De Witt County, Illinois
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 17039 · population 15,516 · 398 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 393 records for De Witt County, Illinois from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 285 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (166 records). The deadliest single record is the May 15, 1968 tornado: 4 deaths and 50 injuries. FEMA has issued 11 declarations naming the county since 1968, 9 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
- 393on 285 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 462 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $89Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 25strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 11latest 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 De Witt County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 166 since 1956. 54% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 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 | 166 | 113 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 4 | $3.2M | 31 of 102 |
| Hail | 65 | 49 | 1958-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 57 of 102 |
| Winter storms | 55 | 55 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 4 | $659K | 51 of 102 |
| Tornadoes | 25 | 22 | 1955-2025 | 4 | 54 | $50M | 30 of 102 |
| High wind and dust storms | 22 | 19 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $131K | 29 of 102 |
| Floods | 20 | 20 | 2002-2025 | 0 | 0 | $6.3M | 85 of 102 |
| Drought | 14 | 14 | 2012-2026 | 0 | 0 | $28M | 37 of 102 |
| Heat | 14 | 14 | 1997-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 48 of 102 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 10 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 52 of 102 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2008-2008 | 0 | 0 | $27K | 65 of 102 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2008-2008 | 0 | 0 | – | 67 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 De Witt County had?
NOAA records 25 tornadoes in De Witt County from 1955 to 2025, the strongest rated F4, with 4 deaths and 54 injuries recorded in the county. That is 30th of 102 Illinois counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. 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 26 tornadoes whose track touched De Witt County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 25: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 4 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968-05-15 16:00, as SPC files it | Farmer | F1 | 25.4 mi | 4 |
| 1977-05-05 19:20, as SPC files it | Atlanta to McLean | F4 | 7.3 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Illinois.
Every tornado record filed for De Witt County (25)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-06-18 | Fullerton, De Witt County | EF1 3.55 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-02 | Rowell, De Witt County | EF0 2.62 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-06-29 | Waynesville, De Witt County | EF1 12.71 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-06-05 | Kenney, De Witt County | EF0 5.92 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $122K |
| 2009-08-19 | Midland City, De Witt County | EF0 2.38 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2006-04-02 | Weldon, De Witt County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-03-12 | Kenney, De Witt County | F1 0.9 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-06-11 | Weldon, De Witt County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-06-11 | Weldon, De Witt County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-05-30 | Hallville, De Witt County | F2 12.8 mi x 1,100 yd | 0 | 4 | $15M |
| 2003-05-30 | Midland City, De Witt County | F1 3 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-05-28 | Midland City, De Witt County | F0 0.8 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-04-04 | De Witt County | F0 0.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-04-04 | Wapella, De Witt County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-08-18 | De Witt County | F0 0.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-05-09 | Wapella To, De Witt County | F1 13 mi x 220 yd | 0 | 0 | $290K |
| 1993-08-16 | Wapella, De Witt County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-04-29 | De Witt County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1987-04-11 | De Witt County | F1 24 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1986-04-30 | De Witt County | F1 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1981-06-08 | De Witt County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1977-05-05 | De Witt County | F4 7.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1968-05-15 | De Witt County | F1 25.4 mi x 1,000 yd | 4 | 50 | $2.5M step |
| 1956-04-03 | De Witt County | F2 9.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1955-08-21 | De Witt County | F1 2 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K 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 De Witt County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the August 26, 2014 flash flood ($6.2 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
A severe thunderstorm produced 2.50 to 3.00 of rain within one hour in parts of central DeWitt County, including the city of Clinton. The flash flooding resulted in the closure of numerous streets and viaducts in Clinton, as well as basement flooding to numerous homes and businesses. The flash flooding also impacted several rural roads between Clinton and Weldon Springs State Park. The flooding subsided by late evening.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 541664)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-17 | Thunderstorm WindWapella, De Witt County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-17 | Thunderstorm WindOspur, De Witt County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-17 | Thunderstorm WindOspur, De Witt County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-17 | Thunderstorm WindBirkbeck, De Witt County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-17 | Thunderstorm WindClinton, De Witt County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-17 | Thunderstorm WindWapella, De Witt County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-17 | Thunderstorm WindWaynesville, De Witt County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindDe Witt County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindFarmer City, De Witt County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindKenney, De Witt County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindClinton, De Witt County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindClinton, De Witt County | 61 kt wind | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968-05-15 | TornadoDe Witt County | F1 25.4 mi x 1,000 yd | 4 | 50 | $2.5M step |
