A powerful cold front moved rapidly southeast across southern Illinois during the late afternoon hours. An organized line of severe thunderstorms developed along the front as it approached southern Illinois. Widespread damaging winds accompanied the line of storms. Temperatures fell about 30 degrees in less than one hour when the very strong cold front passed through.

Thunderstorm Wind in PULASKI, ILLINOIS
From 29-JAN-08 16:26:00 to 29-JAN-08 16:41:00 (CST-6)
Location: ULLIN
Magnitude: 61.00 EG
Property damage: 100.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Numerous trees were blown down across the county, especially from  Ullin north. The roof was partially blown off a high school just east of Ullin. In Mound City, trees penetrated the roofs of two homes. A roof was damaged in Olmsted. Several vehicles were damaged by falling trees around the county.

Thunderstorm Wind in SALINE, ILLINOIS
From 29-JAN-08 16:32:00 to 29-JAN-08 16:47:00 (CST-6)
Location: ELDORADO
Magnitude: 65.00 EG
Property damage: 200.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Damage was reported between Raleigh and Eldorado. Two mobile homes were destroyed. The steeple of a church was blown off in Eldorado. A large tree fell onto a car. An outbuilding was destroyed, and a large tree fell on the corner of a house. Several houses lost pieces of roofing. A carport was lifted and blown onto a van. An oil-filled tank overturned and spilled oil. About 30 homes and businesses reported roof damage across the county, and another 30 were suspected of not reporting or not detecting damage. Downed trees and power lines were reported along Hilltop Road and U.S. 45. Widespread tree damage occurred throughout the county.

Hail in WILLIAMSON, ILLINOIS
From 29-JAN-08 16:28:00 to 29-JAN-08 16:28:00 (CST-6)
Location: MARION
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Nickel size hail was reported on the south side of Marion.

Hail in SALINE, ILLINOIS
From 29-JAN-08 16:39:00 to 29-JAN-08 16:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: GALATIA
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Thunderstorm Wind in EDWARDS, ILLINOIS
From 29-JAN-08 16:55:00 to 29-JAN-08 16:55:00 (CST-6)
Location: BROWNS
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 15.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

A semi was blown into another semi, blocking Illinois Route 1.

Thunderstorm Wind in JOHNSON, ILLINOIS
From 29-JAN-08 16:30:00 to 29-JAN-08 16:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: GOREVILLE
Magnitude: 61.00 EG
Property damage: 150.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

An old house was blown completely off its foundation and destroyed. A boat, camper, and large pole barn were destroyed. Roofs were damaged nearby, and trees were blown down in the area.

Thunderstorm Wind in WHITE, ILLINOIS
From 29-JAN-08 16:45:00 to 29-JAN-08 16:55:00 (CST-6)
Location: GRAYVILLE
Magnitude: 61.00 EG
Property damage: 100.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

A large section of the roof was torn off an elementary school on the west side of Grayville. A nursing home in Grayville sustained some roof damage. A barn west of town was destroyed. Several trees and utility poles were down. South of Carmi, some outbuildings were destroyed near Epworth. Sheet metal was blown into a power substation. In Norris City, the Masonic lodge lost its roof. On Route 1, a motorist drove into a fallen tree across the road.

Thunderstorm Wind in GALLATIN, ILLINOIS
From 29-JAN-08 17:00:00 to 29-JAN-08 17:10:00 (CST-6)
Location: SHAWNEETOWN
Magnitude: 65.00 EG
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

The roof was blown off of a tool shop in the community of Shawneetown.  At Ridgway, power lines were down, and a mobile home was blown off its foundation.

Hail in FRANKLIN, ILLINOIS
From 29-JAN-08 16:03:00 to 29-JAN-08 16:17:00 (CST-6)
Location: SESSER
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Nickel size hail was reported at Sesser and along Interstate 57 at the Benton exit.

Thunderstorm Wind in JEFFERSON, ILLINOIS
From 29-JAN-08 15:59:00 to 29-JAN-08 16:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: MT VERNON
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 40.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

In Mt. Vernon, several trees and power lines were blown down. Some streets were blocked. In McClellan, a pole barn was destroyed. The roof of a nearby house received major damage, and siding was torn from it.

Hail in JACKSON, ILLINOIS
From 29-JAN-08 16:15:00 to 29-JAN-08 16:17:00 (CST-6)
Location: CARBONDALE
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Thunderstorm Wind in HAMILTON, ILLINOIS
From 29-JAN-08 16:18:00 to 29-JAN-08 16:18:00 (CST-6)
Location: DAHLGREN
Magnitude: 61.00 EG
Property damage: 6.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A garage roof was blown off.

