Flash Flood — Henry, Illinois

2003-04-30 · near Countywide, Henry, Illinois

Wider weather episode

Supercell thunderstorms developed in the afternoon and evening north of a warm front that ran from Southern Iowa into Central Illinois. Three distinct supercells produced a majority of the wind, hail, and heavy rain reports from Jefferson County Iowa into Henry County Illinois. Mercer County Illinois was under tornado warnings on a continuous basis for 2 hours. Officials at a high school track meet in Aledo, Illinois ushered all students into the safety of the school resulting in no injuries. The training of the supercells from Louisa County Iowa to Henry County Illinois dumped heavy rain over the Edwards River and Pope Creek basins in Illinois with radar estimating 9 inches of rain. Actual amounts varied due to large amounts of hail with the storms. Cambridge Illinois estimated 7 to 8 inches of rain fell in the town. Illinois Route 17 was closed due to flooding between Aledo and Viola with Illinois Route 94 closed south of Aledo. In Andover Illinois, two thirds of the town had basements flooded. Toward the end of the event a bow echo developed in Henry County Illinois and raced east across Bureau and Putnam counties. The fire department in Standard, Illinois measured a 69 knot (80 mph) wind gust when the bow echo moved through. In Clinton, Iowa, a lightning strike started a warehouse fire at the Nestle Purnina Complex.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5355439. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.