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Tornado in Macoupin County, Illinois
48 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.
Macoupin County, Illinois, has 48 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 28 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 12 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 22 events against 20 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.3% of the 3,647 tornado events recorded in Illinois; its 5.6 per 100 square miles compares with 6.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 24 at (E)F0, 12 at (E)F1, 8 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 3 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Illinois
| Measure | Macoupin County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 48 | 3,647 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.6 | 6.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 10.8 | 2.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 236 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
0Mar
9Apr
9May
12Jun
7Jul
4Aug
3Sep
0Oct
0Nov
1Dec
2
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 48 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Dec 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Nov 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2013 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2013 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | 3 | County |
| 19 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | 2 | County |
| 13 May 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Mar 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2000 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 1993 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1990 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1978 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 24 Jan 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 1966 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 1959 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Dec 1950 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | 1 | 3 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Macoupin County had?
48 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 Macoupin County?
15 Mar 2026 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Macoupin County?
The tornado of 24 Jan 1967, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $250K.
How does Macoupin County compare with Illinois for tornado?
5.6 events per 100 square miles against 6.6 statewide; the county holds 48 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.