The most intense tornado of the event began near the Ohio River in Pulaski County , Illinois and peaked at F4 intensity as it crossed western Massac County . The tornado killed two persons before entering Pope County and ending near the Ohio River at Golconda . This tornado was only the second F4 tornado (winds 207-260 MPH) in the Paducah County Warning Area since 1990. Despite the very rural character of the tornado-ravaged area, about 125 homes were destroyed and at least another 150 were damaged. The maximum intensity of the tornado occurred west of Interstate 24 in Massac County , where F4 winds swept a permanent home off its foundation into a creek. The residents of that house were among 38 persons injured in this 33-mile long tornado. 

The tornado blew over railroad cars of a passing train as it neared the Mermet Lake Conservation Area off U.S. Route 45. Both fatalities occurred prior to this point in the tornado's track. The tornado crossed Interstate 24 less than a mile south of the New Columbia/Big Bay exit in Massac County , near mile marker 28. Tractor-trailer rigs and a tour bus were overturned on the interstate, with injuries reported.  The tornado crossed Illinois Route 145 right near the Pope/Massac County line. 

The tornado destroyed mainly farmhouses and farm buildings in very rural Pope County . As the tornado the Golconda area, the Pope County High School and Elementary School sustained to moderate damage. The tornado finally dissipated about a mile north of Golconda just before the parent storm crossed the Ohio River into Kentucky .

  Fatalities: In eastern Pulaski County , a 53-year-old male was killed when the chimney of his  house collapsed on him. The man was protecting his son by lying on top of him when the collapse occurred. The son received only broken bones. In western Massac County , near the Hillerman and Mermet communities, a 65-year-old female was found dead in a ravine about 100 yards from her mobile home. The frame of the mobile home was wrapped around the trunks of two trees.

ABUS34 KPAH 092321
PNSPAH

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
620 PM CDT FRI MAY 9 2003

...STORM DAMAGE ASSESSMENT FOR THE PULASKI-MASSAC-POPE COUNTY 
TORNADO IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...

NWS OFFICIALS HAVE CONDUCTED 2 AERIAL AND 3 GROUND STORM DAMAGE 
SURVEYS ACROSS EXTREME SOUTHERN ILLINOIS. THE FOLLOWING INCLUDES THE 
FINDINGS OF THE SURVEYS. 

* EVENT DATE: TUESDAY MAY 6 2003

* EVENT TYPE: F4 TORNADO 

* ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WINDS: 210 MPH

* ESTIMATED TIME: TORNADO FORMED IN PULASKI COUNTY IL AT 
APPROXIMATELY 932PM AND REMAINED ON THE GROUND UNTIL 
APPROXIMATELY 1042PM. 

* EVENT LOCATION: FROM 1 MILE WEST OF GRAND CHAIN IL IN PULASKI 
COUNTY...EAST THROUGH THE MERMET LAKE CONSERVATION AREA IN MASSAC 
COUNTY TO 1 MILE NORTH OF GOLCONDA IL IN POPE COUNTY.

* DAMAGE AREA DIMENSIONS: AVERAGE = 2/3 OF A MILE WIDE
33 CONTINUOUS MILES LONG

* INJURIES: APPROXIMATELY 30

* FATALITIES: TWO
1 MALE 48 YEARS OLD JUST EAST OF GRAND CHAIN, IL (PULASKI COUNTY) 
1 FEMALE 65 YEARS OLD JUST NW OF JOPPA, IL (MASSAC COUNTY) 


* DAMAGE: A FEW FRAME HOMES WERE COMPLETELY LEVELED OR MOVED OFF 
THEIR FOUNDATIONS. DOZENS OF HOMES, GARAGES, BARNS, AND OUTBUILDINGS 
SEVERELY DAMAGED. NUMEROUS MOBILE HOMES DISINTEGRATED. MANY VEHICLES 
WERE LIFTED, ROLLED, OR THROWN... UP TO 100 YARDS OR MORE. NUMEROUS 
CASES OF MISSILING WERE OBSERVED INCLUDING GLASS EMBEDDED IN TREES. 
MOST TREES IN THE DAMAGE PATH WERE UPROOTED, STRIPPED, OR LEVELED 
AND IN SOME CASES DEBARKED. 

$$

POOLE/SHANKLIN/KEENEY