PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LINCOLN IL
330 PM CDT WED APR 21 2004

..TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM EVENT IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS ON APRIL 20...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CENTRAL ILLINOIS SURVEY TEAM CONFIRMED
TWO TORNADOES OVER FAR EASTERN STARK AND INTO WESTERN MARSHALL
COUNTY BETWEEN 514 PM AND 523 PM CDT TUESDAY AFTERNOON APRIL 20.
NO INJURIES OR DEATHS WERE REPORTED WITH THESE TWO TORNADOES.

1) THE FIRST TORNADO WAS RATED F1 WITH WIND SPEEDS ESTIMATED BETWEEN
75 AND 80 MPH...WAS 50 YARDS WIDE AND HAD A PATH LENGTH OF 1.8
MILES. THE TORNADO STARTED 5.5 MILES EAST OF WYOMING IN FAR EASTERN
STARK COUNTY AND LIFTED 1 MILE NORTHEAST OF CAMP GROVE IN FAR
WESTERN MARSHALL COUNTY. THE TORNADO BROKE 5 WINDOWS IN A 2 STORY
FARM HOUSE AND DAMAGED A BARN ROOF. TREES AND A ROAD SIGN WERE
SNAPPED OFF AND ONE TREE WAS UPROOTED. A LOT OF DEBRIS INCLUDING A
TIN ROOF FROM A BARN WAS BLOWN INTO A FIELD FROM A FARMSTEAD.

2) THE SECOND TORNADO WAS RATED F1 WITH WIND SPEEDS ESTIMATED AT 110
MPH...HAD A MAXIMUM WIDTH OF A QUARTER MILE WIDE AND A PATH LENGTH
OF 7.5 MILES. THE TORNADO STARTED 2.5 MILES NORTHEAST OF CAMP GROVE
IN WESTERN MARSHALL COUNTY...PASSED ABOUT A HALF MILE WEST OF
WHITEFIELD...AND TRAVELED 1.5 MILES INTO FAR SOUTHERN BUREAU COUNTY.
THE TORNADO DESTROYED A SHED AND POLE BARN WITH FARM EQUIPMENT WORTH
NEARLY A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS AT 1300 NORTH AND 250 EAST AT
SARATOGA CENTER. NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER LINES WERE BLOWN DOWN. A
LARGE GRAIN BIN WAS BLOWN INTO A FIELD.

HERE IS THE FUJITA SCALE RATING FOR THE INTENSITY OF TORNADOES...

F0...  40 TO  72 MPH
F1...  73 TO 112 MPH
F2... 113 TO 157 MPH
F3... 158 TO 206 MPH
F4... 207 TO 260 MPH
F5... 261 TO 318 MPH

$$

MILLER/HUETTL