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Tornado in Jackson County, Illinois
39 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
NCEI records 39 tornado events in Jackson County, Illinois, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 25 years.
May is the busiest month, with 8 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 19 events against 8 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.1% of the 3,647 tornado events recorded in Illinois; its 6.7 per 100 square miles compares with 6.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 11 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 18 at (E)F0, 10 at (E)F1, 7 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Illinois
| Measure | Jackson County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 39 | 3,647 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.7 | 6.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 7.4 | 2.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 11 | 236 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
3Mar
5Apr
7May
8Jun
4Jul
0Aug
3Sep
1Oct
0Nov
4Dec
4
Magnitude distribution
Enhanced Fujita scale wind estimates
- EF0/F0
- 65–85 mph (EF0)
- EF1/F1
- 86–110 mph (EF1)
- EF2/F2
- 111–135 mph (EF2)
- EF3/F3
- 136–165 mph (EF3)
- EF4/F4
- 166–200 mph (EF4)
- EF5/F5
- over 200 mph (EF5)
- Unrated
- no rating recorded
Tornado rating as recorded (Fujita scale before February 2007, Enhanced Fujita after).
Recorded events
All 39 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 8 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2017 | Tornado | EF3 | $6.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Dec 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $35K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Feb 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Feb 2012 | Tornado | EF2 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $70K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $80K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 2006 | Tornado | F2 | $800K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 30 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Nov 2002 | Tornado | F0 | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1988 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Nov 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Nov 1984 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1970 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 5 | County |
| 25 Mar 1970 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 5 Apr 1958 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 5 | County |
| 5 Apr 1958 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 6 | County |
| 18 Dec 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 5 | County |
| 18 Dec 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Dec 1957 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | 11 | 180 | County |
| 13 Nov 1951 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 7 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Jackson County had?
39 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of tornadoes became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded tornado event in Jackson County?
14 Mar 2025 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Jackson County?
The tornado of 28 Feb 2017, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $6.0M.
How does Jackson County compare with Illinois for tornado?
6.7 events per 100 square miles against 6.6 statewide; the county holds 39 of the state's 3,647 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.