Pulaski, IL Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
Hot Rankings
The chance of earthquake damage in Pulaski is higher than Illinois average and is about the same as the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Pulaski is higher than Illinois average and is much higher than the national average.
Earthquake Index, #47
| Pulaski, IL | 1.62 |
| Illinois | 0.24 |
| U.S. | 1.81 |
The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.
Volcano Index, #1
| Pulaski, IL | 0.0000 |
| Illinois | 0.0000 |
| U.S. | 0.0023 |
The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.
Tornado Index, #556
| Pulaski, IL | 234.73 |
| Illinois | 220.15 |
| U.S. | 136.45 |
The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.
Other Weather Extremes Events
A total of 4,295 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Pulaski, IL were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:
| Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count |
| Avalanche: | 0 | Blizzard: | 1 | Cold: | 63 | Dense Fog: | 53 | Drought: | 57 |
| Dust Storm: | 0 | Flood: | 758 | Hail: | 1,010 | Heat: | 122 | Heavy Snow: | 54 |
| High Surf: | 0 | Hurricane: | 0 | Ice Storm: | 31 | Landslide: | 0 | Strong Wind: | 69 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 1,614 | Tropical Storm: | 0 | Wildfire: | 2 | Winter Storm: | 80 | Winter Weather: | 45 |
| Other: | 336 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
No volcano is found in or near Pulaski, IL.
Historical Earthquake Events
A total of 11 historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Pulaski, IL.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Depth (km) | Latitude | Longitude |
| 47.8 | 1812-02-07 | 7.4 | N/A | 36.6 | -89.6 |
| 47.8 | 1811-12-16 | 7.2 | N/A | 36.6 | -89.6 |
| 47.8 | 1812-01-23 | 7.1 | N/A | 36.6 | -89.6 |
| 41.7 | 1968-11-09 | 5.3 | N/A | 37 | -88.5 |
| 17.9 | 1965-08-15 | 5.1 | N/A | 37.37 | -89.47 |
| 8.1 | 1965-08-14 | 5 | N/A | 37.1 | -89.2 |
| 39.2 | 1970-12-24 | 4.8 | 12 | 36.7 | -89.5 |
| 16.6 | 1972-06-19 | 4.5 | 13 | 37 | -89.08 |
| 11.4 | 1984-02-14 | 3.8 | 2 | 37.21 | -89 |
| 27.0 | 1963-08-03 | 3.6 | 18 | 37 | -88.8 |
| 47.4 | 1980-07-05 | 3.5 | 10 | 36.6 | -89.58 |
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 103 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Pulaski, IL.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County |
| 2.8 | 1972-04-21 | 2 | 37°14'N / 89°15'W | 37°17'N / 89°10'W | 5.60 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 2 | 25K | 0 | Pulaski |
| 3.3 | 1972-04-21 | 2 | 37°13'N / 89°17'W | 37°14'N / 89°15'W | 1.30 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Alexander |
| 9.4 | 1957-04-03 | 2 | 37°04'N / 89°11'W | 37°06'N / 89°11'W | 2.30 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Pulaski |
| 10.0 | 1967-06-21 | 2 | 37°06'N / 89°06'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Pulaski | |||
| 10.4 | 2002-04-28 | 3 | 37°22'N / 89°20'W | 37°22'N / 89°02'W | 16.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 1 | 8 | 5.0M | 0 | Union |
| Brief Description: The tornado first touched down in very hilly terrain in the Shawnee National Forest and then tracked east, crossing Route 127 just north of Mill Creek. The tornado then directly struck the community of Dongola, where most of the damage and casualties occurred. A 69-year-old woman was killed as she was attempting to flee her mobile home. The woman had just gotten into her car, started the engine, and turned the lights on when the tornado struck. She was blown away from the car and found dead under a structure across the road from where the vehicle was parked and still running. Elsewhere in the Dongola area, a train was blown off the tracks. Several wood houses were demolished, and seven double-wide trailers were destroyed. Approximately 75 homes were damaged. A recreational vehicle was tossed across Lake Dongola and impaled into the ground. F69VE | |||||||||||
| 12.2 | 1999-01-21 | 2 | 37°13'N / 89°27'W | 37°20'N / 89°23'W | 7.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 150K | 0 | Alexander |
| Brief Description: Top winds were estimated near 130 MPH. Damage was relatively light due to the track of the tornado over rural portions of those counties. A few sheds and barns were destroyed, and a house sustained moderate damage. A fairly large metal barn, about 100 feet by 50 feet, was blown into a stand of trees, but remained fully intact in the upper reaches of the trees. Tree damage was complete along some wooded portions of the track. The tornado formed less than a half mile east of Thebes, and then tracked seven miles through the Shawnee National Forest. The damaged structures were near Thebes and Gale. | |||||||||||
| 12.4 | 1999-01-21 | 2 | 37°20'N / 89°22'W | 37°22'N / 89°21'W | 1.00 Mile | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 20K | 0 | Union |
| Brief Description: Top winds were estimated near 130 MPH. Damage was relatively light due to the track of the tornado over rural portions of those counties. A few sheds and barns were destroyed, and a house sustained moderate damage. A fairly large metal barn, about 100 feet by 50 feet, was blown into a stand of trees, but remained fully intact in the upper reaches of the trees. Tree damage was complete along some wooded portions of the track. The tornado formed less than a half mile east of Thebes, and then tracked seven miles through the Shawnee National Forest. The damaged structures were near Thebes and Gale. | |||||||||||
| 12.8 | 1957-04-03 | 2 | 37°00'N / 89°12'W | 37°04'N / 89°11'W | 4.50 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 5 | 250K | 0 | Alexander |
| 12.8 | 2003-05-06 | 4 | 37°16'N / 89°02'W | 37°16'N / 88°56'W | 6.00 Miles | 1000 Yards | 1 | 13 | 3.5M | 0 | Pulaski |