| 2003-05-30 | TornadoHallville, De Witt County As the first tornado was weakening on the west side of Hallsville another more significant tornado developed on the east side of town. It quickly intensified to F2 intensity, destroying two homes and causing damage to several others. In one home, a family of four sought shelter in the hallway. They were briefly ... | F2 12.8 mi x 1,100 yd | 0 | 4 | $15M |
| 1988-11-15 | Thunderstorm WindDe Witt County | 0 | 4 | – | |
| 1996-01-18 | Winter StormDe Witt County and McLean County · forecast zone De Witt A major winter storm moved through Central Illinois January 18th and 19th. Severe thunderstorms moved through the area during the late morning and early afternoon hours. Afterward, temperatures began to drop quickly. Most locations recorded a 60 degree drop over a 12 hour period. The rain changed to ice than snow ... | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 1996-01-02 | Winter StormDe Witt County and McLean County · forecast zone De Witt The second major winter storm of the season moved through Central Illinois January 2nd and 3rd. The storm dumped up to 8 inches of snow across the area. Also, gusty northwest winds from 30 to 40 mph accompanied the storm, creating near whiteout conditions, making travel hazardous, and closing numerous roads. There ... | 0 | 2 | – |
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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-09-01 | DroughtDe Witt County and McLean County · forecast zone De Witt | 0 | 0 | $28M | |
| 2003-05-30 | TornadoHallville, De Witt County | F2 12.8 mi x 1,100 yd | 0 | 4 | $15M |
| 2014-08-26 | Flash FloodClinton, De Witt County | 0 | 0 | $6.2M | |
| 1998-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, De Witt County | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 2006-12-01 | Winter StormDe Witt County and McLean County · forecast zone De Witt | 0 | 0 | $659K | |
| 1995-05-09 | TornadoWapella To, De Witt County | F1 13 mi x 220 yd | 0 | 0 | $290K |
| 2010-06-05 | TornadoKenney, De Witt County | EF0 5.92 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $122K |
| 2009-08-19 | TornadoMidland City, De Witt County | EF0 2.38 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
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 $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 15, 1968 (tornado, De Witt County, 4 killed); May 5, 1977 (tornado, De Witt 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 De Witt 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 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 21 | 42 | 43 | 40 |
| Hail | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 26 | 14 | 10 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 12 | 13 | 18 | 12 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 1 | 3 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 2 | 9 | 5 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 0 | 12 | 7 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
54% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 32 · Feb 19 · Mar 24 · Apr 46 · May 58 · Jun 91 · Jul 40 · Aug 35 · Sep 6 · Oct 14 · Nov 10 · Dec 18 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for De Witt County
FEMA's register lists 11 declarations that include De Witt County: 7 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (2) and biological (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 |
| 2007-02-09 | DR-1681 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3230 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002-05-21 | DR-1416 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 2001-01-17 | EM-3161 | Snowstorm | Illinois Winter Snow Storms |
| 1999-01-08 | EM-3134 | Snowstorm | Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99 |
| 1994-04-26 | DR-1025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1979-04-30 | DR-583 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1968-06-05 | DR-242 | Tornado | Tornadoes, 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 De Witt County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 20 flood or flash flood records for De Witt County from 2002 to 2025, on 20 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), De Witt County ranks 1584th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $377,000 on 59 claims filed in De Witt County; the most in one year was 22 in 1979. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 22 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 1 · 1991: 2 · 1993: 1 · 1994: 18 · 1995: 5 · 1996: 3 · 2005: 1 · 2008: 4 · 2015: 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 De Witt County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates De Witt County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $9.5 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 | $1.0M | 3.3 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.1M | 4.2 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $630K | once in about 454 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $343K | 6.8 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $477K | 5.1 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.0M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $201K | 3.2 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $37K | 1.6 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 De Witt 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 De Witt CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download De Witt County's FEMA declarations (CSV)11 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis