Tazewell storm history
Storm events recorded in Tazewell, Illinois between 1950 and 2025.
828
Total events
71
Tornadoes
225
Hail
46
Floods
10
Deaths
$1.0B
Property damage
Most significant events
Strongest tornadoes, deadliest events, and biggest damage in this county. Up to 50 shown.
A tornado touched down 2.4 miles SE of East Peoria at 10:59 AM CST, then tracked northeastward through parts of East Peoria and Washington before crossing the border into Woodford County at 11:12 AM CST. One man in Washington was killed by the tornado, one woman from Washington d…
This long track tornado first touched down 3 miles southwest of South Pekin and traveled to the northeast. It destroyed several homes before reaching the eastern sections of South Pekin where it intensified to F3 strength. The tornado destroyed 50 homes, caused minor to major dam…
A tornado touched down along the Illinois River (3 NE of Goofy Ridge) and traveled to the northeast for 25 miles before lifting and dissipating in Tremont (Tazwell County). The tornado damaged or destroyed over 36 homes and mobile homes in Mason County and injured 23 people. Nume…
Tornado F3 Tornado
Brisk northwesterly winds in conjunction with air temperatures dipping below zero resulted in dangerously cold wind-chill values bottoming out at 25 below to 35 below zero at times. An 85 year-old woman from Pekin died on January 16th as a result of hypothermia.
A 34-year old man was killed on I-74 near Morton on the morning of February 26th when his vehicle skidded on the snow-covered road and hit an oncoming semi. Two people in his vehicle and the driver of the semi were injured in the accident. Snow was falling at the time of the inci…
An 82 year-old man died of hypothermia after falling outside his Marquette Heights home during the afternoon of January 29th.
Three to five inches of snow fell across Tazewell County, resulting in numerous traffic accidents. In addition, a 62 year-old man died of cardiac arrest at his home in Morton on January 13th after shoveling the snow.
Numerous traffic accidents were reported across Tazewell County due to icy road conditions. The most serious accident occurred at 7:25 AM CST on Illinois Route 29 just north of South Pekin when a pickup truck slid into an oncoming semi, killing the driver of the pickup.
Numerous weather observers across Tazewell County reported between 6 and 7 inches of snow. Two people were killed in a car accident (indirect fatality) near Tremont due to snow and ice covered roads.
This tornado crossed the Illinois River from Peoria County at 10:53 AM CST. It tracked through the northwest side of Pekin before lifting 2 miles northeast of Pekin at 10:54 AM CST. Approximately 179 houses and 6 businesses suffered major damage, while 182 houses experienced mino…
Widespread damage occurred in Tazewell County. As the severe thunderstorm moved northeast across the county, it took the roof off of a corn crib and flipped over an irrigation rig 3 miles southwest of Delavan then blew the roof off of a house in Delavan. In South Pekin, around a …
Thunderstorm winds blew down the roof of a motel that was being constructed. Six workers were injured, none seriously. Also, at another nearby construction site, the top two floors of a three story townhouse complex were flattened. No one was injured in that incident. No damage e…
Weather observers across Tazewell County reported ice accumulations of up to 0.25. This amount of ice combined with winds gusting as high as 45 to 55 mph caused extensive damage to trees, power poles, and power lines. Several homes were damaged by falling trees and tree branches.…
A tornado touched down 0.6 miles south of Delavan at 11:39 PM CDT. The tornado then moved east-northeast across the south side of Delavan, damaging 51 homes. 15 of the homes sustained severe damage, including either the roofs being completely torn off or the majority of the roof …
High impact flooding on the Illinois River continued from April. Several homes, businesses and roads along the Illinois River in Tazewell County suffered flood damage due to record river levels. A total of 374 structures were damaged by the flooding in Tazewell County. High impac…
Very heavy rainfall of 3.00 to 5.00 inches resulted in damage to thousands of houses and businesses in the county, which included the cities of East Peoria, Pekin, Washington and Morton. Every creek and stream in the western and northern part of the county was flooded. Nearly eve…
As the storms moved through Tazewell County, more intense damage was observed in two main areas, Morton and South Pekin. In Morton, as a tornado moved through southwestern portions of the city, strong microburst winds (100 to 110 mph) caused considerable tree and power line damag…
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Power lines were blown down.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Power lines were blown down.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Tree branches and power lines were blown down, causing a power outage in town.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Several power poles were snapped.
Tornado EF1 Tornado
A tornado touched down along Allentown Road about 3 miles south-southwest of Groveland at 9:27 AM CST. The tornado tracked eastward along Allentown Road, destroying two outbuildings and snapping numerous trees. It also broke 8 power poles along Springfield Road north of its inter…
Heavy Snow Heavy Snow
Weather observers measured 5 to 7 inches of snow across Tazewell County...including 7.0 inches in Pekin and 6.0 inches in Morton. Due to snow-covered and slick roadways, numerous traffic accidents occurred.