| Brief Description: This violent tornado began near Grand Chain and reached its maximum intensity of 210 MPH as it neared the Massac County line. A 53-year-old man was killed when the chimney of his house collapsed on him. The man, who was in his basement, was protecting his son by lying on top of him when the collapse occurred. The son received broken bones. Their house was impaled by some nearby large trees that prevented it from being swept farther away. Along the Pulaski County portion of the tornado path, six single family homes and ten mobile homes were destroyed. Another ten single family homes and a mobile home had major damage. A few dozen other residences received some type of minor damage. A few dozen outbuildings, two businesses, and a campground were destroyed or had major damage. Approximately 13 persons were injured, but only a few of those required hospitalization. All roads in the damage area were impassable due to large numbers of trees and building debris on them. Many of the tornado victims in this county had no insurance on their residences. The area of most intense destruction was along Tick Ridge Road, a state road that follows a ridge above the Ohio River. M53PH The deadliest and most destructive storm of the night tracked within 10 miles of the Ohio River across extreme southern Illinois. The storm produced a 33-mile long tornado that killed two and injured about 33. A small but very damaging downburst occurred several miles south of the tornado track. A swath of large hail occurred north of the tornado track. Hailstones up to 2 inches in diameter were reported at and near the intersection of Highways 145 and 147, near the community of Glendale in Pope County. | |||||||||||
| 13.3 | 2003-05-06 | 2 | 37°05'N / 89°18'W | 36°58'N / 89°09'W | 7.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Mississippi |
| Brief Description: This tornado formed on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River, crossed the river into Missouri at the Interstate 57 bridge, then crossed the river into Kentucky. On the Interstate 57 bridge over the Mississippi River, three 18-wheelers were flipped over, closing the bridge for several hours. The Missouri portion of the track was mainly across undeveloped river bottomland, used mainly for planting crops. | |||||||||||
| 13.7 | 2003-05-06 | 2 | 37°03'N / 89°21'W | 37°00'N / 89°11'W | 3.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 1 | 300K | 0 | Alexander |
| Brief Description: The tornado formed northwest of Cairo near the Mississippi River. Three tractor-trailer rigs were overturned on the Interstate 57 bridge over the Mississippi River. The tornado tracked through Cairo, damaging dozens of homes and several businesses. One single-family home was destroyed, injuring a child who was cut by flying debris. Of the damaged homes, about four sustained major damage, and the rest had mainly minor damage. | |||||||||||
| 14.7 | 2002-04-28 | 2 | 37°22'N / 89°03'W | 37°22'N / 88°59'W | 3.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 2 | 3.0M | 0 | Johnson |
| Brief Description: The tornado entered Johnson County near Cypress and was on the ground for only a few miles in Johnson County. Cypress was impacted directly, where about 50 structures were damaged, including a school. The school lost portions of upper story walls and the roof. Two trailers were destroyed. | |||||||||||
| 14.7 | 1958-06-12 | 3 | 37°05'N / 89°00'W | 0 | 3 | 25K | 0 | Ballard | |||
| 15.5 | 1955-11-16 | 2 | 37°26'N / 89°16'W | 37°27'N / 89°11'W | 4.50 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Union |
| 16.6 | 1971-12-15 | 2 | 37°10'N / 89°32'W | 37°15'N / 89°29'W | 6.40 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Scott |
| 16.9 | 1957-12-18 | 2 | 37°18'N / 88°55'W | 0.10 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Johnson | |
| 17.2 | 1976-02-16 | 2 | 37°28'N / 89°11'W | 1.00 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Union | |
| 18.8 | 2003-05-06 | 2 | 37°01'N / 89°09'W | 36°58'N / 88°53'W | 15.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Ballard |
| Brief Description: The tornado crossed into Ballard County between Wickliffe and the U.S. Route 60/62 bridge over the Ohio River. The tornado was rated F-2 in a forested area along the Mississippi River just north of Wickliffe, where intense tree damage was observed. Along the rest of its path through Ballard County, it was rated F-1 or F-0 (winds below 113 MPH). Where the tornado passed through the northeast outskirts of Wickliffe, there were a few homes with mainly minor damage. Roads were blocked by large fallen trees, including a 300-year-old white oak tree. The tornado moved east-southeast across rural Ballard County, where there was considerable roof damage to a home, and a garage door was blown out. Large trees were uprooted. At least one house was struck by falling trees. There was slight structural damage to the roof and attic portion of a home. The most prolific tornado-producing storm of the night entered western Kentucky near the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers and moved east, passing between Paducah and Mayfield. The storm continued to spawn tornadoes, mostly of weak to moderate intensity, until it reached Kentucky Lake. Elsewhere, severe thunderstorms moved northeast across northwest Kentucky, producing sporadic wind damage and a tornado. Sporadic wind damage occurred in Livingston, Crittenden, Webster, and Daviess Counties, with a tornado in Union and Henderson Counties. | |||||||||||
| 20.4 | 1971-03-14 | 2 | 37°19'N / 89°34'W | 37°24'N / 89°30'W | 6.60 Miles | 23 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Cape Girardeau |
| 20.9 | 2003-05-04 | 2 | 37°03'N / 89°37'W | 37°01'N / 89°24'W | 11.50 Miles | 130 Yards | 0 | 0 | 75K | 0 | Scott |
