion, IL

In Creal Springs, a few trees were down, including at least one that fell onto power lines. Four large cedar trees were down a few miles north-northeast of Creal Springs.

Widespread damaging winds continued moving eastward across central and eastern Williamson County, including the city of Marion. Wind gusts were estimated from 60 to 75 mph. Numerous trees and tree limbs were blown down, causing power outages. In Johnston City, trees were down on a few vehicles and one home. The home did not sustain any structural damage, but gutters were damaged. At least 5,000 utility customers were without power.

Widespread wind damage occurred throughout the county. Numerous trees and power lines were down, causing widespread power outages. Some structural damage was reported, mainly due to trees falling on structures. Shingles were blown off a roof in Carterville. A boat dock was damaged at Lake of Egypt, near the Johnson County line.

The tornado touched down in Carterville and tracked east-northeast across Energy to Interstate 57. One to two dozen homes received roof and siding damage. Some of the roof damage was considerable, including loss of the roof decking. One business in Energy sustained major damage, with considerable roof loss and blown out windows. Several barns, sheds, and other structures sustained roof damage. Hundreds of trees were damaged or uprooted. Some downed trees blocked roads. Power poles were snapped. About 400 utility customers lost power throughout the county. The tornado lifted a couple miles northeast of Spillertown, where it was reported by state police. Peak winds were estimated near 105 mph.

The tornado touched down in Carterville and tracked east-northeast across Energy to Interstate 57. One to two dozen homes received roof and siding damage. Some of the roof damage was considerable, including loss of the roof decking. One business in Energy sustained major damage, with considerable roof loss and blown out windows. Several barns, sheds, and other structures sustained roof damage. Hundreds of trees were damaged or uprooted. Some downed trees blocked roads. Power poles were snapped. About 400 utility customers lost power throughout the county. The tornado lifted a couple miles northeast of Spillertown, where it was reported by state police. Peak winds were estimated near 105 mph.

Trees were blown down onto power lines.

This tornado contained estimated peak winds near 100 mph. Three barns and two homes were damaged. Numerous trees were uprooted and snapped. Power lines were blown down. The tornado crossed into Saline County near the southern outskirts of Stonefort.

This tornado contained estimated peak winds near 100 mph. Three barns and two homes were damaged. Numerous trees were uprooted and snapped. Power lines were blown down. The tornado crossed into Saline County near the southern outskirts of Stonefort.

Winds gusted to 60 mph from Carterville across southwest Williamson County, resulting in downed tree limbs and power outages.

On the east edge of Marion near the fairgrounds, a roof was blown off a plumbing business. Metal roof debris was entangled in power lines. The plumbing business was in a large metal shed-type structure. Trees were blown down on a street on the south end of town. Numerous power outages were reported. Portable stop signs were placed at intersections where traffic lights were not functioning. A power pole fell on a car on Old Route 13. About 3,500 utility customers were without power at the peak of the storm.

Power lines were blown down.

The tornado was spawned by the same supercell that produced an EF-2 tornado in Union and extreme southeast Jackson Counties. The tornado touched down in the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, just southeast of Little Grassy Lake. The tornado moved east-northeast across Interstate 57, passing south of Marion. A large metal warehouse building was heavily damaged. Numerous homes sustained mainly minor roof damage. Hundreds of trees were snapped or uprooted, and many power lines were blown down. Several barns and outbuildings were destroyed or heavily damaged. The peak EF-2 intensity estimate was based on damage southeast of Marion, near the location where the tornado crossed Highway 166. Peak winds were estimated near 120 mph. The average path width was 250 yards.

The tornado was spawned by the same supercell that produced an EF-2 tornado in Union and extreme southeast Jackson Counties. The tornado touched down in the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, just southeast of Little Grassy Lake. The tornado moved east-northeast across Interstate 57, passing south of Marion. A large metal warehouse building was heavily damaged. Numerous homes sustained mainly minor roof damage. Hundreds of trees were snapped or uprooted, and many power lines were blown down. Several barns and outbuildings were destroyed or heavily damaged. The peak EF-2 intensity estimate was based on damage southeast of Marion, near the location where the tornado crossed Highway 166. Peak winds were estimated near 120 mph. The average path width was 250 yards.

Wind gusts were estimated from 60 to 70 mph in the Carterville area. A gas station canopy was damaged. A communications tower was blown down. Trees were uprooted, and several homes received damage in Crainville. Tree limbs fell on a car. The area was without power.

Wind gusts were estimated from 60 to 70 mph in the Carterville area. A gas station canopy was damaged. A communications tower was blown down. Trees were uprooted, and several homes received damage in Crainville. Tree limbs fell on a car. The area was without power.