Drought Drought
Due to a four-month precipitation deficit, Severe Drought (D2) was ongoing at the start of the month. Despite above normal snowfall during December, precipitation was still below normal, and the continued below normal precipitation led to the Severe Drought (D2) persisting throug…
Heavy Snow Heavy Snow
Numerous weather observers measured 5 to 10 inches of snow across Tazewell County...including 7.7 inches in Washington and 6.5 inches in Morton. Due to both falling snow and considerable blowing and drifting snow, travel became extremely hazardous...leading to numerous accidents …
Drought Drought
Due to a three-month precipitation deficit, Severe Drought (D2) was ongoing at the start of the month. Continued below normal precipitation and above normal temperatures led to the Severe Drought (D2) persisting through the month.
Drought Drought
Due to a two-month rainfall deficit, Severe Drought (D2) was ongoing at the start of the month. Continued below normal precipitation and above normal temperatures led to the Severe Drought (D2) persisting through the month. Several communities implemented burn bans.
Drought Drought
Due to a two-month rainfall deficit, Severe Drought (D2) conditions developed across Tazewell County on September 30th.
Lightning Lightning
Lightning struck a transformer on East Washington Street.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A large tree branch was broken off near the intersection of South 8th Street and Prince Street.
Tornado EFU Tornado
A video showed a brief tornado on the ground for approximately 45 seconds. No damage was observed or reported, so an intensity rating could not be assigned. The tornado occurred approximately 2.3 miles north-northeast of Hopedale, between Shiloh Road and Kentuckiana Road.
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A 70-foot section of a barn's wall was blown out and several 6-inch diameter tree branches were knocked down.
Tornado EF1 Tornado
A tornado touched down just southwest of the intersection of Red Shale Hill Road and Locust Road about 2 miles south of Tremont at 8:49 PM CDT. It tracked northeastward through mainly rural areas, damaging numerous trees and a couple power poles. The most intense part of the torn…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Several 2 to 3-inch diameter tree branches were snapped on South Market Street.
Tornado EFU Tornado
A broadcast meteorologist video taped a brief tornado touchdown near Spring Lake Township, which then moved northeast for about one minute before dissipating. No damage was noted.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A power pole was bent and a 12 inch tree was snapped.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A large oak tree was snapped by thunderstorm winds.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A house sustained siding damage as well as damage to a wooden fence. Loose outdoor items were blown around.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Roofing material was blown off of a large building.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A tree was blown down.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A grain bin was destroyed and part of a barn roof was damaged.
Events by year
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 33 | 4 |
| 2024 | 42 | 3 |
| 2023 | 52 | 2 |
| 2022 | 29 | 0 |
| 2021 | 19 | 0 |
| 2020 | 34 | 2 |
| 2019 | 46 | 3 |
| 2018 | 7 | 1 |
| 2017 | 23 | 2 |
| 2016 | 14 | 0 |
| 2015 | 30 | 2 |
| 2014 | 13 | 0 |
| 2013 | 20 | 2 |
| 2012 | 18 | 0 |
| 2011 | 36 | 0 |
| 2010 | 29 | 1 |
| 2009 | 17 | 0 |
| 2008 | 28 | 3 |
| 2007 | 11 | 0 |
| 2006 | 29 | 1 |
| 2005 | 20 | 0 |
| 2004 | 18 | 3 |
| 2003 | 28 | 8 |
| 2002 | 12 | 0 |
| 2001 | 13 | 0 |
| 2000 | 14 | 1 |
| 1999 | 14 | 1 |
| 1998 | 17 | 1 |
| 1997 | 10 | 0 |
| 1996 | 14 | 1 |
| 1995 | 9 | 2 |
| 1994 | 16 | 3 |
| 1993 | 12 | 1 |
| 1992 | 10 | 1 |
| 1991 | 11 | 4 |
| 1990 | 4 | 2 |
| 1989 | 1 | 0 |
| 1988 | 4 | 0 |
| 1987 | 3 | 1 |
| 1986 | 3 | 1 |
| 1985 | 5 | 0 |
| 1984 | 3 | 0 |
| 1983 | 1 | 0 |
| 1982 | 4 | 0 |
| 1981 | 1 | 1 |
| 1980 | 6 | 1 |
| 1978 | 3 | 0 |
| 1977 | 5 | 1 |
| 1976 | 3 | 1 |
| 1975 | 9 | 2 |
| 1974 | 4 | 1 |
| 1973 | 3 | 1 |
| 1972 | 1 | 0 |
| 1970 | 1 | 0 |
| 1969 | 3 | 1 |
| 1968 | 2 | 0 |
| 1967 | 2 | 1 |
| 1964 | 1 | 0 |
| 1963 | 1 | 0 |
| 1961 | 1 | 0 |
| 1960 | 4 | 3 |
| 1956 | 1 | 1 |
| 1955 | 1 | 1 |