Effingham County, Illinois
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 17049 · population 34,654 · 479 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 466 records for Effingham County, Illinois from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 308 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (195 records). The deadliest single record is the December 23, 2008 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Effingham, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 7 declarations naming the county since 1996, 5 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes” on December 13, 2021.
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
- 466on 308 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 822 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $55Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 30strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 7latest 2021
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 Effingham County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 195 since 1956. 46% 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 | 195 | 126 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 4 | $2.2M | 35 of 102 |
| Hail | 86 | 59 | 1955-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 58 of 102 |
| Floods | 78 | 64 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 1 | $645K | 22 of 102 |
| Winter storms | 36 | 36 | 1996-2026 | 3 | 7 | $1.2M | 83 of 102 |
| Tornadoes | 30 | 26 | 1959-2026 | 2 | 10 | $8.8M | 33 of 102 |
| Heat | 14 | 14 | 1997-2023 | 1 | 0 | – | 56 of 102 |
| High wind and dust storms | 10 | 10 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $64K | 68 of 102 |
| Drought | 8 | 8 | 2007-2026 | 0 | 0 | $42M | 72 of 102 |
| Extreme cold | 8 | 8 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | – | 69 of 102 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2008-2008 | 0 | 0 | – | 77 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 Effingham County had?
NOAA records 30 tornadoes in Effingham County from 1959 to 2026, the strongest rated EF3, with 2 deaths and 10 injuries recorded in the county. That is 33rd 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 27 tornadoes whose track touched Effingham County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 30: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983-05-01 21:45, as SPC files it | Edgewood | F0 | 0.2 mi | 2 |
| 1961-03-06 04:00, as SPC files it | Effingham | F3 | 21.2 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Illinois.
Every tornado record filed for Effingham County (30)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-17 | Beecher City, Effingham County | EF3 23.9 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 2 | – |
| 2026-02-19 | Edgewood, Effingham County | EF0 1.43 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-02-19 | Eberle, Effingham County | EF0 3.87 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $170K |
| 2026-02-19 | Mason, Effingham County | EFU 0.18 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-30 | Effingham County | EFU 1.73 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-02 | Evers, Effingham County | EF1 5.23 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-02 | Altamont, Effingham County | EF1 2.55 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-05-06 | Edgewood, Effingham County | EFU 0.06 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-05-06 | Altamont, Effingham County | EFU 0.06 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-04-03 | Edgewood, Effingham County | EF1 7.33 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-04-27 | Altamont, Effingham County | EF0 0.05 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-02-20 | Moccasin, Effingham County | EF1 1.54 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| 2013-11-17 | Altamont, Effingham County | EF1 2.9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $507K |
| 2006-04-16 | Dieterich, Effingham County | F2 4 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-06-01 | Altamont, Effingham County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-05-02 | Effingham County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-04-26 | Eberle To, Effingham County | F2 6 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 3 | $995K |
| 1990-05-16 | Effingham County | F1 10 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1989-05-25 | Effingham County | F1 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1984-04-27 | Effingham County | F0 0.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1984-04-12 | Effingham County | F0 0.3 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1983-05-01 | Effingham County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 2 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1974-08-10 | Effingham County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1973-07-01 | Effingham County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1967-05-15 | Effingham County | F1 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1961-09-24 | Effingham County | F1 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1961-03-06 | Effingham County | F3 21.2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 3 | $250K step |
| 1960-06-22 | Effingham County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1960-04-17 | Effingham County | F2 21.9 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1959-03-15 | Effingham County | F2 2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 2 | $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 Effingham County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 17, 2026 tornado (2 injuries).