| Brief Description: One mobile home was destroyed. Several small buildings were damaged. Numerous trees were blown down or damaged. Several irrigation systems were moved and/or turned over. Peak winds in the tornado were estimated near 130 MPH. Severe thunderstorms produced dime to nickel size hail in isolated locations from around Poplar Bluff west. The storms then organized into a single tornadic supercell just northeast of Poplar Bluff. This long-lived supercell moved east, passing between Cape Girardeau and Sikeston, then continued east-northeast through the Lower Ohio River Valley. The supercell produced a tornado in Scott County. Trees were blown down at Wappapello in southeast Wayne County. | |||||||||||
| 21.4 | 1972-04-14 | 2 | 37°32'N / 89°16'W | 37°31'N / 89°03'W | 11.80 Miles | 30 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Union |
| 21.8 | 2003-05-06 | 4 | 37°14'N / 88°56'W | 37°19'N / 88°42'W | 14.00 Miles | 1000 Yards | 1 | 20 | 10.0M | 0 | Massac |
| Brief Description: 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 foundation, with only the roof left intact in a creek about 200 yards away. Many vehicles were lifted, rolled, or thrown up to 100 yards or more. Numerous cases of missiling were observed, including glass embedded in trees. Tree destruction in forested areas was nearly complete, and a few trees were debarked. The only fatality in Massac County was a 65-year-old female who was killed when her mobile home disintegrated. The official cause of death was blunt trauma to the head. She was found in a water-filled ravine about 100 yards from the former site of her mobile home. The frame of the mobile home was wrapped around the trunks of two trees that were stripped of all their limbs. Most of the levelled frame homes were concentrated on Boaz Road and Rolling Hills Road, in or near Hillerman. After passing through Hillerman, the tornado overturned dozens of railroad cars of a train just west of the Mermet Lake Conservation Area, which is off U.S. Route 45. The Mermet Lake Conservation Area was extensively damaged. An estimated 300 acres of forest were destroyed, boat docks were destroyed, and bathing facilities were destroyed. Dozens of waterfowl were found dead. After destroying additional residences and high tension power lines, the tornado crossed Interstate 24 near mile marker 28, about a mile south of the New Columbia exit. Tractor-trailer rigs and a tour bus were overturned on the interstate, injuring the drivers. The interstate was closed due to grain bins, tree limbs, and some building debris on the highway. Additional residences were destroyed between the interstate and the Pope County line. The tornado crossed into Pope County near where Illinois Route 145 crosses the county line. In Massac County, a total of 15 single-family houses and 13 mobile homes were destroyed. About 20 other single-family houses and 15 mobile homes received major damage. Several dozen other residences had some type of minor damage. Numerous vehicles and farming implements were destroyed, including combines. About 20 persons were injured in Massac County, but only one or two were hospitalized in serious or critical condition. Most of the injuries involved lacerations, bruises, broken bones, and internal injuries. Near Hillerman, a deputy sheriff escaped unhurt after his patrol car was thrown about 50 yards and struck by a flying tree and telephone pole. F65MH The deadliest and most destructive storm of the night tracked within 10 miles of the Ohio River across extreme southern Illinois. The storm produced a 33-mile long tornado that killed two and injured about 33. A small but very damaging downburst occurred several miles south of the tornado track. A swath of large hail occurred north of the tornado track. Hailstones up to 2 inches in diameter were reported at and near the intersection of Highways 145 and 147, near the community of Glendale in Pope County. | |||||||||||
| 22.1 | 1981-05-24 | 2 | 37°12'N / 89°40'W | 37°12'N / 89°33'W | 6.40 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 1 | 2.5M | 0 | Scott |
| 22.4 | 2006-09-22 | 3 | 37°12'N / 88°48'W | 37°14'N / 88°48'W | 3.50 Miles | 125 Yards | 0 | 2 | 500K | 0 | Massac |
| Brief Description: 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. The tornado then strengthened to F-3 intensity, destroying a log home. The roof and an exterior wall of the well-constructed log home were blown about one-half mile. Another house nearby sustained major damage. Four mobile homes were destroyed, along with garages and outbuildings. Part of a double wide mobile home blew into a church sanctuary. Six vehicles were tossed up to 100 yards. At least one of the vehicles landed in a pond. The only two persons injured were residents of a destroyed mobile home. The worst of the injuries was a broken arm. Hundreds of trees were broken or uprooted, and numerous trees fell on cars. Numerous power poles were downed. A seriously injured dog was found in a ditch one quarter mile away. The most intense damage, where vehicles were tossed, occurred about two-thirds of the way along the damage path near Red Oak Road. The tornado was witnessed by the general public. The average path width was 100 yards. | |||||||||||
| 22.6 | 2002-04-28 | 2 | 37°22'N / 88°54'W | 37°22'N / 88°47'W | 7.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 2 | 100K | 0 | Johnson |
| Brief Description: This tornado was produced by the same supercell thunderstorm that spawned a long-track tornado over southern Union and southwest Johnson Counties. This tornado touched down along U.S. Highway 45, about 3 miles south of Vienna. The tornado moved east across Interstate 24, and then dissipated about 1.5 miles east of the interstate near Ganntown. Two persons were injured when their mobile home was demolished. Two other mobile homes were extensively damaged. Numerous trees were down. | |||||||||||
