The May 6, 2003 tornado
F4Pulaski, Massac and Pope counties, Illinois
An F4 tornado on a 33.0-mile path that killed 2 and injured 33. It was one of 74 tornadoes recorded in the U.S. that day, 2 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Watch how it happened Part of the outbreak of May 6, 2003: 74 tornadoes in 13 statesF4 tornado · May 6, 2003
How it happened
Follow the tornado’s path, minute by minute.
The tornado
- Rating
- F4
- Fujita scale
- Path length
- 33.0 mi
- Width up to 1,000 yards
- Killed
- 2
- Along the whole path
- Injured
- 33
- Along the whole path
- Date and time
- Tuesday, May 6, 2003
- 8:32 PM CST
The National Weather Service account
Written by the local Weather Service office after its damage survey.
This violent tornado began near Grand Chain and reached its maximum intensity of 210 MPH as it neared the Massac County line. A 53-year-old man was killed when the chimney of his house collapsed on him. The man, who was in his basement, was protecting his son by lying on top of him when the collapse occurred. The son received broken bones. Their house was impaled by some nearby large trees that prevented it from being swept farther away. Along the Pulaski County portion of the tornado path, six single family homes and ten mobile homes were destroyed. Another ten single family homes and a mobile home had major damage. A few dozen other residences received some type of minor damage. A few dozen outbuildings, two businesses, and a campground were destroyed or had major damage. Approximately 13 persons were injured, but only a few of those required hospitalization. All roads in the damage area were impassable due to large numbers of trees and building debris on them. Many of the tornado victims in this county had no insurance on their residences. The area of most intense destruction was along Tick Ridge Road, a state road that follows a ridge above the Ohio River.
The storm system that day
The deadliest and most destructive storm of the night tracked within 10 miles of the Ohio River across extreme southern Illinois. The storm produced a 33-mile long tornado that killed two and injured about 33. A small but very damaging downburst occurred several miles south of the tornado track. A swath of large hail occurred north of the tornado track. Hailstones up to 2 inches in diameter were reported at and near the intersection of Highways 145 and 147, near the community of Glendale in Pope County.
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.
Counties on its path
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database. Path drawn as a straight line from the recorded start to end point.