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Tornado in Massac County, Illinois
18 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.
Massac County, Illinois, has 18 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 13 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 5 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 9 events against 9 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.5% of the 3,647 tornado events recorded in Illinois; its 7.6 per 100 square miles compares with 6.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 4 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 7 at (E)F0, 5 at (E)F1, 3 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Illinois
| Measure | Massac County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 18 | 3,647 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.6 | 6.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 12.9 | 2.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 4 | 236 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
1Mar
1Apr
4May
5Jun
0Jul
2Aug
0Sep
1Oct
0Nov
3Dec
0
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 18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Jan 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $130K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Nov 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $350K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 17 Nov 2013 | Tornado | EF3 | $5.5M | — | 3 | 33 | County |
| 29 Feb 2012 | Tornado | EF2 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $450K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 2006 | Tornado | F3 | $500K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2003 | Tornado | F4 | $10M | — | 1 | 20 | County |
| 6 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2003 | Tornado | F2 | $80K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 3 Apr 1989 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Massac County had?
18 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 Massac County?
12 Jan 2023 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Massac County?
The tornado of 6 May 2003, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $10M; 1 death recorded.
How does Massac County compare with Illinois for tornado?
7.6 events per 100 square miles against 6.6 statewide; the county holds 18 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.