| 23.4 | 2003-05-06 | 2 | 37°14'N / 88°50'W | 37°15'N / 88°44'W | 4.00 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 80K | 0 | Massac |
| Brief Description: The roofs of several houses were severely damaged or blown off. One business was destroyed. Several barns and outbuildings were destroyed. Numerous large trees were blown down, along with seven power poles. Peak winds were estimated near 125 MPH. The damage path began due north of Metropolis and crossed Illinois Route 145 about 7 miles north-northeast of Metropolis. Route 145 and several smaller roads were closed due to large trees blown across them. This damage was located in nearly the exact location where damaging thunderstorm winds occurred about 48 hours earlier, on the evening of May 4. The deadliest and most destructive storm of the night tracked within 10 miles of the Ohio River across extreme southern Illinois. The storm produced a 33-mile long tornado that killed two and injured about 33. A small but very damaging downburst occurred several miles south of the tornado track. A swath of large hail occurred north of the tornado track. Hailstones up to 2 inches in diameter were reported at and near the intersection of Highways 145 and 147, near the community of Glendale in Pope County. | |||||||||||
| 23.4 | 1972-04-14 | 2 | 37°34'N / 89°19'W | 37°32'N / 89°16'W | 3.30 Miles | 30 Yards | 0 | 4 | 25K | 0 | Union |
| 24.3 | 1973-11-24 | 2 | 36°50'N / 89°20'W | 36°54'N / 89°08'W | 11.90 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Mississippi |
| 24.4 | 1972-04-14 | 2 | 37°31'N / 89°03'W | 37°33'N / 88°58'W | 4.90 Miles | 30 Yards | 0 | 5 | 25K | 0 | Johnson |
| 24.7 | 1981-04-22 | 4 | 36°53'N / 89°27'W | 36°54'N / 89°20'W | 6.50 Miles | 33 Yards | 1 | 6 | 25.0M | 0 | Mississippi |
| 25.4 | 1957-12-18 | 2 | 37°11'N / 89°40'W | 0.50 Mile | 33 Yards | 3 | 1 | 2.5M | 0 | Scott | |
| 25.6 | 1974-06-22 | 2 | 37°33'N / 89°00'W | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Johnson | |||
| 25.6 | 1971-12-15 | 2 | 37°05'N / 89°47'W | 37°10'N / 89°32'W | 14.90 Miles | 100 Yards | 1 | 24 | 25K | 0 | Scott |
| 26.3 | 1986-05-15 | 2 | 36°53'N / 89°35'W | 36°59'N / 89°28'W | 6.00 Miles | 500 Yards | 0 | 19 | 25.0M | 0 | Scott |
| 26.5 | 1957-05-21 | 3 | 37°34'N / 89°19'W | 37°38'N / 89°11'W | 8.50 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Union |
| 26.6 | 1971-07-15 | 2 | 36°51'N / 89°21'W | 1.00 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 6 | 25K | 0 | Mississippi | |
| 26.7 | 1981-05-24 | 2 | 37°12'N / 89°43'W | 37°12'N / 89°40'W | 2.70 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Cape Girardeau |
| 27.1 | 2003-05-06 | 3 | 37°23'N / 89°40'W | 37°24'N / 89°38'W | 2.00 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 2 | 12.0M | 0 | Cape Girardeau |
| Brief Description: The tornado touched down at the intersection of Highway 34 and Business Loop I-55 in Jackson, then moved northeast across downtown Jackson and the Bent Creek Golf Course. The damage path ended about 300 yards short of Interstate 55. Several trees blocked Interstate 55 near Jackson. Peak tornado winds were estimated near 180 MPH. The police and fire headquarters building was near the beginning of the damage path. The roof was blown off the building and windows were blown out, allowing rain to flood the building and cause extensive damage. The hazardous materials trailer and communications van were overturned. City police and fire operations were moved to alternate quarters. Streets were blocked by flipped cars and downed trees and power lines. Numerous large trees were snapped or uprooted. The roofs and some walls were torn off many buildings and homes, as well as a school in downtown Jackson. About 200 structures in Jackson received at least some degree of damage. Approximately 22 homes were destroyed, 43 received major damage, and 140 received minor damage. Of those, six were mobile homes and four were apartment buildings. Three businesses were destroyed, including a bakery. Four other businesses had major damage, including a storage company and a woodworking business. Two injured persons were treated and released from a local hospital. One family safely took shelter in their basement while baseball size hail battered the kitchen floor of their unroofed home, and a small sports car landed in their living room. Twenty gas leaks caused by the tornado were repaired within 6 hours. Power was restored to all but 30 homes within 48 hours. A supercellular severe thunderstorm tracked northeast across Bollinger and Cape Girardeau Counties, producing several tornadoes and hail up to golf ball size. Other severe thunderstorms north of the supercell's path produced damaging wind gusts and large hail. | |||||||||||
| 29.4 | 2004-10-18 | 2 | 37°36'N / 88°58'W | 37°34'N / 88°54'W | 4.30 Miles | 250 Yards | 0 | 2 | 500K | 0 | Johnson |
| Brief Description: The tornado turned east-southeast from Williamson County back into Johnson County. The bulk of the damage and injuries occurred in a neighborhood on the southern half of the Lake of Egypt. The two injured persons were mobile home residents whose homes were demolished. One of the mobile homes was swept clean off its foundation. The demolished home was deposited 50 to 100 yards away. The 32-year-old male occupant of the mobile home, who was ejected from the home, received numerous bruises and cuts. A female resident of another mobile home was injured. In total, three mobile homes were destroyed, and dozens of mobile homes, barns, and sheds were damaged. Rescue efforts were hampered by a large amount of tree debris on roads. Peak winds in the Lake of Egypt neighborhood were estimated near 120 MPH. The tornado lifted as it reached the southeast side of the Lake of Egypt. The parent thunderstorm produced another tornado in northern Johnson County only a few miles beyond where this tornado lifted. A supercell thunderstorm organized over southern Jackson County, then spawned a tornado as it moved east along the Union/Williamson County line. This supercell continued east-southeast across northern Johnson and northern Pope Counties, producing two significant tornadoes and large hail. Although the storm exhibited strong rotation as it continued east through Hardin County and across the Ohio River into Kentucky, no additional tornadoes were reported there. | |||||||||||
