A strong cold front moved through the region, triggering showers and thunderstorms.  There were several reports of damaging winds and large hail. Also, four tornadoes occurred in our area.

Thunderstorm Wind in MADISON, ILLINOIS
From 20-FEB-14 15:15:00 to 20-FEB-14 15:20:00 (CST-6)
Location: ALTON
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

Thunderstorm winds blew a utility pole down in Alton. The pole fell onto an occupied car.  One passenger sustained minor injuries.  In Bethalto, several large tree limbs and a two foot diameter tree were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind in MADISON, ILLINOIS
From 20-FEB-14 15:50:00 to 20-FEB-14 15:55:00 (CST-6)
Location: HIGHLAND
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Thunderstorm winds blew off some siding on a few homes as well as some shingles in the Highland area. A few small trees were blown down in Highland.

Thunderstorm Wind in CLINTON, ILLINOIS
From 20-FEB-14 16:15:00 to 20-FEB-14 16:25:00 (CST-6)
Location: AVISTON
Magnitude: 56.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Thunderstorm winds blew off some shingles on a few homes around Aviston.  One mile west of Breese, a shed was blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind in FAYETTE, ILLINOIS
From 20-FEB-14 16:30:00 to 20-FEB-14 16:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: RAMSEY
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

Thunderstorm winds blew shingles and sheeting off of a home in Ramsey.

Thunderstorm Wind in MARION, ILLINOIS
From 20-FEB-14 17:18:00 to 20-FEB-14 17:18:00 (CST-6)
Location: KINMUNDY
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Broadcast Media

Thunderstorm winds blew down several power lines in Kinmundy.

Tornado in PIKE, ILLINOIS
From 20-FEB-14 14:25:00 to 20-FEB-14 14:35:00 (CST-6)
Location: MARTINSBURG
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

The tornado developed over the north side of Martinsburg, Illinois. One home sustained minor roof and fascia damage and one window was damaged along the south side of the home.  A few large trees and several large branches were downed by the tornado.  The tornado then traveled east-northeast and sheared a path of large pine trees 30 to 40 feet tall half a mile north of Martinsburg along and west of County Road 11.  Many of the pine trees were snapped from near the base to half way up the trunk.  The width of this damage area was 80 yards.  The next damage was found approximately 300 yards south of the intersection of County Road 7 and 205th Avenue.  A one story residence home sustained minor fascia damage and a few pine trees were snapped at the bases.  The tornado then totally destroyed a medium size machine shed on the south side of Watsons Cemetery east of the intersection. Several tomb stones were damaged.  Approximately 300 yards east of the cemetery another farmstead sustained damage.  Two empty medium size grain bins were destroyed while another machine shed was destroyed.  Damage was found again at another farmstead located 1 mile west of Detroit, Illinois.  The east side of a two story farm house was moved off its foundation by 5 inches while part of the east side of the roof was tossed to the east.  The upper half of a large barn was removed and tossed to the east. One old machine shed was completely destroyed while two canvas hoop sheds were completely destroyed.  Debris from the machine sheds were tossed a quarter of a mile to the east.  The tornado crossed Illinois Route 106 about a mile west of Detroit and damaged several large trees.  The tornado then directly hit a hog building which was supported by steel I-beams.  The southern part of the structure was pushed to the north and northeast.  Debris from the roof of this structure was tossed over half a mile to the northeast.  The damage width over this area was 80 yards wide.  Damage to this structure was rated EF-2. The tornado continued to the northeast destroying a shed before lifting and dissipating about a mile north northeast of Detroit. Several people were in the area of the shed working on repairing fencing.  One man sustained a minor shoulder injury and was taken to the hospital. The maximum intensity was EF2 with a maximum wind speed of 120 mph. The total path length was 12.09 miles with a maximum width 80 yards.

