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Tornado in Monroe County, Illinois
41 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.
Monroe County, Illinois, has 41 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 23 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 16 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 16 events against 15 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 10.6 per 100 square miles compares with 6.6 statewide.
By rating: 18 at (E)F0, 14 at (E)F1, 7 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Illinois
| Measure | Monroe County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 41 | 3,647 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 10.6 | 6.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 11.7 | 2.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 236 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
6Apr
16May
13Jun
4Jul
0Aug
1Sep
1Oct
0Nov
0Dec
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 41 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 | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 30 Apr 2010 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1995 | Tornado | F2 | $110K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $885 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1995 | Tornado | F2 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $23K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1975 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 7 May 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1968 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Mar 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Monroe County had?
41 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 Monroe County?
15 Mar 2026 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Monroe County?
The tornado of 15 Apr 1994, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $500K.
How does Monroe County compare with Illinois for tornado?
10.6 events per 100 square miles against 6.6 statewide; the county holds 41 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.