| 29.9 | 1973-11-24 | 2 | 36°47'N / 89°26'W | 36°50'N / 89°20'W | 6.50 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Mississippi |
| 30.0 | 1972-04-14 | 2 | 37°33'N / 88°58'W | 37°34'N / 88°46'W | 10.90 Miles | 30 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Johnson |
| 30.1 | 1986-05-15 | 2 | 36°58'N / 89°42'W | 37°01'N / 89°39'W | 4.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 1 | 15 | 2.5M | 0 | Scott |
| 31.3 | 1955-04-22 | 2 | 36°52'N / 89°34'W | 0.20 Mile | 10 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Scott | |
| 31.6 | 1955-03-20 | 3 | 36°45'N / 89°22'W | 36°48'N / 89°20'W | 3.60 Miles | 250 Yards | 0 | 17 | 250K | 0 | Mississippi |
| 31.6 | 1957-12-18 | 2 | 37°27'N / 89°44'W | 37°31'N / 89°37'W | 7.80 Miles | 700 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Cape Girardeau |
| 31.9 | 1963-04-29 | 2 | 37°07'N / 89°47'W | 37°08'N / 89°46'W | 1.30 Miles | 50 Yards | 1 | 3 | 25K | 0 | Cape Girardeau |
| 32.1 | 1986-05-15 | 2 | 36°52'N / 89°37'W | 36°53'N / 89°35'W | 3.00 Miles | 500 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25.0M | 0 | New Madrid |
| 32.6 | 1955-04-22 | 2 | 37°13'N / 89°50'W | 37°11'N / 89°46'W | 4.10 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Cape Girardeau |
| 32.9 | 1971-12-15 | 2 | 36°59'N / 88°42'W | 37°01'N / 88°39'W | 3.60 Miles | 10 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Mccracken |
| 33.0 | 1952-03-18 | 2 | 37°22'N / 89°47'W | 37°27'N / 89°44'W | 6.20 Miles | 500 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Cape Girardeau |
| 33.3 | 1970-06-01 | 2 | 37°42'N / 89°12'W | 0 | 5 | 25K | 0 | Jackson | |||
| 33.3 | 1957-12-18 | 2 | 37°42'N / 89°13'W | 1.50 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 5 | 25K | 0 | Jackson | |
| 34.1 | 2004-04-24 | 2 | 37°17'N / 89°51'W | 37°20'N / 89°47'W | 5.40 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 10K | 0 | Cape Girardeau |
| Brief Description: Several barns were damaged, and one was destroyed. Two houses had roof damage. The most intense damage was in a forest, where hundreds of trees were snapped or uprooted. Peak winds were estimated at 130 MPH. The damage began on Highway RA, just south of Lake Girardeau, and continued northeast to about 2 miles west of Tilsit. A warm front extending across southeast Missouri was the focus for tornadic thunderstorms. The storms developed during the warmth of the afternoon and produced a few tornadoes, isolated dime size hail, and several reports of flash flooding. | |||||||||||
| 34.5 | 1970-03-25 | 2 | 37°43'N / 89°11'W | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Jackson | |||
| 34.5 | 1957-05-21 | 2 | 37°23'N / 89°50'W | 37°25'N / 89°45'W | 5.10 Miles | 500 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Cape Girardeau |
| 34.9 | 1967-10-24 | 2 | 36°54'N / 89°42'W | 36°54'N / 89°42'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Scott | ||
| 35.1 | 1962-02-08 | 2 | 36°43'N / 89°19'W | 0.10 Mile | 30 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Mississippi | |
| 35.3 | 2003-05-06 | 3 | 37°18'N / 88°41'W | 37°23'N / 88°29'W | 13.00 Miles | 600 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Pope |
| Brief Description: The tornado entered Pope County near where Illinois Route 145 crosses the Massac County line. The tornado passed near the communities of Temple Hill, Homberg, and Brownfield. In Pope County, three mobile homes and four permanent homes were destroyed, along with numerous barns and outbuildings. An additional nine single-family homes and two mobile homes received major damage. Dozens of other residences received minor to moderate damage. Some vehicles were rolled or moved. The tornado passed just west and northwest of Golconda before ending about a mile north of town. Just west of Golconda, the roof was blown off the county elementary school's gymnasium. Despite the seven destroyed residences, not one injury was reported. The maximum intensity of the tornado was rated F-3 in Pope County, and F-4 in Massac and Pulaski Counties. The slightly lower intensity of the tornado, combined with the fact it narrowly missed the center of several Pope County communities, may partly explain the lack of injuries. When the tornado ended just north of Golconda, it had been on the ground for 33 miles and an hour and ten minutes. Where the track of the tornado ended near Golconda, the Ohio River and Kentucky state line were less than a mile away. The deadliest and most destructive storm of the night tracked within 10 miles of the Ohio River across extreme southern Illinois. The storm produced a 33-mile long tornado that killed two and injured about 33. A small but very damaging downburst occurred several miles south of the tornado track. A swath of large hail occurred north of the tornado track. Hailstones up to 2 inches in diameter were reported at and near the intersection of Highways 145 and 147, near the community of Glendale in Pope County. | |||||||||||
| 35.3 | 2002-04-28 | 3 | 37°21'N / 88°43'W | 37°23'N / 88°28'W | 12.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 1 | 400K | 0 | Pope |
| Brief Description: The tornado touched down near Dixon Springs and tracked east, parallel and very close to Illinois Route 146. The path was through rural farm country and the Shawnee National Forest. A couple of farm buildings were damaged near the beginning of the track. Where the tornado crossed Route 146, a mobile home was destroyed, injuring one person. On the north side of Golconda, one brick home was destroyed and a couple of nearby homes were damaged. The tornado then crossed the Ohio River into Kentucky. | |||||||||||
