NOAA's National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

PRELIMINARY DAMAGE SURVEY FOR SOUTHERN CLINTON COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS.

On April 5, 2003, National Weather Service personnel from WFO St. Louis completed a survye of damage over parts of southern Clinton county in southwest Illinois.   Preliminary findings indicate that one tornadic damage track was uncovered in south-central Clinton county Illinois.  The tornado damage track occurred in the Santa-Fe flood plain, north and along the Kaskaskia River. 

The tornado initially touched down approximately 2 miles south of the community of Bartelso Illinois in the Santa Fe flood plain.  One machine shed was completel destroyed just northeast of the point of the initial touchdown.  The tornado moved northeastward across the flood plain and directly hit a second machine shed.  This building was also completely destroyed by the tornado.  The destruction of both machine sheds suggested that the damage was rated the lower end of F1 intensity.  A group of large trees 150 yards downwind (east-northeast) of the second machine shed sustained varying degrees of damage.  The tornado crossed Tony road and damaged a second group of large trees just east of a levee.  The tornado initially touchdown at approximately 5:05 pm and continued for the next ten minutes.

The survey included areas north and east of the original tornado track.  Two witnesses 1 and 1.5 miles northeast of the intersection of Highways 127 and 161 reported observing a funnel cloud.  However no tornadic damage was uncovered over the remainder of far eastern Clinton County Illinois.

Map of tornadic damage path over south-central Clinton County Illinois.  The tornado initially
touchdown at approximately 5:05 PM CST. 


Fujita Scale
F0 -  40 - 72 mph
F1 -  73 - 112 mph
F2 -  113 - 157 mph
F3 -  158 - 206 mph
F4 -  207 - 260 mph
F5 -  261 - 318 mph

Photos of the tornado approximately 2.0 miles southeast of community of Bartelso.  Viewing to the southeast. Courtesy of photos from Mr. Patrick Kreke. (Click on thumbnails for larger image).

Photos of the damage of the second machine shed 2.0 miles southeast of the town of Bartelso Illinois.
(Click on thumbnails for larger image).

Ron Przybylinski
SOO / WFO St. Louis (04/08/03)