Edwards County, Illinois
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 17047 · population 6,245 · 222 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 857 records for Edwards County, Illinois from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 599 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (187 records). 706 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The deadliest single record is the May 18, 1995 thunderstorm wind: 2 deaths and $387,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 7 declarations naming the county since 1989, 5 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Katrina Evacuation” on September 7, 2005.
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
- 857on 599 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 48 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $119Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 10strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 7latest 2020
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 Edwards County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 187 since 1996. 63% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 187 | 121 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 1 | $138K | 3 of 102 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 140 | 99 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 of 102 |
| Extreme cold | 111 | 77 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.5M | 2 of 102 |
| Heat | 105 | 75 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 3 | – | 5 of 102 |
| High wind and dust storms | 100 | 74 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $503K | 4 of 102 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 58 | 58 | 1981-2025 | 2 | 3 | $3.2M | 38 of 102 |
| Drought | 47 | 26 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | $92M | 5 of 102 |
| Floods | 44 | 39 | 1996-2023 | 0 | 0 | $4.2M | 16 of 102 |
| Hail | 39 | 37 | 1955-2026 | 0 | 0 | $941K | 27 of 102 |
| Heavy rain | 12 | 12 | 2006-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 102 |
| Tornadoes | 10 | 9 | 1958-2015 | 1 | 1 | $14M | 66 of 102 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 1999-2011 | 0 | 0 | $132K | 11 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 Edwards County had?
NOAA records 10 tornadoes in Edwards County from 1958 to 2015, the strongest rated F4, with 1 death and 1 injury 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 11 tornadoes whose track touched Edwards County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 10: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990-06-02 17:20, as SPC files it | ShoalsCrossed IL, IN | F4 | 106 mi | 1 |
| 1957-12-18 18:00, as SPC files it | Springerton | F3 | 19.8 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Illinois.
Every tornado record filed for Edwards County (10)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-12-23 | Ellery, Edwards County | EF1 1.78 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2013-11-17 | Black, Edwards County | EF2 4.14 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $190K |
| 2013-11-17 | Black, Edwards County | EF2 6.83 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $253K |
| 2012-01-22 | Albion, Edwards County | EF1 6.09 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $39K |
| 2007-10-18 | West Salem, Edwards County | EF0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-06-02 | Edwards County | F4 11.6 mi x 300 yd | 1 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1989-04-03 | Edwards County | F1 0.6 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1989-01-07 | Edwards County | F2 9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1972-04-13 | Edwards County | F1 4.9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1958-07-11 | Edwards County | F2 14.9 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $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 Edwards County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the January 14, 2026 strong wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-27 | HailAlbion, Edwards County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-27 | HailBrowns, Edwards County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-15 | Dense FogEdwards County · forecast zone Edwards | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | Cold/Wind ChillEdwards County · forecast zone Edwards | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-30 | Cold/Wind ChillEdwards County · forecast zone Edwards | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillEdwards County · forecast zone Edwards | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Heavy SnowEdwards County · forecast zone Edwards | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Cold/Wind ChillEdwards County · forecast zone Edwards | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-14 | Strong WindEdwards County · forecast zone Edwards | 35 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-11-23 | Dense FogEdwards County · forecast zone Edwards | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-23 | Dense FogEdwards County · forecast zone Edwards | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-19 | HeatEdwards County · forecast zone Edwards | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Edwards County Two fatalities occurred when straight-line winds overturned a tractor-semitrailer into the path of an oncoming automobile. Both drivers were killed instantly. Numerous trees were blown down across the county with widespread power outages. | 2 | 0 | $387K | |
| 2010-02-14 | Heavy SnowEdwards County and Richland County · forecast zone Edwards A strong upper level low moved southeast across Missouri, then east across Kentucky. The heaviest snowfall rates were associated with a deformation zone on the north side of the upper low. Snowfall rates were about an inch per hour along an axis from Mount Vernon, Illinois east along the Interstate 64 corridor through ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1990-06-02 | TornadoEdwards County | F4 11.6 mi x 300 yd | 1 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 2005-07-21 | HeatEdwards County and Wabash County · forecast zone Wabash Several days of excessive heat and humidity caused a significant increase in heat-related illnesses. Hospitals reported that a majority of those treated were outdoor workers. The heat index peaked around 110 degrees each afternoon, and dropped to only around 80 degrees at night. True air temperatures reached the mid ... | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 2012-07-19 | Thunderstorm WindWest Salem, Edwards County Twelve power poles were knocked down. | 61 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $32K |
| 2008-02-01 | Winter WeatherEdwards County and Richland County · forecast zone Edwards A deepening surface low pressure system tracked northward from the Lower Mississippi Valley, passing across far western Kentucky. Cold air wrapped southward around the back side of the low, keeping precipitation frozen or freezing over parts of southern Illinois. Storm total precipitation ranged from 3 to 6 inches ... | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1998-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindAlbion, Edwards County One mobile home was demolished and numerous trees were blown down in and around Albion. One occupant of the mobile home received cuts and bruises after the mobile home rolled over twice and came to rest about 50 feet from its original location. On the White County line, just north of Grayville, a wind gust to 69 MPH ... | 0 | 1 | $91K | |
| 1958-07-11 | TornadoEdwards County | F2 14.9 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-09-01 | DroughtEdwards County and Richland County · forecast zone Edwards | 0 | 0 | $87M | |
| 2007-04-08 | Frost/FreezeEdwards County and Wabash County · forecast zone Wabash | 0 | 0 | $3.4M | |
| 1996-05-01 | FloodEdwards County and Wabash County · forecast zone Wabash | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 1996-05-01 | FloodEdwards County and Wabash County · forecast zone Wabash | 0 | 0 | $941K | |
| 2005-01-05 | FloodEdwards County and Wabash County · forecast zone Wabash | 0 | 0 | $604K | |
| 1995-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Edwards County | 2 | 0 | $387K | |
| 2013-11-17 | TornadoBlack, Edwards County | EF2 6.83 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $253K |
| 2013-11-17 | TornadoBlack, Edwards County | EF2 4.14 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $190K |
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: June 2, 1990 (tornado, Edwards County, 1 killed); January 7, 1989 (tornado, Edwards 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 Edwards 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 24 | 73 | 68 | 22 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 10 | 36 | 67 | 27 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 6 | 52 | 31 | 22 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 12 | 20 | 50 | 23 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 10 | 35 | 34 | 21 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 15 | 16 | 11 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
63% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 120 · Feb 94 · Mar 54 · Apr 79 · May 44 · Jun 55 · Jul 93 · Aug 59 · Sep 31 · Oct 50 · Nov 55 · Dec 123 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Edwards County
FEMA's register lists 7 declarations that include Edwards County: 4 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and tornado (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-26 | DR-4489 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3435 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3230 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-02-01 | EM-3199 | Snowstorm | Record/Near Record Snow |
| 2002-05-21 | DR-1416 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 1990-06-22 | DR-871 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1989-01-13 | DR-819 | Tornado | Severe Storms & Tornadoes |
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.
FEMA's modeled risk for Edwards County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Edwards County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $6.2 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 High | $1.4M | 3.8 modeled event-days a year |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.7M | once in about 142 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $255K | 9.1 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $366K | 4.1 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $26K | 8 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $369K | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $20K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $788 | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Edwards 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
- Winter storms in IllinoisThe state's winter storm records, 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 Edwards CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Edwards County's FEMA declarations (CSV)7 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis