Southern Illinois tornado history

Listed below are the tornadoes ranked by death toll. There were undoubtedly many other deaths that have been lost to history.

Southern Illinois tornadoes by death toll

March 18, 1925
F#	Location	County	Time (local)	Path length	Damage
F5	NNW of Ellington, Missouri to 10 mi (16 km) NE of Princeton, Indiana	Reynolds, Iron, Madison, Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Perry, Missouri - Jackson, Williamson, Franklin, Hamilton, White, Illinois - Posey, Gibson, Pike, Indiana	1301	234 miles (377 km)	613 deaths in Southern Illinois 695 deaths overall - Deadliest single tornado in US history - See section on this tornado

May 27, 1896
F#	Location	County	Time (local)	Path length	Damage
F4	St. Louis, Missouri to East St. Louis, Illinois	St. Louis City, Missouri - St.Clair, Illinois	Unknown	Unknown	118 deaths in Southern Illinois 282+ deaths overall - See section on this tornado

March 19, 1883
F#	Location	County	Time (local)	Path length	Damage
F?	Alton to Bunker Hill	Monroe	Unknown	Unknown	33 deaths

February 19, 1888
F#	Location	County	Time (local)	Path length	Damage
F?	Mt. Vernon	Jefferson	Unknown	Unknown	24 deaths

December 18, 1957
F#	Location	County	Time (local)	Path length	Damage
F4	Murphysboro to rural Franklin County	Jackson, Williamson, Franklin	1645	Unknown	11 deaths

May 29, 1982
F#	Location	County	Time (local)	Path length	Damage
F4	WNW of Carterville to E of Marion	Williamson	1405	17 miles	10 deaths 52 businesses and 300 homes were destroyed, 324 homes were damaged, and over 200 cars destroyed. Over 200 were injured and 1,000 left homeless. See section on this tornado

May 6, 2003
F#	Location	County	Time (local)	Path length	Damage
F4	N of New Grand Chain to N of Golconda	Pulaski, Massac, Pope	2032	33 miles (52.8 km)	2 deaths Several homes were destroyed while several others sustained minor to severe damage while other structures including frame homes (including being swept away from its foundation), mobile homes, two businesses, outbuildings and a campground were destroyed. A Conservation Area sustained severe damage to its facilities. Thirteen people were also injured. See section on this tornado

December 18, 1957
F#	Location	County	Time (local)	Path length	Damage
F4	Mt Vernon area	Jefferson	1555	Unknown	1 death

December 18, 1957
F#	Location	County	Time (local)	Path length	Damage
F5	Du Quoin area	Perry	1635	Unknown	1 death

April 21, 2002
F#	Location	County	Time (local)	Path length	Damage
F3	W of Wayne City to Ellery	Wayne	1451	30 miles (52.8 km)	1 death Vehicles were picked up and deposited in houses. Well-constructed houses lost roofs and some walls. Weaker structures, including a tavern near Sims, were demolished.

April 21, 2002
F#	Location	County	Time (local)	Path length	Damage
F3	9 W Dongola to 7 E Dongola	Union	0018	16 miles	1 death 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.

External links

• The Tri-State Tornado (The Tornado Project)
• 1925 Tri-State Tornado (NWS Paducah, KY)
• The Weather Channel's Storm of the Century list - #7 The Tri-State Tornado
• The Great Tri-State Tornado (RootsWeb Genealogy)
• Newspaper Coverage of the Tri-State Tornado Ravage of Murphysboro (NIU Library)
• Tri-State Tornado: Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, March 1925 (Popular Mechanics)
• The 1925 Tornado (Carolyar.com Genealogy)
• 1925 Monster Tornado Killed Hundreds Led to Development of Warning System

Books

• The Tri-State Tornado: The Story of America's Greatest Tornado Disaster, by Peter S. Felknor. Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Press, 1992. 131 pages. ISBN 0-8138-0623-2.
• The Forgotten Storm: The Great Tri-state Tornado of 1925, by Wallace E. Akin. Guilford, CT: Lyons Press, 2002. 173 pages. ISBN 1-58574-607-X.