Tornado in MONTGOMERY, ILLINOIS
From 20-FEB-14 16:09:00 to 20-FEB-14 16:14:00 (CST-6)
Location: NOKOMIS
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

The tornado touched down 4 miles south southeast of Nokomis at the intersection of E 25th Road and Mt. Zion Trail. In this location it took a large section of shingles off of a garage roof and twisted the entire structure slightly off its foundation.  A little further to the northeast it took a large section of roof off of a barn. Some of the metal panels from the roof were thrown about half a mile to the northeast of the structure.  Just northeast of the barn, a double trussed metal transmission tower was blown down. Damage in this area was rated EF1.  The tornado continued to the northeast. Just north of the intersection of Oconee Avenue and E 28th Road, a two foot diameter oak tree was uprooted. Also, in this location there was a 50 yard wide path of major tree damage.  Several trees were uprooted on the west side of Litz Road, about six tenths of a mile north of the intersection of Litz Road and CR 2050N.  From there the tornado continued to the northeast and crossed into Shelby County (WFO Lincoln���s county warning area), about a third of a mile south of the intersection of E 30th Road and N 22nd Avenue. For Montgomery County portion of the tornado, the maximum intensity was EF1 with a max wind speed of 100 mph. The path length of this segment was 6.3 miles and a max width of 50 yards. Overall the maximum intensity was EF2 (in Shelby County about 3.5 miles north northwest of Tower Hill).  The total path length was 22.2 miles with a max path width of 200 yards.

Tornado in FAYETTE, ILLINOIS
From 20-FEB-14 16:36:00 to 20-FEB-14 16:42:00 (CST-6)
Location: BROWNSTOWN
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

The tornado developed 2.8 miles northwest of Brownstown or 0.3 miles north of the intersection of County Roads 1900N and 1375E. One large old tree was down while several large branches along a row of trees were snapped two thirds up the trunk. The damage path was approximately 40 yards wide and damage intensity was rated EF0. Two witnesses observed the tornado near the intersection of County Roads 2000N and 1450E. The tornado was rain wrapped and skipped over this area. One large machine shed was damaged about 150 yards southwest of this intersection while the southern part of another barn southeast of the intersection was severely damaged. Debris from both structures were tossed about one third mile to the northeast. At the intersection of 2100N and 1600E three tall wooden transmission line poles were snapped two thirds up the pole at this intersection.  Approximately 50 yards to the southeast of this intersection a medium size machine shed was severely damaged with the east and south sides of the shed shredded and tossed one third mile to the northeast. The tornado continued northeast and destroyed a large machine shed housing farm equipment. The tornado totally shredded the metal panels and tossed them over one third mile to the north. A medium size machine shed approximately one half mile to the northeast of the large machine shed lost a few metal roof panels.  The tornado lifted and dissipated about 5.5 miles north northeast of Brownstown. The maximum intensity was EF1 with a maximum wind speed of 105 mph. The total path length was 4.8 miles with a maximum width 50 yards.

Tornado in MADISON, ILLINOIS
From 20-FEB-14 15:57:00 to 20-FEB-14 15:58:00 (CST-6)
Location: HIGHLAND WINET ARPT
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

The tornado touched down about 3.4 miles northeast of Highland, in Madison County, on Trestle Road causing window, roof and tree damage to a home, and then totally destroyed a large commercial metal storage building just northeast of the home.  The tornado then crossed the county line into Bond County. For the Madison County portion of the tornado, the maximum intensity was EF1 with a path length of 1.06 miles and a max path width of 50 yards. Overall, the maximum intensity for the entire tornado was EF1 with a maximum wind speed of 105 mph. The total path length was 12.31 miles with a maximum width 50 yards.

Tornado in BOND, ILLINOIS
From 20-FEB-14 15:58:00 to 20-FEB-14 16:12:00 (CST-6)
Location: PIERRON
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

After crossing from Madison County into Bond County, the tornado continued to produce intermittent tree damage as it headed northeast and crossed Illinois Route 143 and then totally destroyed a farm outbuilding along Pokey Road. Another farmstead was struck northeast of the farm outbuilding, where the tornado totally destroyed a pole barn and produced extensive damage to a home from a falling oak tree. The tornado continued to produce damage to trees and outbuildings as it moved northeast with roof and siding damage also occurring to a home on Millersburg Road. It lifted and dissipated just southwest of the intersection of Airport Avenue and Dudleyville Road, three miles south of Greenville. For the Bond County portion of the tornado, the maximum intensity was EF1 with a path length of 11.25 miles and a max path width of 50 yards. Overall, the maximum intensity for the entire tornado was EF1 with a maximum wind speed of 105 mph. The total path length was 12.31 miles with a maximum width 50 yards.