SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LASH PARTS OF THE REGION

Severe thunderstorms lashed parts of the northern edge of the Cape Girardeau area early Wednesday, causing some property damage in Southern Illinois.

Most of Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois was under a tornado watch until daybreak Wednesday.

No severe weather occurred in Cape Girardeau County, however there was a brilliant display of lighting between midnight and 5 a.m., as the heavy thunderstorms moved eastward, north of Cape Girardeau.

Meanwhile, the weather service said there was a chance for more thunderstorms forecast today.

The National Weather Service at St. Charles reported several trees were blown down at 2:40 a.m., Wednesday in Ava, Ill., north of Murphysboro.

At 3:05 a.m., authorities reported 3/4-inch hail and strong winds that downed trees and caused some property damage in McLeansboro, Ill., in Hamilton County.

Illinois State Police at DuQuoin said they received reports of wind damage at the south end of the city Wednesday morning.

The early morning thunderstorms were part of a storm system that cut swathe of power outages, downed trees and utility lines and damaged buildings and vehicles from Springfield to St. Louis.

The series of storms spawned numerous funnel clouds as they spread northeastward through the state late Tuesday afternoon and evening.

Wind gusts estimated at 85 mph lifted a police jeep off the ground, tore the roof off a two-story building and destroyed an aircraft hanger in Camden County, the weather service said.

Large trees were uprooted and signs and roofs damaged in Jefferson City early Tuesday evening. It was the second time the city has been hit by severe weather this month.

Three-inch diameter hail was reported at Chesterfield, in west St. Louis County, and golf-ball sized hail fell in the metro St. Louis area.

The stormy weather moved into the northern part of Southeast Missouri after midnight. By 3 a.m., a line of severe thunderstorms extended from east of St. Louis down to Bollinger County.

Forecasters said the severe weather was caused by much drier and cooler air colliding with moist and unstable air from the Gulf of Mexico over Missouri and Illinois.

Mid-Missouri Weather Service at the Cape Girardeau airport reported only a trace of rain fell between midnight and 6 a.m., but heavier rain fell in the city.