| 35.5 | 1971-12-15 | 2 | 37°01'N / 89°51'W | 37°05'N / 89°47'W | 5.70 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 2 | 25K | 0 | Stoddard |
| 35.6 | 1957-12-18 | 2 | 37°24'N / 89°52'W | 37°27'N / 89°44'W | 8.00 Miles | 700 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Cape Girardeau |
| 35.9 | 1970-04-01 | 2 | 36°41'N / 89°18'W | 36°43'N / 89°13'W | 5.10 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 4 | 25K | 0 | Mississippi |
| 36.7 | 1981-05-18 | 2 | 36°43'N / 88°59'W | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Hickman | |||
| 37.0 | 1974-05-14 | 2 | 37°38'N / 89°38'W | 1.00 Mile | 177 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Perry | |
| 37.2 | 1963-04-29 | 2 | 37°05'N / 89°57'W | 37°07'N / 89°47'W | 9.40 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Stoddard |
| 37.9 | 2004-10-18 | 2 | 37°33'N / 88°43'W | 37°32'N / 88°35'W | 6.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 150K | 0 | Pope |
| Brief Description: This tornado entered Pope County from Johnson County in a remote area of the Shawnee National Forest. Most of the track was through heavily forested areas, causing extensive tree destruction. The tornado reached its peak intensity about a mile northeast of Bell Smith Springs, a scenic river gorge about 4 miles northwest of Eddyville. Peak winds were estimated near 120 MPH. Near the end of the damage path, just as the tornado was reaching Illinois Route 145, a mobile home was damaged. A supercell thunderstorm organized over southern Jackson County, then spawned a tornado as it moved east along the Union/Williamson County line. This supercell continued east-southeast across northern Johnson and northern Pope Counties, producing two significant tornadoes and large hail. Although the storm exhibited strong rotation as it continued east through Hardin County and across the Ohio River into Kentucky, no additional tornadoes were reported there. | |||||||||||
| 38.0 | 1955-04-22 | 3 | 36°40'N / 89°31'W | 36°43'N / 89°18'W | 12.40 Miles | 10 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | New Madrid |
| 38.2 | 1957-12-18 | 2 | 37°41'N / 89°35'W | 1.00 Mile | 10 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Perry | |
| 38.5 | 1957-12-18 | 4 | 37°42'N / 89°29'W | 37°50'N / 89°10'W | 19.50 Miles | 300 Yards | 11 | 180 | 2.5M | 0 | Jackson |
| 38.6 | 1991-11-19 | 3 | 37°44'N / 88°56'W | 1.50 Miles | 70 Yards | 0 | 16 | 25.0M | 0 | Williamson | |
| 39.2 | 1957-05-22 | 2 | 36°39'N / 89°12'W | 0.40 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Mississippi | |
| 39.3 | 1982-05-29 | 4 | 37°48'N / 89°08'W | 37°43'N / 88°50'W | 17.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 10 | 181 | 250.0M | 0 | Williamson |
| 39.4 | 1973-04-19 | 2 | 37°02'N / 88°37'W | 37°01'N / 88°27'W | 9.10 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Mccracken |
| 39.5 | 1999-01-22 | 2 | 37°19'N / 88°31'W | 37°19'N / 88°29'W | 1.50 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 800K | 0 | Pope |
| Brief Description: A tornado with top winds estimated near 125 MPH struck a development of cabins and small summer homes in the Shawnee National Forest, at a place called Ropers Landing. The tornado damaged or destroyed about 30 of these structures and caused extensive tree damage. About six cabins were completely demolished. The homes were unhabited in the middle of winter. Ropers Landing is located at the base of a bluff along the Ohio River. The tornado lifted as it crossed the Ohio River. | |||||||||||
| 39.9 | 1966-06-06 | 2 | 36°58'N / 88°37'W | 36°59'N / 88°29'W | 7.40 Miles | 67 Yards | 0 | 2 | 25K | 0 | Mccracken |
| 39.9 | 1973-05-07 | 2 | 37°06'N / 89°55'W | 0.30 Mile | 27 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Stoddard | |
| 40.8 | 1973-06-02 | 2 | 37°46'N / 88°56'W | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Williamson | |||
| 41.2 | 1956-02-25 | 2 | 36°40'N / 89°33'W | 36°40'N / 89°26'W | 6.40 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | New Madrid |
| 41.5 | 1964-03-04 | 3 | 36°40'N / 88°54'W | 36°43'N / 88°47'W | 7.20 Miles | 880 Yards | 0 | 5 | 250K | 0 | Logan |
| 42.1 | 2006-09-22 | 2 | 37°46'N / 89°39'W | 37°48'N / 89°20'W | 19.50 Miles | 225 Yards | 0 | 1 | 800K | 0 | Jackson |
| Brief Description: This tornado crossed the Mississippi River from Perry County, Missouri. The tornado weakened from its maximum F-4 intensity to F-2 intensity by the time it entered Jackson County in the Mississippi River bottomlands near Wilkinson Island. At this location, the wall of an old two-story farmhouse was blown out, and the roof was blown off. Hundreds of trees were broken off. Tree damage was visible across the river in Perry County, Missouri. The path width was estimated to be 200 yards wide on the Jackson County side of the river. Before reaching Illinois Route 3, the F-2 tornado widened to 250 yards and destroyed a mobile home. A resident of the mobile home was sent to the hospital. Nearby, a house was unroofed, and trees were snapped or uprooted. Another house lost a room that was added on. A swing set was blown 200 yards and wrapped around a mailbox. An empty tractor trailer rig was overturned. An empty grain bin was blown 100 yards into a field. Full grain bins were severely damaged but remained in place. The roof was blown off a brick house. As the tornado crossed Route 3, high tension utility poles were snapped off, hundreds of acres of corn were flattened, and trees were uprooted. Route 3 was closed for nine hours. From Route 3, the tornado proceeded east-northeast through mostly rural areas of the county, including the