June 2021 North American storm complex

June 2021 North American storm complex
TypeFloods, Tornado outbreak
DurationJune 18–19, 2021
Highest winds
  • 90 mph (140 km/h)
Tornadoes
confirmed		7
Max. rating1EF2 tornado
Fatalities1
Damage$1.9 billion (hail), $1.56 million (tornadoes), $51.7 million (floods)[1][2]
Power outages40,000
Areas affectedMidwestern United States
Part of the Tornadoes of 2021

1Most severe tornado damage; see Enhanced Fujita scale

On June 18–19, 2021, a severe weather outbreak affected the Midwestern United States, affecting the states of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. Floods, caused by training convection,[3] caused $51.7 million in damage and causing rainfall amounts of up to 7 inches (180 mm) across western Indiana,[4] causing one death.[5] Hail damage also occurred from the storm complex system, which caused damage across several states that amounted to $1.9 million. A tornado outbreak also ensued, with 2 EF2 and 5 EF1 tornadoes confirmed, which caused $1.56 million in damage.

Meteorological history

On the morning of June 18, heavy rainfall-producing convection developed across portions of Ohio in an unstable environment, which included an enhanced moisture axis.[6] Afternoon heat resulted in the development of severe thunderstorms.[7] However, the thunderstorms had not fully matured until later that evening, as warm air kept the thunderstorms from becoming severe.[7] Thereafter, severe thunderstorms originated from a boundary front after the weakening of the warm air, which led to repeated rounds of thunderstorms over portions of southern Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio, in which were situated by a complex of thunderstorms over Iowa.[7]

Impact

The hail event associated with the storm complex included a 4-inch hailstone, which fell in Bridgewater, Iowa, and hail up to 1.5 inches in diameter were reported in the Quad Cities area.[8][9] Large hail impacted northern fringes of Indianapolis, Indiana, with one event in which hail damaged parked cars near Castleton Square Mall.[10] The hail also caused damage across the Dayton metropolitan area in Ohio which damaged vehicles in Northridge.[11] The hail event alone caused $1.9 billion in damage.[12]

One person drowned in Bloomington, Indiana after he drove his car through floodwaters and was swept into a swollen Clear Creek.[13] One street in Bloomington was several feet underwater as other streets and cars were inundated, and as much as seven inches of rain was reported in Ellettsville, Indiana.[5][14][4] Beaches at Monroe Lake were closed after heavy rainfall rose water levels.[15]

The highest wind gusts were recorded around 80–90 miles per hour (130–140 km/h), in Knox and Fulton counties in Illinois.[16]

Tornado outbreak

Confirmed tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita rating
EFU EF0 EF1 EF2 EF3 EF4 EF5 Total
0 0 5 2 0 0 0 7
EF2 damage to a home east-southeast of Bryant, Indiana.

Seven tornadoes touched down in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois as a result of the severe weather outbreak. Two EF2 tornadoes caused severe damage to trees, outbuildings, power poles, and homes near Portland, Indiana and Fort Recovery, Ohio respectively.[17][18] A high-end EF1 tornado struck the town of Milan, Indiana, downing numerous trees, destroying a garage, and tearing shingles, siding, and gutters from homes. Another EF1 tornado near Moores Hill, Indiana damaged two homes and downed trees. An EF1 tornado also caused roof and tree damage near Germantown, Ohio, while another EF1 tornado damaged farm buildings, crops, and trees near the town of DeLong, Illinois. Numerous reports of straight-line winds, large hail, and flooding were received as well.[19][20] More than 40,000 people lost power during the storm.[21] Numerous flash flood watches, warnings, and tornado warnings were issued in parts of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio.[22] Combined, the tornadoes inflicted $1.56 million in damages.

