Franklin storm history
Storm events recorded in Franklin, Illinois between 1950 and 2025.
941
Total events
19
Tornadoes
114
Hail
124
Floods
6
Deaths
$31.7M
Property damage
Most significant events
Strongest tornadoes, deadliest events, and biggest damage in this county. Up to 50 shown.
Tornado EF3 Tornado
This large tornado entered Franklin County from Jackson County. The tornado originally formed near Perryville, Missouri. The most intense damage in Franklin County was located south of Mulkeytown, where the tornado was rated EF-3 based on a house that was swept clean off its foun…
One fatality occurred just west of the Rural King in West City when a man slipped into a pond and could not climb out. The official cause of death was drowning with hypothermia as a plausible alternative cause. The air temperature was around 13 degrees Fahrenheit.
A man lost his life when he was stuck outside with temperatures as low as 29 degrees Fahrenheit. The fatality occurred in a field along Cyril James Road northeast of Benton.
Widespread damaging winds across southern Franklin County caused lots of power outages. At the peak of the outages, 49 percent of the county was without power. A state disaster declaration was granted for Franklin County. Among the hardest hit cities was West Frankfort. Peak wind…
Residents were evacuated from their homes and taken to a shelter. Flooding was most serious in West Frankfort, where there were concerns about the safety of the drinking water. It was later determined that no contamination occurred. The city's sewer plant was shut down after it f…
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A large tree limb was snapped and fell onto the roof of a house in Christopher.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A large tree limb was snapped off and fell onto a pickup truck in West Frankfort.
Drought Drought
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Hail Hail
Hail up to the size of quarters was reported on the west side of Benton.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A powerful storm tracked southward through Franklin County. The worst of the damage was at the South Marcum Campground on Rend Lake where numerous trees fell, including a group of half a dozen large trees. One of the trees at South Marcum Campground fell onto an RV. A tree was bl…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A couple of trees were blown down in North City by thunderstorm winds. Nearby wind speeds were estimated at 50-60 mph.
Drought Drought
Heat Heat
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Heat Heat
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Multiple roads were flooded in West Frankfort with stormwater drainage systems overloaded. Some structures were impacted. Radar estimated hourly rainfall amounts for West Frankfort peaked at just over 1.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Multiple roads were flooded in Benton with stormwater drainage systems overloaded. Some structures were impacted. Radar estimated hourly rainfall amounts for Benton peaked at just over 1.
Flood Flood
Heavy rainfall rates of around an inch in a 45 minute span resulted in large amounts of water ponding on roadways in Benton.
Heat Heat
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Hail Hail
Estimated hail size, reported via mPING, from the north end of a supercell storm.
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Hail Hail
Hail ranging in size from nickels to ping pong balls fell around Sesser.
Hail Hail
Nickel hail fell near Zeigler.
Hail Hail
Ping pong ball size hail fell near Cleburne.
Strong Wind Strong Wind
Strong Wind Strong Wind
Strong Wind Strong Wind
Strong winds tore the roof off of a mobile home in Buckner.
Strong Wind Strong Wind
Increasing winds in the late evening blew a tree down into a house in Sesser.
Strong Wind Strong Wind
Cold/Wind Chill Cold/Wind Chill
Flood Flood
Minor flooding of bottomland and surrounding low lying areas occurred near Plumfield.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Cold/Wind Chill Cold/Wind Chill
Heavy Snow Heavy Snow
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Events by year
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 38 | 0 |
| 2024 | 41 | 0 |
| 2023 | 35 | 0 |
| 2022 | 33 | 1 |
| 2021 | 29 | 1 |
| 2020 | 30 | 0 |
| 2019 | 30 | 0 |
| 2018 | 34 | 0 |
| 2017 | 30 | 1 |
| 2016 | 34 | 1 |
| 2015 | 38 | 1 |
| 2014 | 27 | 0 |
| 2013 | 31 | 1 |
| 2012 | 45 | 0 |
| 2011 | 53 | 2 |
| 2010 | 35 | 0 |
| 2009 | 35 | 3 |
| 2008 | 39 | 0 |
| 2007 | 40 | 0 |
| 2006 | 31 | 0 |
| 2005 | 18 | 0 |
| 2004 | 23 | 1 |
| 2003 | 13 | 0 |
| 2002 | 23 | 1 |
| 2001 | 18 | 0 |
| 2000 | 14 | 0 |
| 1999 | 20 | 0 |
| 1998 | 26 | 0 |
| 1997 | 8 | 0 |
| 1996 | 19 | 1 |
| 1995 | 6 | 0 |
| 1994 | 3 | 1 |
| 1992 | 4 | 0 |
| 1991 | 2 | 0 |
| 1990 | 4 | 0 |
| 1989 | 2 | 1 |
| 1987 | 1 | 0 |
| 1986 | 3 | 0 |
| 1984 | 4 | 0 |
| 1981 | 1 | 0 |
| 1980 | 1 | 0 |
| 1976 | 2 | 0 |
| 1975 | 3 | 0 |
| 1974 | 1 | 0 |
| 1973 | 2 | 0 |
| 1971 | 1 | 1 |
| 1967 | 1 | 0 |
| 1964 | 2 | 0 |
| 1962 | 5 | 0 |
| 1960 | 1 | 1 |
| 1957 | 1 | 1 |
| 1955 | 1 | 0 |