Thunderstorm Wind in ALEXANDER, ILLINOIS
From 29-JAN-08 16:17:00 to 29-JAN-08 16:25:00 (CST-6)
Location: OLIVE BRANCH
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 20.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Trees were blown down. A tree was down on a trailer. Road signs were down on Illinois Route 3 at Olive Branch.

Thunderstorm Wind in WAYNE, ILLINOIS
From 29-JAN-08 16:18:00 to 29-JAN-08 16:18:00 (CST-6)
Location: KEENES
Magnitude: 65.00 EG
Property damage: 75.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Roofs were off of buildings, and a farm silo was destroyed. Trees were  uprooted, and some tops of trees were blown off. Damage was reported to an outbuilding.

Thunderstorm Wind in UNION, ILLINOIS
From 29-JAN-08 16:05:00 to 29-JAN-08 16:20:00 (CST-6)
Location: WARE
Magnitude: 65.00 EG
Property damage: 100.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Roofs were blown off, and trees were blown down on U.S. Highway 51 south of Anna. East of Anna in the Mt. Pleasant area, numerous trees were down and structures were damaged. A roof was blown off a house west of Jonesboro. Countywide, a large number of trees and utility lines were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind in JACKSON, ILLINOIS
From 29-JAN-08 15:50:00 to 29-JAN-08 16:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: MURPHYSBORO
Magnitude: 63.00 MG
Property damage: 100.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

Widespread damage was reported throughout the county. Rooftop heating units were damaged. A trailer was blown off of its foundation, and numerous trees were down countywide. The wind gusted to 73 mph at the middle school in Murphysboro. The automated observing system at the Carbondale airport measured a peak wind of 73 mph. Trees were down throughout Murphysboro. Minor damage was reported to several homes and businesses in town, mainly to roofs.

Hail in PERRY, ILLINOIS
From 29-JAN-08 16:04:00 to 29-JAN-08 16:04:00 (CST-6)
Location: DU QUOIN
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Hail in ALEXANDER, ILLINOIS
From 29-JAN-08 16:25:00 to 29-JAN-08 16:25:00 (CST-6)
Location: TAMMS
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Hail in WABASH, ILLINOIS
From 29-JAN-08 16:56:00 to 29-JAN-08 16:56:00 (CST-6)
Location: LANCASTER
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

Thunderstorm Wind in PERRY, ILLINOIS
From 29-JAN-08 15:50:00 to 29-JAN-08 15:50:00 (CST-6)
Location: DU QUOIN
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 20.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Utility Company

Numerous branches and power lines were down, affecting several dozen residences. Siding was blown off the sides of a church. A large awning was blown off a newspaper building.

Thunderstorm Wind in FRANKLIN, ILLINOIS
From 29-JAN-08 16:15:00 to 29-JAN-08 16:15:00 (CST-6)
Location: BENTON
Magnitude: 61.00 EG
Property damage: 15.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A portion of roof was blown off of a garage, damaging a vehicle  traveling along a roadway in downtown Benton.

Thunderstorm Wind in WAYNE, ILLINOIS
From 29-JAN-08 16:30:00 to 29-JAN-08 16:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: FAIRFIELD
Magnitude: 65.00 EG
Property damage: 120.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Roofs were blown off homes and other buildings in and around Fairfield. A roof was blown off of a house along U.S. Highway 45 just south of town. U.S. Highway 45 was closed between Interstate 64 and Fairfield after trees blew across the highway. A 60-foot tall concrete silo was blown over, and several large grain bins were destroyed. Temperatures dropped 26 degrees in less than 30 minutes at the Fairfield airport.

Thunderstorm Wind in WABASH, ILLINOIS
From 29-JAN-08 17:10:00 to 29-JAN-08 17:10:00 (CST-6)
Location: MT CARMEL
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Wind gusts to 60 mph were reported on the east side of town. No electrical power was on the east side of the community.

Tornado in UNION, ILLINOIS
From 29-JAN-08 16:12:00 to 29-JAN-08 16:13:00 (CST-6)
Location: WOLF LAKE
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

The tornado crossed the Mississippi River from Cape Girardeau County, Missouri. During its short path in Union County, a large grain bin was blown onto a road. Numerous shingles were blown off a farm house. A couple of trees were uprooted. The average path width was 50 yards. Peak winds were estimated near 95 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind in MASSAC, ILLINOIS
From 29-JAN-08 16:50:00 to 29-JAN-08 17:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: MERMET
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 100.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

In Metropolis, some roofing was blown onto streets. Boats on trailers were overturned. In the Mermet area, windows were blown out of a house. Shingles were blown off houses. In and around Brookport, metal sheds were blown into trees. Two mobile homes were flipped over. At least three other mobile homes were damaged. Widespread tree damage occurred countywide.