NOAA's National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

Tornado formed in St. Clair County south of  East St. Louis.   It leveled farms in and near New Baden where 13 people were killed.  An additional death occurred in the destruction of a farm house near Germantown.  The tornado killed a total of 24 people and injured 125.

Tornado occurred near Shattuc, in Meridian Township.  Pieces of barns were carried for a mile.  A two-story "very substantial" home was lifted, turned around, and dropped.  Oak trees with trunks 20 inches in diameter were "twisted into splinters".

Developed over St. Clair County and moved E along US-50 through Trenton, Aviston, and Breese.  About 50 homes were unroofed, torn apart or damaged.  Strongest intensity was over St. Clair County where the tornado produced F4 damage and killed 3 people.

Developed over St. Clair County and moved NE through the western parts of the county before exiting into Bond and Fayette Counties.  Most of the damage was over St. Clair county.

First damage was at the west edge of Aviston and continued ENE through town and into farm country.  Much roof and small building damage with two concrete block structures included.  Other buildings damaged by flying debris.  Heaviest damage was on a farm 2 miles ENE of Aviston where several buildings and farm machinery were destroyed or badly damaged.  Large hedge trees uprooted or twisted off.   Path easily visible across stalk field NE of farm buildings with orientation of stalks showing rotary motion of winds.

Two barns SW of Breese, 6 homes and restaurant in Breese were destroyed.  Roof and outbuilding damage in town and intermittently to NE for about 10 miles.

Intermittent NE path of farm damage from W of Albers to NE of Breese with damage to buildings at edge of Breese.  

A tornado touched down intermittently as it traveled about 2 miles.  The tornado was observed to have touched down twice one mile south of Breese lifting roofs and debris in the air in a twirling manner.  Damage to out-building on one farm estimated at $26,000, while damage to another farm was estimated at $3,000.  Damage to a third farm was not substantiated.

A tornado traveled more than 15 miles through the town of New Baden.  As it entered the southwestern part of town it destroyed 44 apartments units of an apartment complex.  As many as 74 mobile homes were destroyed as the tornado struck a mobile home park.  Two persons were killed in their mobile homes when they were destroyed.  Numerous gas lines were severed when the mobile homes were ripped from their concrete pads.  Sixteen homes and several more mobile homes were also destroyed as the tornado turned eastward and traveled out of town.  Most of the damage was confined to a 3 by 6 block area.  

Farm buildings were twisted and destroyed.

A small tornado initially touched down north of Carlyle in the vicinity of the Fun Center on Highway 127. Supports on some of the equipment were ripped off and driven into the ground by the tornado. The tornado damaged 2 homes northeast of the Fun Center ripping off roof shingles and damaging the roof of a garage. A pole barn was also destroyed. 

A tornado caused sporadic damage as it traveled through bottom land near the Kaskaskia River south and southeast of Bartelso. Two well built farm buildings were destroyed by the tornado, one south and the other southeast of Bartelso. Trees were also downed and mangled by the tornado.

A tornado caused brief damage to a farmstead over south-central Clinton County Illinois. The tornado occurred 4 miles south of Germantown Illinois in the Santa Fe flood plain along and north of the Kaskaskia River. A barn, machine shed, and silo sustained the greatest degree of damage while there was minor damage to the farm home. Debris from the farmstead was thrown from 200 yards to 1.4 mile northeast. This tornado occurred approximately 2.0 miles to the east-northeast of another tornado that hit the area on April 4, 2003.

Local law enforcement reported a brief tornado touchdown along Stolletown Road. No damage was reported.

A tornado formed at 4:50 pm CDT 3.5 miles northeast of Breese Illinois just northwest of the intersection of Stollentown Road and Old State Highway 21. The tornado damaged machine sheds, one home and other farm buildings 1/2 mile north of this intersection. Sheet metal from these buildings were tossed 1/4 to 1/3 mile to the northeast in an open field. The tornado continued to travel to the northeast and damaged several large trees northeast of the farmstead. Three other farmsteads were hit by this tornado approximately 3.5 to 4 miles north of Carlyle Illinois just north of the intersection of Highway 127 and Hazlet Park road. Sheet metal from the outbuildings were tossed 1/4 to 1/3 mile northeast of the farmsteads. A garage and 60 foot silo on one of the farmsteads was also damaged by the tornado. Total damage track of the Breese Illinois tornado was 7 miles while the damage width varied from 50 to 80 yards.

G - Grazulis, T. P., 1993: Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991.  A Chronology and Analysis of Events. Environmental Films, Tornado Project, St. Johsnbury, VT.
SD - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 1959-2004: Storm Data. Vols. 1-46, Nos. 1-12, National Climatic Data Center, Asheville, NC.
SPC - Storm Prediction Center Database