Kinkaid Lake State Wildlife Area. The tornado weakened to F-0 intensity before reaching Kinkaid Lake. At the Kinkaid Lake marina, about 50 RV's and boats were damaged, and trees were broken off. The tornado finally lifted shortly after crossing Highway 127 north of Murphysboro. The damage along Highway 127 was about 75 yards wide and consisted of broken tree limbs. A state trooper videotaped the tornado before it lifted. Storm chasers also videotaped the tornado. Peak winds where F-2 damage occurred in western Jackson County were estimated near 150 MPH. The average path width was about 150 yards. A total of about six homes were destroyed or severely damaged, and a dozen others were damaged to a lesser degree. Dozens of other non-residential buildings, such as garages, sheds, barns, and carports, were destroyed. Along the path, striations were evident in fields, and scores of utility poles were snapped off. There were numerous reports of debris falling from the sky in neighboring Perry County, Illinois. Debris as large as pieces of siding and roofing was reported in Du Quoin. | |||||||||||
| 42.2 | 1961-05-07 | 2 | 36°42'N / 89°00'W | 36°42'N / 88°36'W | 22.10 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Hickman |
| 42.7 | 1971-07-15 | 2 | 36°36'N / 89°14'W | 0.20 Mile | 17 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Mississippi | |
| 42.8 | 1977-06-30 | 2 | 37°10'N / 89°59'W | 2.00 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 4 | 250K | 0 | Bollinger | |
| 43.3 | 1957-12-18 | 4 | 37°50'N / 89°10'W | 37°51'N / 89°05'W | 4.50 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 10 | 2.5M | 0 | Williamson |
| 43.5 | 1972-04-21 | 3 | 37°33'N / 88°32'W | 0.30 Mile | 60 Yards | 3 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Pope | |
| 44.2 | 1973-11-24 | 2 | 36°33'N / 89°48'W | 36°47'N / 89°26'W | 25.90 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | New Madrid |
| 45.4 | 1973-04-19 | 2 | 36°33'N / 89°11'W | 36°41'N / 88°34'W | 35.40 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Fulton |
| 45.6 | 1957-12-18 | 4 | 37°51'N / 89°05'W | 37°53'N / 89°01'W | 4.30 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 10 | 2.5M | 0 | Franklin |
| 45.8 | 1971-12-15 | 2 | 36°53'N / 88°33'W | 36°57'N / 88°23'W | 10.30 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Graves |
| 45.9 | 2010-05-02 | 2 | 36°35'N / 88°56'W | 36°37'N / 88°52'W | 5.00 Miles | 600 Yards | 0 | 0 | 300K | 0K | Hickman |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: The tornado crossed into Hickman County from Fulton County on U.S. Highway 51 just north of Crutchfield. Peak winds in this area were estimated near 115 mph. The EF-2 tornado damaged or destroyed several pole barns along U.S. Highway 51. One barn was over 100 feet long and was anchored by telephone poles set in concrete. Most of the poles were snapped. A few poles were pulled up, with one thrown about 50 yards. A section of U.S. 51 was closed due to downed power poles and debris. Large trees were uprooted or snapped. There was minor house damage. As the tornado continued northeast across Kentucky Highway 1070 and a nearby road, three homes were damaged. One of the houses sustained damage to an outside wall, which was pushed in about three inches. The carport attached to that wall was blown away. A two-story garage was destroyed, along with other sheds and another carport. The other two houses sustained damage to garages and siding. Windows were blown out, and a section of roof was blown off one house. The maximum path width of about 600 yards was in this area. The average path width was closer to 300 yards. The tornado then weakened significantly and produced only minor tree damage until it dissipated about a mile southwest of Fulgham. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A surface cold front extended from the Chicago area southwestward across the eastern fringes of the St. Louis metro area to a weak low pressure center over southeast Missouri. The low ejected northeast across southern and eastern Illinois, with the trailing cold front moving east across the Lower Ohio Valley. A broken cluster of severe thunderstorms, with embedded supercells and small bow echoes, moved east-northeastward across western Kentucky. Increasing south-southwesterly low level winds brought plenty of moisture northward into the Lower Ohio Valley, aiding in sufficient destabilization for supercells. The two primary supercells of the night followed similar paths across southern parts of the Purchase area, the Lakes region, and the southern Pennyrile region. Heavy rainfall with the storms, in combination with saturated ground from the May 1 storms, produced localized flash flooding. | |||||||||||
| 45.9 | 2002-04-27 | 3 | 37°13'N / 90°04'W | 37°16'N / 90°01'W | 4.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 1 | 16 | 4.0M | 0 | Bollinger |
| Brief Description: This strong tornado with peak winds near 180 MPH touched down in a rural area southwest of Marble Hill. A total of 19 residences were severely damaged, and 6 were destroyed. Approximately 10 of the residences were mobile homes and 15 were single-family homes. Another 50 outbuildings, such as barns and sheds, were destroyed or damaged. Seven people were inside a house that was demolished. One of the victims, a 12-year-old boy, was thrown about 50 yards from the house and fatally injured. Several others in the immediate area, possibly the other occupants of the house, were thrown into a nearby lake and swam to safety. Of the 16 people injured in the tornado, four were air lifted to hospitals with serious injuries. Cars were stacked atop cars. Several residents were trapped inside the debris of their homes for up to 3 hours. The large number of trees down across roads delayed the arrival of rescue teams. M12PH | |||||||||||
