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On Saturday, May 29, 1982, an F4 tornado claimed 10 lives and injured nearly 200 as it ripped a 17-mile path across Williamson County, Illinois.  This NOAA National Weather Service web site commemorates this tragic event while promoting severe weather awareness.  The site is organized into ten sub-page sections which are detailed below.  At the top of each section is a quick-select menu that not only gives you an idea of where you are, but also allows you to browse the entire site without having to go back to the home page.

HOME May 29, 1982 Williamson County / Marion, Illinois F4 Tornado--25th Anniversary Home Page...
STORM PATH Details on the storm track and associated damage; excerpts from damage assessment survey and Storm Data summary...
WEATHER Weather conditions preceding the onset of severe thunderstorms on May 29, 1982...
PHOTOS Pictures of the actual tornado in addition to aerial damage photos; radar and satellite images also provided...
HEROES These individuals protect life and property for a living; assisting with severe weather events is just a small part of the job...
1982 / 2007 A comparison of technology and communications in 1982 and today; 25 years makes a big difference...
SAFETY Safety rules for thunderstorms and lightning, tornadoes, and flash flooding; it pays to be prepared...
MEMORIAL Remembering the May 29, 1982 Williamson County tornado 25 years later; the memorial service and a moment of reflection...
CREDITS Without assistance from these individuals, this web page would not have been possible...
CONTACT US Send us your comments or suggestions on this web page; you can e-mail, write, or call...

The information provided herein provides only a small piece of a much larger puzzle.  For more information on this event, we encourage you to research other related web sites and articles in local newspapers, where you will find many more pictures and first-hand accounts of this event.


  • National Weather Service
  • Paducah, KY Weather Forecast Office
  • 8250 Kentucky Highway 3520
  • West Paducah, KY 42086-9762
  • 270-744-6440
  • Page Author: PAH Webmaster
  • Web Master's E-mail: w-pah.webmaster@noaa.gov
  • Page last modified: June 27th 2007 5:31 PM
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