Tim Moore caught this shot of a rotating wall cloud as it approached Centralia Friday night. The photo was taken from outside Lifestar Ambulance's office in Centralia.

Mike McCoy caught this photo of the severe thunderstorm that contained tornadic activity as it passed over Farina.

Trained weather spotter Dennis Charlton caught this shot of what appeared to be a funnel cloud going up and down into one of the thunderstorms Friday night as it passed over the intersection of Nations and Selmaville Road southwest of Salem.

Several severe thunderstorms that moved through South Central Illinois as a result of the hot humid weather conditions prompted numerous tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings Friday night and another early Saturday morning. While several funnel clouds were spotted aloft across both southern Marion and Fayette Counties, there were no confirmed touchdowns.

The most severe damage appeared to be in Centralia when the last thunderstorm rumbled through around one Saturday morning. Centralia City Firemen say a large tree limb demolished the back wall and the electric line leading into the William Vensel home at 518 West Fourth Street in Centralia. Vensel was sitting in a chair that had its side ripped off as the tree crashed into the home. However, Vensel escaped injury.

Odin Firemen report a tree limb fell onto the Boog and Kendall Walker home at 201 Wortby Street during the same early morning storm, damaging the meter loop. A number of other tree limbs were knocked down in Odin. Fire and village crews helped pick them up.

Meanwhile, the tops of several pine trees and a shed were damaged along Adams Road south of Carrter. Several Kell Firemen reportedly had to wait for a funnel cloud aloft near the Pleasant Grove Church on the Route 161 Extension to clear before they could report to the station for a report of an oil tank fire south of Raccoon School. Kell Assistant Fire Chief Mick McDaneld says lightning apparently hit the tank battery owned by Self Oil of Texas. All the oil pumps were shut down and the valves closed to allow the gas that was on fire to burn off. There was no damage.

Salem Firemen say a tree limb fell into a house owned by Toby Haines at 501 North Marion that was under renovation. The limb pulled the power line away from the home, splitting the power meter in two and causing it to arc. Firemen were called back a second time when power was restored to the area and the power line began to arc again. Salem Firemen also were called to a hay bale on fire near Carrter and to a transformer on fire on the Carter Road a quarter mile east of Route 37. Both are believed to be lightning related. Salem Firemen were called out Saturday morning to a large tree on fire at 301 William Street on the northside of Salem. The tree was close to a shed, but the fire did not spread. About 3,000 gallons of water was used to put out the fire.

The storms caused Summerfest at St. Theresa's Catholic Church in Salem and the Sandoval Sesquicentennial to shutdown, but both later resumed activity. Sandoval Sesquicentennial Chair Ron Kretzer says several tents were blown down and one disappeared in the wind. However, they were quickly put back up after the storm and a small crowd came out and enjoyed the music for the rest of the night. Summerfest and Salem Emergency Management agency officials warned the crowd of the pending storm as it headed to Salem. Some left the grounds and the St. Theresa school gym was opened as a shelter as the storm pushed through.

The storm dumped nine-tenths of an inch of rain at the Centralia water plant and 61-hundredths of an inch at the Salem water plant.  Some areas around Kell reported an inch and a half of rain.   
 

 

Rick Wethington took this photo east of Centralia along the Walnut Hill Road looking towards Centralia on Friday night.

 

This is a picture from the Friday night storm as it passed through Xenia. Amanda Powers caught this shot.

 

Doug Weiler caught this shot during the Friday night thunderstorms south east of Clay City.

Ryan Ward is our photographer on this picture of the storm clouds moving into Centralia. It was taken from Burger Haven.

Chuck Short caught this shot of the storm as it was gaining strength passing over the southwest side of Salem.

Devin Moore caught this photo of the storm over Wamac.

Ten-year-old Kassidy Jourdan of Sandoval caught this shot of the severe storm activity as it moved into western Marion County.

Nancy Simmons of Woodlawn caught this shot of the southern Marion County storms as they passed north of Woodlawn.

This photo of the cloud formation was snapped by Glenn Benzing as it moved over the Red Stripe and Barton Road area near Sandoval.

As the storm passed over Iuka, Sherry Helton caught a rainbow among the heavy dark clouds.