A potent upper-level trough moved east into eastern Kansas and Oklahoma, before assuming a negative tilt and accelerating east-northeast across the Mid-Mississippi and Lower Ohio Valleys. The associated surface low tracked northeast from Kansas across northern Missouri to southern Wisconsin. Ahead of the low and trough, a south-southwesterly low-level jet in excess of 50 knots expanded east across the Mid-Mississippi Valley. An expansive quasi-linear convective system formed along the lead cold front trailing southward from the surface low. Despite rather meager instability, very strong low and mid-level wind fields resulted in organized storm structures with pockets of damaging wind, large hail, and a few isolated tornadoes.

Thunderstorm Wind in JACKSON, ILLINOIS
From 22-JAN-12 21:12:00 to 22-JAN-12 21:12:00 (CST-6)
Location: MURPHYSBORO
Magnitude: 52.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

A 60 mph wind gust was reported on the west side of the city.

Thunderstorm Wind in MASSAC, ILLINOIS
From 22-JAN-12 22:12:00 to 22-JAN-12 22:12:00 (CST-6)
Location: METROPOLIS
Magnitude: 52.00 MG
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A large tree was blown down by a measured wind gust of 60 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind in GALLATIN, ILLINOIS
From 22-JAN-12 22:30:00 to 22-JAN-12 22:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: EQUALITY
Magnitude: 52.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Tornado in EDWARDS, ILLINOIS
From 22-JAN-12 22:42:00 to 22-JAN-12 22:48:00 (CST-6)
Location: ALBION
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 30.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

The tornado produced mainly tree damage. One steel high tension power pole was damaged. The average path width was 50 yards. Peak winds were estimated near 100 mph.

Heavy Rain in PERRY, ILLINOIS
From 22-JAN-12 21:20:00 to 22-JAN-12 22:10:00 (CST-6)
Location: DU QUOIN
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Minor street flooding was reported throughout the community. U.S. Route 51 on the north side of town was underwater.

Hail in MASSAC, ILLINOIS
From 22-JAN-12 22:13:00 to 22-JAN-12 22:13:00 (CST-6)
Location: ROUND KNOB
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Thunderstorm Wind in EDWARDS, ILLINOIS
From 22-JAN-12 22:36:00 to 22-JAN-12 22:39:00 (CST-6)
Location: ELLERY
Magnitude: 78.00 EG
Property damage: 6.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

Trees were snapped and blown down. These straight-line winds occurred with the same storm that produced the EF-2 tornado near Enfield and Centerville in White County and the EF-1 tornado near Albion.

Hail in JEFFERSON, ILLINOIS
From 22-JAN-12 21:38:00 to 22-JAN-12 21:47:00 (CST-6)
Location: MT VERNON
Magnitude: 1.25 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

A swath of quarter to half-dollar size hail extended from two miles west of Mount Vernon into the city.

Tornado in WHITE, ILLINOIS
From 22-JAN-12 22:18:00 to 22-JAN-12 22:32:00 (CST-6)
Location: ENFIELD
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Property damage: 250.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

The tornado's strength was EF-0 to EF-1 for most of its path, except near the intersection of Route 14 and U.S. Highway 45. Near this intersection just south of Enfield, a 60-by-105 foot storage barn with wooden truss and steel wall construction was destroyed. Debris from the barn was blown up to 400 yards away. Many of the contents of the barn were lost. Two combines were damaged. A nearby car-and-a-half cinder block garage was destroyed, with concrete blocks thrown over 100 yards. One block was hurled through a window of a pickup truck. A dog pen on the north side of the garage was blown away, and two dogs were missing. A 40-foot tower was bent halfway up. A nearby house and barn sustained minimal damage. Several smaller barns were damaged or destroyed along the path. A greenhouse was destroyed near Centerville. Several trees were down and snapped. Two power lines were blown down across Illinois Route 14 just east of Highway 45. Route 14 was closed for about an hour and a half. Many utility poles were snapped off or leaning along both U.S. 45 and Illinois Route 14, as well as a few other locations along the path. This tornado struck some of the same property that the 1925 Tri-State Tornado devastated. Peak winds were estimated near 120 mph. The average path width was about 50 yards.

Hail in PERRY, ILLINOIS
From 22-JAN-12 21:12:00 to 22-JAN-12 21:12:00 (CST-6)
Location: PINCKNEYVILLE
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Thunderstorm Wind in JOHNSON, ILLINOIS
From 22-JAN-12 21:52:00 to 22-JAN-12 21:52:00 (CST-6)
Location: BLOOMFIELD
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 4.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Trees were downed just off U.S. Highway 45 less than a mile from the Interstate 24 interchange.

Thunderstorm Wind in SALINE, ILLINOIS
From 22-JAN-12 22:08:00 to 22-JAN-12 22:08:00 (CST-6)
Location: HARRISBURG
Magnitude: 50.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Thunderstorm Wind in MASSAC, ILLINOIS
From 22-JAN-12 22:05:00 to 22-JAN-12 22:05:00 (CST-6)
Location: ROUND KNOB
Magnitude: 52.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A trained spotter measured a wind gust to 60 mph.