Clark County, Illinois
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 17023 · population 15,435 · 501 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 302 records for Clark County, Illinois from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 222 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (117 records). The deadliest single record is the January 2, 2012 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Clark, which covers the county: 1 death and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 10 declarations naming the county since 1974, 8 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms and Flooding” on August 15, 2023.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 302on 222 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 23 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $50Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 13strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 10latest 2023
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Clark County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 117 since 1974. 51% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1974 fell in May and June. The rank column places the county among Illinois's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 117 | 94 | 1974-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | 82 of 102 |
| Hail | 64 | 44 | 1958-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 86 of 102 |
| Floods | 41 | 34 | 1998-2020 | 0 | 0 | $3.2M | 67 of 102 |
| Winter storms | 32 | 32 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 3 | $918K | 93 of 102 |
| Heat | 13 | 13 | 1997-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 63 of 102 |
| Tornadoes | 13 | 12 | 1970-2025 | 0 | 0 | $844K | 100 of 102 |
| Drought | 7 | 7 | 2007-2026 | 0 | 0 | $44M | 80 of 102 |
| High wind and dust storms | 7 | 7 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 88 of 102 |
| Extreme cold | 6 | 6 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 86 of 102 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2017-2017 | 0 | 0 | $24K | 73 of 102 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2008-2008 | 0 | 0 | – | 78 of 102 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Clark County had?
NOAA records 13 tornadoes in Clark County from 1970 to 2025, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 13 tornadoes whose track touched Clark County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 13, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Illinois.
Every tornado record filed for Clark County (13)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-16 | York, Clark County | EF1 3.31 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-02 | Oilfield, Clark County | EF2 16.42 mi x 1,200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-02 | Livingston, Clark County | EF1 5.19 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-09-09 | Casey, Clark County | EF0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2007-05-25 | Casey, Clark County | EF0 2.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-06-01 | Westfield, Clark County | F0 6 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $620K |
| 1994-05-14 | Martinsville, Clark County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-06-02 | Clark County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1987-06-13 | Clark County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1985-06-24 | Clark County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1982-07-10 | Clark County | F0 0.1 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1976-03-20 | Clark County | F1 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1970-06-16 | Clark County | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Clark County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 8, 2020 thunderstorm wind ($23,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A gustnado on the leading edge of thunderstorms damaged power lines on the north side of Martinsville.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 884983)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-17 | Thunderstorm WindMarshall, Clark County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-22 | HailCasey Municipal Airport, Clark County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-22 | HailWestfield, Clark County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-22 | HailClarksville, Clark County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtClark County · forecast zone Clark | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-19 | HailYork, Clark County | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-19 | HailMartinsville, Clark County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-19 | HailCasey, Clark County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-05 | DroughtClark County · forecast zone Clark | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-26 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillClark County · forecast zone Clark | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Heavy SnowClark County · forecast zone Clark | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-13 | Winter WeatherClark County · forecast zone Clark | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-01-02 | Winter WeatherClark County · forecast zone Clark Icy conditions caused a driver to lose control of his car and crash into an oncoming sport utility vehicle on Illinois Route 1 about a mile north of I-70 in Clark County. The driver of the car was killed, while the driver of the SUV was transported to the hospital. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 1996-03-19 | Winter StormClark County · forecast zone Clark A winter storm moved into southeastern Illinois early on March 19th. The storm dumped up to 11 inches of snow across the area. There was considerable blow and drifting of snow which temporarily closed some roads in the area. One man was killed, near Casey in Clark County, when he lost control of his semi-truck and ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2010-12-12 | Winter WeatherClark County · forecast zone Clark Numerous traffic accidents occurred across Clark County as a result of icy road conditions and poor visibility. I-70 just west of Casey was closed for about 7 hours due to an 8-vehicle pile-up. Another accident along I-70 1 mile east of Casey injured 2 people. | 0 | 2 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-09-01 | DroughtClark County · forecast zone Clark | 0 | 0 | $44M | |
| 2013-06-26 | Flash FloodWestfield, Clark County | 0 | 0 | $2.5M | |
| 2011-02-01 | Winter StormClark County · forecast zone Clark | 0 | 0 | $918K | |
| 2008-06-06 | FloodWestfield, Clark County | 0 | 0 | $685K | |
| 1999-06-01 | TornadoWestfield, Clark County | F0 6 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $620K |
| 2020-04-08 | Thunderstorm WindMartinsville, Clark County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $23K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: March 20, 1976 (tornado, Clark County); June 2, 1990 (tornado, Clark County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Clark County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 19 | 33 | 34 | 15 |
| Hail | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 12 | 29 | 10 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 20 | 19 | 1 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
51% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1974 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 20 · Feb 15 · Mar 20 · Apr 34 · May 66 · Jun 64 · Jul 37 · Aug 18 · Sep 6 · Oct 5 · Nov 8 · Dec 9 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Clark County
FEMA's register lists 10 declarations that include Clark County: 8 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (3) and severe storm (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-08-15 | DR-4728 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2020-03-26 | DR-4489 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3435 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013-05-10 | DR-4116 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2011-03-17 | DR-1960 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2008-06-24 | DR-1771 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3230 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002-05-21 | DR-1416 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 1985-03-29 | DR-735 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1974-06-10 | DR-438 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Clark County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 41 flood or flash flood records for Clark County from 1998 to 2020, on 34 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Clark County ranks 2128th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $209,000 on 18 claims filed in Clark County; the most in one year was 6 in 2008. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2003: 1 · 2005: 3 · 2008: 6 · 2011: 1 · 2013: 3 · 2016: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 1; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Clark County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Clark County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $8.8 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $857K | 2.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.7M | once in about 246 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $11K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $418K | 7.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $61K | 7.4 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $219K | 2.9 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $783K | 1.8 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $60K | about once a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Clark County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in IllinoisEvery Illinois tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in IllinoisThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Illinois recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Clark CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Clark County's FEMA declarations (CSV)10 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis