Massac County, Illinois
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1979 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
18
Tornado reports
52
Hail reports
126
Floods since 1996
805
All events
6
Deaths
$42.5M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Massac County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 18 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.
The tornado was near its maximum F-4 intensity as it crossed the Pulaski County line into western Massac County near the community of Hillerman. Estimated winds of 210 MPH disintegrated mobile homes and levelled several modern frame homes. One frame house was swept clean off its …
The tornado crossed the Ohio River from McCracken County, Kentucky into Massac County, Illinois. Video of the tornado taken by a barge operator as it crossed the Ohio River indicated it was completely rain-wrapped. This long-track tornado attained its peak intensity as it came on…
This tornado, which contained peak winds near 160 MPH, struck between Joppa and the Metropolis airport. The damage path started about a mile from the Ohio River, where F-1 winds uprooted numerous trees. As the tornado crossed U.S. Highway 45 near Joppa Road, a barn was destroyed.…
High temperatures were in the upper 90s for three consecutive days. High humidity raised the heat index to near 110 degrees. About six people were treated for heat problems at area hospitals. Most of the symptoms were attributed to heat exhaustion. An increase in heat-related veh…
Major flooding continued on the Ohio River from April. At the Brookport river gage, the flood crest of 57.00 feet on the night of May 5 was about 3.5 feet higher than the 1997 flood. This was still several feet lower than the record crest set in 1937. The activation of the New Ma…
Drought Drought
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Cold/Wind Chill Cold/Wind Chill
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Cold/Wind Chill Cold/Wind Chill
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Drought Drought
Heat Heat
Heat Heat
Heat continued from the third week of July. Extreme heat warning criteria were reached on July 28th.
Lightning Lightning
Lightning struck a barn on Mermet Rd, which resulted in a fire that fully engulfed the barn and burned it down.
Heat Heat
Heat continued into late July.
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Hail Hail
Hail estimated to one inch diameter fell in Metropolis on the north side of a supercell storm.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A tree was blown down across the roadway at US-45/Crim Rd. Time estimated based on radar.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Power flashes were observed in Metropolis.
Flood Flood
Water covered the roadway on the 2700 block of North Avenue and 1000 block of Country Club Road.
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The garage door of a metal outbuilding was blown in.
Strong Wind Strong Wind
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A tree was blown down onto a house in Brookport.
Cold/Wind Chill Cold/Wind Chill
Heavy Snow Heavy Snow
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Flood Flood
Low-lying fields and woods in the flood plain near Paducah were underwater. Portions of Fort Massac State Park were flooded, closing some of the river access roads. The river crested at 43.2 feet at Paducah just above the moderate flood level of 43 feet.
Flood Flood
Heavy rainfall led to minor flooding of the usual trouble spots in Metropolis, including standing water on one lane of US Highway 45/10th Street.
Heavy Snow Heavy Snow
Ice Storm Ice Storm
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Frost/Freeze Frost/Freeze
Strong Wind Strong Wind
A few trees were downed with power lines over the span of an hour in Massac County, with locations including Riepe Ridge, Mill Springs, and Hamletsburg Roads. Heavy rain through the day saturated soils and made trees more susceptible to wind damage.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Multiple trees were downed in the Joppa area including a tree on Portland Rd northwest of town as a thunderstorm moved southeastward through the area.
Heat Heat
Heat Heat
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 8 | 0 |
| 2025 | 26 | 0 |
| 2024 | 25 | 0 |
| 2023 | 32 | 1 |
| 2022 | 32 | 0 |
| 2021 | 17 | 0 |
| 2020 | 23 | 1 |
| 2019 | 32 | 0 |
| 2018 | 43 | 1 |
| 2017 | 24 | 1 |
| 2016 | 32 | 1 |
| 2015 | 27 | 0 |
| 2014 | 19 | 0 |
| 2013 | 30 | 1 |
| 2012 | 44 | 1 |
| 2011 | 53 | 2 |
| 2010 | 32 | 0 |
| 2009 | 24 | 0 |
| 2008 | 25 | 0 |
| 2007 | 24 | 0 |
| 2006 | 28 | 2 |
| 2005 | 17 | 1 |
| 2004 | 16 | 0 |
| 2003 | 19 | 4 |
| 2002 | 14 | 0 |
| 2001 | 15 | 0 |
| 2000 | 12 | 0 |
| 1999 | 19 | 1 |
| 1998 | 22 | 0 |
| 1997 | 23 | 0 |
| 1996 | 21 | 0 |
| 1995 | 11 | 0 |
| 1994 | 1 | 0 |
| 1993 | 2 | 0 |
| 1992 | 1 | 0 |
| 1991 | 1 | 0 |
| 1990 | 1 | 0 |
| 1989 | 5 | 1 |
| 1987 | 1 | 0 |
| 1982 | 2 | 0 |
| 1980 | 1 | 0 |
| 1979 | 1 | 0 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Massac County, measured to its path.
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