Originating in Beecher City within Effingham County, the tornado first touched down along E State Highway 33 at 7:56PM CDT. The storm's initial path spanned approximately one-quarter mile in width, resulting in EF0 and EF1 level damage. This impact was characterized by the snapping and uprooting of large trees, alongside sporadic damage to grain silos and farm out-buildings, with notable effects observed near N 300th St on the outskirts of Beecher City. Moving eastward through Shumway, the tornado crossed State Highway 32 and proceeded parallel to E 1800th Ave. Although the path width constricted to just over one-tenth of a mile, the storm intensified, producing EF-2 level damage. The increased strength resulted in hardwood and softwood tree trunks being snapped approximately two-thirds of the way up. …
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1347186)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-21 | Flash FloodWinterrowd, Effingham County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-21 | Flash FloodGreen Creek, Effingham County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-21 | Thunderstorm WindWatson, Effingham County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-17 | TornadoBeecher City, Effingham County | EF3 23.9 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 2 | – |
| 2026-06-08 | Flash FloodDieterich, Effingham County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-18 | Flash FloodAltamont, Effingham County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-22 | HailEffingham County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | High WindEffingham County · forecast zone Effingham | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-11 | Thunderstorm WindAltamont, Effingham County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtEffingham County · forecast zone Effingham | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-19 | TornadoEdgewood, Effingham County | EF0 1.43 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-02-19 | TornadoEberle, Effingham County | EF0 3.87 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $170K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-12-23 | Winter WeatherEffingham County · forecast zone Effingham Numerous traffic accidents were reported across Effingham County due to icy road conditions. Two people died(indirect fatalities) in a collision on I-57 just north of Effingham. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 1983-05-01 | TornadoEffingham County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 2 | 0 | $250K step |
| 2015-07-13 | HeatEffingham County · forecast zone Effingham A 78 year-old woman from Shumway died as a result of heat stroke on July 13th. The woman fell into a ravine on her property and was unable to get out. She remained in the ravine in direct sunlight with heat index values of 100 to 105 degrees for nearly 8 hours. The county coroner determined the cause of death to be ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2011-02-02 | Cold/Wind ChillEffingham County · forecast zone Effingham Due to an extended power outage during a period of extremely cold temperatures, a man suffering from a chronic respiratory condition died of hypothermia in rural Dieterich. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2010-10-26 | Strong WindEffingham County · forecast zone Effingham Forty to fifty mile per hour wind gusts resulted in damage to numerous trees and tree limbs. During clean-up of the damaged trees, a 42-year old Effingham man fell from within a tree and died on October 29th due to injuries sustained from the fall. | 43 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 1997-12-30 | Heavy SnowEffingham County · forecast zone Effingham About a 70 mile wide band of heavy snow, southwest of a Galesburg to Springfield to Effingham line, occurred. Snow amounts ranged from 3 to 6 inches with the heaviest occurring in a line from Rushville to south of Springfield. Numerous traffic accidents were reported resulting from slick roadways. 3 deaths were ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1997-01-26 | Winter StormEffingham County · forecast zone Effingham A winter storm developed over the southern Plains and moved east, to the south of Illinois. One area of snow moved through central Illinois on the 26th with snow amounts ranging from 1 to 4 inches. Then the snow let up around 4 pm on the 26th. A mixed bag of precipitation began to fall over the southern areas of ... | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 1997-01-15 | Winter StormEffingham County · forecast zone Effingham A winter storm developed over the central Rockies and moved east into the Midwest. The storm brought between 4 and 6 inches of snow to a large part of central Illinois north of I-70. South of I-70 a mixture of freezing rain, sleet, and snow occurred with snow totals of 1 to 3 inches. After the snow stopped, the winds ... | 0 | 3 | – |
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 | DroughtEffingham County · forecast zone Effingham | 0 | 0 | $42M | |
| 2011-02-01 | Winter StormEffingham County · forecast zone Effingham | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 1994-04-26 | TornadoEberle To, Effingham County | F2 6 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 3 | $995K |
| 2013-11-17 | TornadoAltamont, Effingham County | EF1 2.9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $507K |
| 2015-12-27 | FloodGreen Creek, Effingham County | 0 | 0 | $374K | |
| 2020-07-19 | Thunderstorm WindBeecher City, Effingham County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $285K |
| 2026-02-19 | TornadoEberle, Effingham County | EF0 3.87 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $170K |
| 2014-02-20 | TornadoMoccasin, Effingham County | EF1 1.54 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $100K |
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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 1, 1983 (tornado, Effingham County, 2 killed); March 6, 1961 (tornado, Effingham County); June 22, 1960 (tornado, Effingham 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 Effingham 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 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 23 | 43 | 58 | 53 |
| Hail | 1 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 24 | 26 | 16 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 25 | 32 | 19 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 10 | 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 9 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 4 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
46% 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 29 · Feb 35 · Mar 23 · Apr 67 · May 86 · Jun 92 · Jul 53 · Aug 37 · Sep 10 · Oct 13 · Nov 9 · Dec 12 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Effingham County
FEMA's register lists 7 declarations that include Effingham County: 4 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for tornado (2) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-12-13 | EM-3577 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes |
| 2020-03-26 | DR-4489 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3435 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011-03-17 | DR-1960 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3230 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002-05-21 | DR-1416 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 1996-05-06 | DR-1112 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and 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 Effingham County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 78 flood or flash flood records for Effingham County from 1996 to 2026, on 64 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Effingham County ranks 2636th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $52,000 on 4 claims filed in Effingham County; the most in one year was 1 in 1990. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1990: 1 · 1993: 1 · 2000: 1 · 2019: 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 Effingham County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Effingham County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $20.4 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 | $1.6M | 1.7 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $119K | 7.1 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $817K | 4.5 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $4.9M | once in about 203 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $7K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $907K | 7.9 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $2.3M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $449K | 3 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 Effingham 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 Effingham CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Effingham County's FEMA declarations (CSV)7 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis