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Tornado in Madison County, Illinois
67 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 67 tornado events in Madison County, Illinois, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 32 years.
April is the busiest month, with 17 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 23 events against 18 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.8% of the 3,647 tornado events recorded in Illinois; its 9.4 per 100 square miles compares with 6.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 6 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 24 at (E)F0, 22 at (E)F1, 10 at (E)F2, 7 at (E)F3, 2 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 2 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Illinois
| Measure | Madison County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 67 | 3,647 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 9.4 | 6.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 2.5 | 2.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 6 | 236 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
8Mar
5Apr
17May
11Jun
9Jul
6Aug
3Sep
0Oct
2Nov
1Dec
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 67 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 11 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Dec 2021 | Tornado | EF3 | $5.0M | — | 6 | 1 | County |
| 27 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Feb 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2013 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Feb 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Feb 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Feb 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 27 Feb 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2001 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $5.0M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 8 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 27 Feb 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $800K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 1988 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 1983 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | 3 | County |
| 22 Apr 1981 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1981 | Tornado | F4 | $25M | — | — | 32 | County |
| 10 Apr 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 1976 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1970 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1967 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 17 | County |
| 22 Jun 1960 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1960 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Feb 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 10 Oct 1959 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Feb 1959 | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1958 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1958 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 18 Dec 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 6 Oct 1955 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 2 Dec 1950 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Dec 1950 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jan 1950 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Madison County had?
67 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 Madison County?
27 Apr 2026 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Madison County?
The tornado of 3 Apr 1981, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Madison County compare with Illinois for tornado?
9.4 events per 100 square miles against 6.6 statewide; the county holds 67 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.