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Tornado in Macon County, Illinois
81 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.
Macon County, Illinois, has 81 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 34 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 22 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 29 events against 24 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.2% of the 3,647 tornado events recorded in Illinois; its 14.0 per 100 square miles compares with 6.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 44 at (E)F0, 25 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 5 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 2 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Illinois
| Measure | Macon County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 81 | 3,647 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 14.0 | 6.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 7.9 | 2.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 236 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
4Feb
0Mar
4Apr
22May
12Jun
10Jul
3Aug
14Sep
1Oct
4Nov
3Dec
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 81 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Dec 2025 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jan 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jan 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jan 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jan 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Dec 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $325K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Dec 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Dec 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Oct 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | $250K | — | — | County |
| 13 Oct 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Oct 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $165K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $37K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 26 Jul 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | 3 | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Oct 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2000 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2000 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F3 | $9.0M | — | — | 29 | County |
| 18 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $1.5M | — | — | 9 | County |
| 27 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Nov 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Nov 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 1980 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1978 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 20 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | — | 2 | County |
| 30 Nov 1975 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1974 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1974 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | 1 | 26 | County |
| 10 Jun 1963 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1963 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1963 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Macon County had?
81 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 Macon County?
17 Jun 2026 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Macon County?
The tornado of 19 Apr 1996, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $9.0M.
How does Macon County compare with Illinois for tornado?
14.0 events per 100 square miles against 6.6 statewide; the county holds 81 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.