| 46.0 | 2006-09-22 | 4 | 37°41'N / 89°50'W | 37°46'N / 89°40'W | 8.00 Miles | 220 Yards | 0 | 5 | 7.0M | 0 | Perry |
| Brief Description: This violent F-4 tornado reached its maximum intensity near the village of Crosstown, where peak winds were estimated near 210 MPH. Along the Perry County portion of the tornado track, 62 homes were destroyed, 17 had major damage, and 23 received minor damage. Ten of the destroyed homes were mobile homes, and seven that sustained major damage were mobile homes. Three churches were destroyed or heavily damaged. Numerous vehicles were tossed. Over 100 utility poles were broken off. Hundreds of trees were broken off or uprooted. The tornado first touched down at County Road 302 near Friedenburg, where F-1 winds destroyed a barn and partially unroofed a two-story house. There were also downed trees, including a few that fell on a house. As the tornado continued northeast across County Road 316 between Crosstown and Friedenburg, it widened to about 100 yards. Scores of trees were broken off or uprooted, and the roof was blown off a house. The tornado strengthened to F-3 intensity as it reached the junction of Highways P and C in Crosstown. The roof was torn off a church, windows were broken, and other structural damage occurred. Nearby, the roof was blown off a two-story brick store that was over 100 years old. An overturned vehicle was in the front yard, and trees were mangled. The width increased to 220 yards. In the center of Crosstown on Highway C, the tornado reached F-4 intensity. This is where a site-built house was levelled. The F-4 damage continued east along County Road 350 in Crosstown, where two more site-built houses were levelled. Only the bolted-down floor of one residence remained. An eyewitness along County Road 350 stated he took shelter in the basement after seeing fog coming directly toward him. His house remained mostly intact, except for the roof and garage. The tornado weakened to F-3 intensity about one to two miles east of Crosstown, where a modular home was destroyed except for the bathroom. A vehicle was tossed in the yard. The weakening trend continued east along County Road 350 to the Mississippi River, where many trees were uprooted and broken off. Some outbuildings were thrown around. The path width decreased to 75 yards as the intensity lowered to F-1. The average path width was 150 yards. There were five injuries requiring medical attention, including one broken arm. Two people were moderately injured when the vehicle they were driving was tossed into a house. Dozens of other residents received minor injuries but did not seek medical attention. Where the tornado crossed the Mississippi River, a barge loaded with coal was pushed to the shoreline. The windows were blown out of the tug boat, and enough coal was blown into the tug boat that it was shovelled out. The tornado crossed the Mississippi River into Jackson County, Illinois. | |||||||||||
| 46.4 | 2002-04-28 | 2 | 37°23'N / 88°28'W | 37°21'N / 88°18'W | 10.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 40K | 0 | Livingston |
| Brief Description: This tornado crossed the Ohio River just upriver from Golconda, Illinois. It tracked eastward across northern Livingston County, over rural wooded and farm country. Many thousands of trees were blown down. Few structures were in the path of the tornado. A mobile home was destroyed, and at least a couple of farm buildings were damaged. | |||||||||||
| 47.7 | 1972-04-21 | 2 | 37°15'N / 88°26'W | 37°16'N / 88°15'W | 10.10 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Livingston |
| 48.0 | 1966-06-06 | 2 | 36°59'N / 88°29'W | 37°00'N / 88°17'W | 11.10 Miles | 167 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Madison |
| 48.0 | 1967-12-11 | 2 | 36°30'N / 88°54'W | 36°38'N / 88°54'W | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Clay | ||
| 48.6 | 1967-12-11 | 2 | 36°29'N / 88°54'W | 36°38'N / 88°54'W | 10.30 Miles | 7 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Obion |
| 49.1 | 1996-04-19 | 3 | 37°44'N / 89°52'W | 37°46'N / 89°44'W | 11.50 Miles | 175 Yards | 0 | 0 | 5.0M | 0 | Perry |
| Brief Description: The tornado destroyed 13 homes and caused major structural damage to 5 others. 63 other homes received minor or moderate structural damage. A total of 69 outbuildings and 6 businesses were damaged or destroyed. The Salvation Army and Red Cross were called in to provide food and shelter. State highways and county roads were cleared of tornado debris and open for travel within 24 hours. Extensive damage to utility lines resulted in prolonged power outages lasting a day or two. The F3 damage occurred just west of Menfro, shortly before the tornado dissipated. | |||||||||||
| 49.4 | 1990-10-03 | 2 | 37°35'N / 88°26'W | 1.00 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Pope | |
| 49.5 | 1957-12-18 | 2 | 37°54'N / 89°30'W | 37°55'N / 89°24'W | 5.40 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Jackson |
| 49.7 | 2003-05-06 | 2 | 37°16'N / 90°07'W | 37°16'N / 90°06'W | 0.80 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 40K | 0 | Bollinger |
| Brief Description: A mobile home, a house, and a barn was destroyed. Most of the damage was on County Road 702. Peak winds were estimated around 130 MPH. A supercellular severe thunderstorm tracked northeast across Bollinger and Cape Girardeau Counties, producing several tornadoes and hail up to golf ball size. Other severe thunderstorms north of the supercell's path produced damaging wind gusts and large hail. | |||||||||||
| 49.7 | 1957-12-19 | 2 | 37°42'N / 88°32'W | 0.50 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Saline | |
| 49.8 | 1969-06-22 | 3 | 37°41'N / 90°04'W | 37°41'N / 89°44'W | 18.10 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 6 | 250K | 0 | Perry |
* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.