Coles County, Illinois
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1955 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
40
Tornado reports
125
Hail reports
56
Floods since 1996
542
All events
6
Deaths
$28.5M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Coles County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 40 in all. Zoom in and the paths widen to their surveyed width.
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Year by year
All storm eventsTornadoes
NOAA's storm database records tornadoes back to 1950 and hail and thunderstorm wind back to 1955, but floods only from 1996 on. Older floods are missing here. For those, the U.S. Geological Survey's stream gauge records and flood reports are the place to look.
Most significant events
The strongest tornadoes, deadliest events and biggest damage here, up to 50.
Tornado F3 Tornado
Weather observers measured 3 to 5 inches of snow across Coles County...including 4.4 inches in Charleston. Due to snow-covered and slick roadways, numerous traffic accidents occurred. A multi-vehicle crash on southbound I-57 near mile marker 193 resulted in one death and one inju…
Weather observers across Coles County measured 3 to 5 inches of snow. Due to snow-covered and icy roadways, numerous traffic accidents were reported. The most serious accident occurred on I-57 just north of Mattoon when a semi crossed the median and crashed head-on into a pick-up…
Numerous traffic accidents occurred across Coles County as a result of icy road conditions and poor visibility. A woman was killed on I-57 about 2 miles north of Mattoon when she was hit by a car while trying to help free another stuck vehicle.
Numerous roads were flooded due to heavy rain ranging from 5 to 7 inches across Coles County. Basements flooded in numerous homes throughout the county. On June 5th, a 72 year old male, drown while attempting to cross a bridge flooded by the Kaskaskia River, about 2 miles north o…
A fatality occurred after the flash flooding had ended. Around 1230 pm, an 87 year old man drove through an area where water was over the roadway, near Oakland. The water resulted from the runoff of the heavy rainfall earlier in the day into the nearby the headwaters of the Embar…
Numerous traffic accidents were reported across Coles County due to snow-covered roadways. The most significant incident occurred on I-57 near the 180 mile marker between Mattoon and Negoa at 11:30 AM on December 27th when a multi-vehicle accident sent several people to area hosp…
A steady, but moderate to heavy rain, moved into the southern parts of Coles County shortly after 7 am CDT. Thunderstorms caused the rain to intensify between 9:00 and 10:00 am CDT, when nearly 2.00 inches of rain was measured. Total rainfall ranged from 4.00 to 6.00 inches in ab…
A tornado touched down 4 miles north northeast of Mattoon near a printing plant. It then traveled east damaging several buildings at the plant. Almost 500,000 square feet of the roof was damaged or destroyed. Contents in the buildings including electronic equipment and over 5 mil…
A tornado touched down 1 mile southwest of Mattoon and travelled to the northeast. It damaged 4 homes in the initial touchdown area and then crossed a set of railroad tracks turning over 4 empty 30-ton coal cars. After crossing the railroad tracks, the tornado hit a self-storage …
A tornado touched down three miles north of Cooks Mills and lifted five miles NE of Cooks Mills. Some farm equipment was damaged, as well as, four high voltage power lines. Damage is estimated between $620,000 and $700,000.
Flood Flood
A photo showed significant flooding in Charleston at the intersection of 4th Street and Lincoln Avenue.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Significant flooding occurred as water flowed into an apartment building. The fire department was dispatched to the scene on 4th Street in Charleston.
Flood Flood
Six inches of water was flowing across Co Rd 650 E near Clear Creek.
The tornado developed 4 miles north of Mattoon and tracked southeast, damaging trees, homes, and electrical transmission lines as it crossed US Highway 45. It intensified as it reached County Rd 700E, uprooting large hardwood trees and lifting the roof off a single family residen…
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
About a mile of powerlines were blown down along IL Rt. 16 from Ashmore eastbound. Several trees were downed and power poles were snapped as well.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Property and tree damage occurred at Ashmore Estates.
Hail Hail
Four photos of hail in Cooks Mill. Hail size estimated from photo.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A few trees were damaged across Mattoon.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Water was flowing across several roads in Mattoon...including portions of Charleston Avenue, Marshall Avenue, 6th Street, and Lake Land Boulevard. Water was reaching up to and over sidewalk curbs in spots.