Widespread wind damage occurred countywide. Extensive tree and power line damage resulted in power outages up to several days long. Many power poles were snapped. Countywide, efforts to restore power were complicated by swampy fields, mud, and downed trees. Ninety-five percent of the county was without power at the peak of the outages. Numerous permanent structures were damaged, including major businesses in downtown Marion and Herrin. A total of 33 homes were heavily damaged or destroyed. It is estimated that over 10,000 homes in the county received minor damage (less than 50,000 dollars per house). Gas leaks were common. Most communication by phone was impossible, including cell phones. Stores were closed, making groceries and gas very difficult to obtain locally in the immediate aftermath of the storm. Travel was nearly impossible due to debris and trees blocking roads. While about two dozen people were treated for storm-related injuries at local hospitals, all but one of them was due to post-storm cleanup. Many school facilities were damaged. The roof of Carterville High School was severely damaged. Several windows were blown out of the school. Minor damage occurred at athletic facilities, including the roof blown off a baseball dugout. Many outbuildings and small structures were destroyed across the county. In Carterville, a garage was lifted and dropped on a vehicle. Many vehicles countywide were damaged or destroyed by falling tree and building debris. A state disaster declaration was granted. A dusk-to-dawn curfew was imposed, and a state of emergency was declared. The Williamson County airport near Marion reported a peak gust of 86 mph. Based on the most severe structural damage east of the airport, peak winds were estimated by storm surveyors close to 100 mph. There was extensive damage at the airport, including hangar buildings. A television station on Route 13 was knocked off the air due to structural and roof damage. All along Route 13, signs were blown down, power poles were down, and windows were smashed. Car dealerships along Route 13 sustained damage due to signs falling on vehicles and windows being blown out. Numerous structures sustained varying degrees of roof damage. A large hotel near the Interstate 57 interchange sustained major roof damage. Many trees were down along Interstate 57 from the Route 13 interchange northward, blocking the southbound lanes. Semis on the interstate were overturned or blown off the highway, causing extended traffic delays. One of the drivers of the semis was seriously injured. A tree fell on a van on the interstate. Damaged or destroyed trees were too numerous to count. Cleanup was expected to last through Labor Day, according to the Mayor of Marion.

Numerous trees and power lines were blown down. About 1,500 customers lost power.

Some tree damage was visible from Interstate 57 as far south as Marion. Downed trees and lines caused power outages in Marion and Carterville.

Nine power poles were blown down at the Crab Orchard Wildlife Refuge.

Along the Jackson County border, several power poles and trees were blown down. The strong winds were caused by showers or thunderstorms enhancing gradient winds of around 30 mph.

A few severe thunderstorms occurred during the afternoon and evening hours. A powerful mid-level shortwave trough and its associated 70-80 knot jet streak translated from the southern high Plains into the upper Midwest. On the heels of this initial shortwave trough, a channeled vorticity maximum and attendant 70-knot jet streak progressed across the southern Plains into southwest Missouri. In association with these features, a 40 to 50 knot southerly low-level jet became established over the Mississippi Valley. Isolated severe thunderstorms occurred during the early afternoon hours near a surface warm front lifting north across southern Illinois. During the evening, isolated severe storms occurred ahead of a cold front surging eastward across the Ozark Mountains.

A low pressure system over the northeast corner of Arkansas moved northeast across western Kentucky. A large area of moderate to heavy rain over southern Illinois caused some minor flooding. One to two inches of rain fell in several hours. Several hours of gusty north winds occurred as the low passed by. The strongest winds were in the Wabash Valley. Gusts up to 44 mph were measured at the Mount Carmel airport, and sustained winds were as high as 31 mph. Due to saturated ground that loosened root systems, a number of trees were uprooted. Downed trees and limbs brought down a number of power lines in Wabash County. Most power outages were restored within six hours. One tree fell across a pair of pickup trucks parked in a driveway in the city of Mount Carmel.

A powerful low pressure system moved northeast across central Illinois. Damaging southwest winds occurred during the day as solar heating warmed the lower atmosphere. The peak wind gust was measured at 65 mph at the automated observing station at the Carmi airport in White County. Where the January 27 ice storm left weakened and hanging tree limbs, the wind caused another round of power outages. Ice storm power restoration efforts were set back about 12 hours. Large tree limbs were down. In Massac County, a window was blown out of the second story of a house about ten miles north of Metropolis. In Wayne County, the village of Sims was without power after a television antenna toppled onto a power line.