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Tornado in St. Clair County, Illinois
56 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 56 tornado events in St. Clair County, Illinois, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 34 years.
April is the busiest month, with 17 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 22 events against 17 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.5% of the 3,647 tornado events recorded in Illinois; its 8.5 per 100 square miles compares with 6.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 12 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 23 at (E)F0, 18 at (E)F1, 10 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Illinois
| Measure | St. Clair County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 56 | 3,647 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 8.5 | 6.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 2.2 | 2.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 12 | 236 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
6Apr
17May
10Jun
9Jul
2Aug
1Sep
2Oct
4Nov
3Dec
1
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 56 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 | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $260K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Oct 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Oct 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Dec 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | 1 | 11 | County |
| 10 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | 2 | County |
| 10 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2002 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2000 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | 2 | County |
| 15 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Nov 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 1988 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 1988 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 1983 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 20 | County |
| 20 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1968 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | 4 | 60 | County |
| 3 Aug 1967 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Sep 1961 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 1 Jun 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1958 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | 1 | 8 | County |
| 25 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 1956 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Feb 1956 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | 6 | 20 | County |
| 6 Oct 1955 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Oct 1955 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1952 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has St. Clair County had?
56 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 St. Clair County?
27 Apr 2026 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in St. Clair County?
The tornado of 25 Feb 1956, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M; 6 deaths recorded.
How does St. Clair County compare with Illinois for tornado?
8.5 events per 100 square miles against 6.6 statewide; the county holds 56 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.