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A tree was blown over.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snow accumulations were less than one inch across the county, but westerly wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph resulted in blowing snow, and refreezing of water from earlier rain resulted in slick roads. The emergency manager reported numerous accidents along Route 16 during the Monday mo…
High Wind High Wind
The Coles County Airport (KMTO) measured a 59 mph wind gust. Broadcast media relayed a public report that an unhealthy hardwood tree was uprooted one mile southeast of Mattoon.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Multiple small trees were snapped, a pine tree was blown over, and a fence was damaged.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A shed was flipped upside down in the middle of the road near the intersection of 18th Street and Olive Avenue.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Air conditioner units were ripped off a building.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The sign and roof of a shopping center were damaged and traffic lights were snapped at 18th Street and Rudy Avenue.
Drought Drought
Due to a multi-month precipitation deficit dating back to Fall of 2025, Extreme Drought (D3) was in place at the start of the month. However, above normal precipitation occurred during March, with the cooperative observer in Charleston recording 6.06 inches of precipitation which…
Drought Drought
Due to a multi-month precipitation deficit dating back to the Fall of 2025, Extreme (D3) Drought was ongoing at the start of the month. A cooperative observer in Charleston measured 1.16 inches of precipitation for the month, which was 1.53 inches below normal. Dating back to las…
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -20 to -30 occurred across Coles County during the morning of January 26th. The coldest hourly wind-chill reading observed at the Coles County Airport (KMTO) was -30.
Heavy Snow Heavy Snow
Weather observers measured 6 to 8 inches of snow across Coles County...including 7.6 inches in Charleston. Due to both falling and drifting snow, travel became extremely hazardous...leading to numerous traffic accidents on area roadways.
High Wind High Wind
A non-thunderstorm wind gust of 60mph was measured at the Coles County Airport at 8:37 PM CST.
High Wind High Wind
A power line was blown down 1 mile north of Charleston around 9:15 PM CST.
High Wind High Wind
Tree branches were blown into power lines near 11th Street in Charleston around 9:15 PM CST.
High Wind High Wind
Power lines were blown down 1 mile northwest of Mattoon around 9:15 PM CST.
Drought Drought
Due to a multi-month precipitation deficit dating back to the Fall of 2025, Extreme (D3) Drought was ongoing at the start of the month. The cooperative observer in Charleston measured 0.63 inches of precipitation during the month of January, which was 1.91 inches below normal. Th…
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 35 | 1 |
| 2025 | 29 | 5 |
| 2024 | 14 | 0 |
| 2023 | 20 | 0 |
| 2022 | 11 | 0 |
| 2021 | 11 | 3 |
| 2020 | 7 | 0 |
| 2019 | 13 | 0 |
| 2018 | 12 | 0 |
| 2017 | 9 | 0 |
| 2016 | 15 | 0 |
| 2015 | 15 | 0 |
| 2014 | 9 | 0 |
| 2013 | 8 | 1 |
| 2012 | 16 | 0 |
| 2011 | 22 | 0 |
| 2010 | 18 | 0 |
| 2009 | 21 | 0 |
| 2008 | 24 | 1 |
| 2007 | 10 | 0 |
| 2006 | 20 | 3 |
| 2005 | 9 | 0 |
| 2004 | 15 | 0 |
| 2003 | 7 | 1 |
| 2002 | 23 | 0 |
| 2001 | 9 | 0 |
| 2000 | 16 | 0 |
| 1999 | 15 | 1 |
| 1998 | 12 | 2 |
| 1997 | 12 | 1 |
| 1996 | 12 | 2 |
| 1995 | 3 | 0 |
| 1994 | 1 | 1 |
| 1993 | 1 | 0 |
| 1992 | 5 | 1 |
| 1990 | 1 | 0 |
| 1989 | 2 | 1 |
| 1988 | 2 | 1 |
| 1987 | 6 | 0 |
| 1986 | 4 | 1 |
| 1985 | 1 | 0 |
| 1984 | 3 | 0 |
| 1983 | 1 | 0 |
| 1982 | 7 | 1 |
| 1979 | 2 | 0 |
| 1977 | 1 | 0 |
| 1976 | 1 | 0 |
| 1975 | 6 | 0 |
| 1974 | 12 | 9 |
| 1973 | 2 | 0 |
| 1972 | 1 | 1 |
| 1971 | 2 | 1 |
| 1962 | 3 | 0 |
| 1960 | 1 | 1 |
| 1958 | 1 | 1 |
| 1957 | 2 | 0 |
| 1955 | 2 | 0 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Coles County, measured to its path.
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