Confirmed tornadoes

List of confirmed tornadoes – Friday, June 18, 2021[note 1]
EF# Location County / Parish State Start Coord. Time (UTC) Path length Max width Summary
EF2 SE of Bryant to N of Bellfountain Jay IN 40°31′17″N 84°55′04″W / 40.5214°N 84.9178°W / 40.5214; -84.9178 (Westchester (June 18, EF2)) 19:50–20:07 5.38 mi (8.66 km) 500 yd (460 m) The tornado quickly strengthened to high-end EF2 intensity and passed near Portland after developing. Several farm buildings were completely destroyed with debris strewn through fields, and multiple homes at farmsteads were severely damaged. A 100 ft (30 m) telecommunications tower was toppled, and trees were snapped or uprooted along the path. Several cattle were killed.[23]
EF2 NW of Fort Recovery to SW of Wendelin Mercer OH 40°25′58″N 84°47′30″W / 40.4327°N 84.7917°W / 40.4327; -84.7917 (Fort Recovery (June 18, EF2)) 20:12–20:25 5.6 mi (9.0 km) 200 yd (180 m) As the tornado touched down near the Indiana/Ohio state line, it lifted several roofs off of outbuildings and collapsed a cinder block wall at a lumber yard. The tornado intensified as it moved southeast, with multiple homes sustaining significant roof damage, one of which lost over half of its roof. Outbuildings were destroyed, attached garages were removed, power poles were snapped, and major tree damage occurred. Debris from destroyed outbuildings was scattered up to a half-mile away, and projectiles were embedded into the exterior wall of a building. The tornado then rapidly weakened, damaging an outbuilding and partially removing the top of a silo before dissipating.[24]
EF1 SE of Gratis to SW of Germantown Montgomery, Butler OH 39°37′05″N 84°28′11″W / 39.6181°N 84.4696°W / 39.6181; -84.4696 (Gratis (June 18, EF1)) 00:38–00:43 2.75 mi (4.43 km) 100 yd (91 m) Roofing material was lifted from a home and a barn, and trees were snapper or uprooted.[25][26]
EF1 Milan Ripley IN 39°09′59″N 85°11′47″W / 39.1663°N 85.1963°W / 39.1663; -85.1963 (Milan (June 18, EF1)) 00:51–00:57 6.2 mi (10.0 km) 150 yd (140 m) Many large trees were snapped in and around Milan, with high-end EF1 tree damage observed outside of town. Homes sustained roof, siding, and gutter damage. Some trees fell onto a house near the end of the path, and a garage was destroyed.[27]
EF1 S of Moores Hill Dearborn IN 39°03′34″N 85°03′12″W / 39.0595°N 85.0532°W / 39.0595; -85.0532 (Dearborn (June 18, EF1)) 01:01–01:02 0.49 mi (0.79 km) 150 yd (140 m) Two homes were damaged by this brief tornado, one of which had a large portion of its metal roof blown off. Multiple trees were downed in a convergent pattern as well.[28]
EF1 Idlewild Boone KY 39°05′12″N 84°48′26″W / 39.0868°N 84.8072°W / 39.0868; -84.8072 (Idlewild (June 18, EF1)) 01:09-01:14 2.75 mi (4.43 km) 175 yd (160 m) Two barns were damaged and trees were uprooted.[29]
EF1 SW of DeLong to NW of Middle Grove Knox IL 40°47′14″N 90°20′18″W / 40.7871°N 90.3382°W / 40.7871; -90.3382 (Knox (June 18, EF1)) 04:50–05:05 10.26 mi (16.51 km) 250 yd (230 m) Trees were broken and corn plants were snapped. Farm outbuildings were significantly damaged. This tornado was embedded a much larger area of 70 to 90 miles per hour (110 to 140 km/h) damaging straight-line winds that moved through Fulton County into Peoria County.[30]

Notes

  1. ^ All dates are based on the local time zone where the tornado touched down; however, all times are in Coordinated Universal Time for consistency.

References

  1. ^ Storm Events Database Archived March 27, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, NOAA
  2. ^ "Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)".
  3. ^ Weiss, Joshua (June 18, 2021). "Mesoscale Precipitation Discussion 349 (2021)". Weather Prediction Center. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Gallery: Bloomington Floods". The Bloomingtonian. December 27, 2021. Archived from the original on December 27, 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  5. ^ a b "USA – Deadly Flash Floods in Bloomington, Indiana". FloodList. December 24, 2021. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  6. ^ Gallina, Gregg (June 18, 2021). "Mesoscale Precipitation Discussion 347 (2021)". Weather Prediction Center. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  7. ^ a b c "June 18-19, 2021 Severe Storms and Flooding". NWSIND. December 22, 2021. Archived from the original on December 20, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  8. ^ US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "Large Hail and Damaging Winds: June 18-19, 2021". www.weather.gov. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  9. ^ "June 2021 National Climate Report | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)".
  10. ^ US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "June 18-19, 2021 Severe Storms and Flooding". www.weather.gov. Archived from the original on December 20, 2021. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  11. ^ "Tornado Damages Homes Near Indiana/Ohio State Line". The Weather Channel. June 18, 2021. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  12. ^ "Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)".
  13. ^ "Meteorologist: Deadly June 18/19 Bloomington storms were a once-in-a-century event". HeraldTimes. December 22, 2021. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  14. ^ "What Caused the June 18 2021 Bloomington Flood?". IndianaEarth. December 27, 2021. Archived from the original on December 27, 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  15. ^ Kugler, Carol (July 23, 2021). "Lake Monroe beaches, public fishing docks still closed over flooding". The Herald-Times. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  16. ^ "June 18-19, 2021 Severe Storms, Tornado". NWSLIX. January 1, 2022. Archived from the original on January 1, 2022. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  17. ^ National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Northern Indiana (June 19, 2021). NWS Damage Survey for 06/18/2021 Tornado Event (Report). Iowa Environmental Mesonet. Archived from the original on June 19, 2021. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
  18. ^ National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Wilmington, Ohio (June 19, 2021). EF2 Tornado Confirmed Near Fort Recovery in Mercer County Ohio on June 18, 2021 (Report). Iowa Environmental Mesonet. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  19. ^ National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Wilmington, Ohio (June 19, 2021). Tornado Confirmed From Southwest Montgomery Into Northwest Butler County (Report). Iowa Environmental Mesonet. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  20. ^ National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Lincoln, Illinois (June 19, 2021). NWS Damage Survey for 6/18/2021 Tornado Event (Report). Iowa Environmental Mesonet. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  21. ^ "Storm Blog: Cleanup continues from heavy rain, flooding". WTHR. December 22, 2021. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  22. ^ "Tornado warnings, large hail send local residents to cover; flooding remains a concern". Journal-News. December 3, 2021. Archived from the original on January 3, 2022. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  23. ^ National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Northern Indiana (2021). Indiana Event Report: EF2 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  24. ^ National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Wilmington, Ohio (2021). Ohio Event Report: EF2 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  25. ^ National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Wilmington, Ohio (2021). Ohio Event Report: EF1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  26. ^ National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Wilmington, Ohio (2021). Ohio Event Report: EF0 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  27. ^ National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Wilmington, Ohio (2021). Indiana Event Report: EF1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  28. ^ National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Wilmington, Ohio (2021). Indiana Event Report: EF1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  29. ^ National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Wilmington, Ohio (2021). Kentucky Event Report: EF1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  30. ^ National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Northern Indiana (2021). Illinois Event Report: EF1 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
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