Hardin County, Illinois
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 17069 · population 3,643 · 177 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 565 records for Hardin County, Illinois from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 546 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (105 records). 478 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 July 2, 1997 heat, filed for the forecast zone Hardin, which covers the county: 1 death. FEMA has issued 8 declarations naming the county since 1997, 6 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms and Flooding” on June 7, 2011.
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
- 565on 546 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 12 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $25Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 4strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 8latest 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 Hardin County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 105 since 1996. 67% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. 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 | 105 | 105 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $12M | 2 of 102 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 100 | 99 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 102 |
| Heat | 82 | 82 | 1997-2025 | 1 | 1 | – | 1 of 102 |
| Extreme cold | 71 | 71 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $40K | 1 of 102 |
| High wind and dust storms | 63 | 63 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | $5.8M | 2 of 102 |
| Floods | 58 | 53 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $729K | 7 of 102 |
| Drought | 32 | 32 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $4.9M | 2 of 102 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 31 | 31 | 1975-2025 | 0 | 0 | $466K | 86 of 102 |
| Hail | 14 | 14 | 1997-2020 | 0 | 0 | $79K | 95 of 102 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 4 | 1959-2016 | 0 | 0 | $57K | 102 of 102 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 3 | 2004-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | 24 of 102 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2019-2019 | 0 | 1 | – | 39 of 102 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 1996-1996 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 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 Hardin County had?
NOAA records 4 tornadoes in Hardin County from 1959 to 2016, the strongest rated F1, 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 5 tornadoes whose track touched Hardin County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 4: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Illinois.
Every tornado record filed for Hardin County (4)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-05-10 | Loves Store, Hardin County | EF0 0.05 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-10-05 | Cave In Rock, Hardin County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-09-07 | Hardin County | F1 3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1959-06-10 | Hardin County | 0 | 0 | $30 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 Hardin County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the August 19, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-19 | Dense FogHardin County · forecast zone Hardin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-15 | Dense FogHardin County · forecast zone Hardin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-26 | Cold/Wind ChillHardin County · forecast zone Hardin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormHardin County · forecast zone Hardin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Cold/Wind ChillHardin County · forecast zone Hardin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-21 | Winter WeatherHardin County · forecast zone Hardin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-23 | Dense FogHardin County · forecast zone Hardin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-22 | Dense FogHardin County · forecast zone Hardin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-07 | Dense FogHardin County · forecast zone Hardin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-03 | Dense FogHardin County · forecast zone Hardin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-23 | Dense FogHardin County · forecast zone Hardin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-14 | DroughtHardin County · forecast zone Hardin | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-07-02 | HeatHardin County · forecast zone Hardin Temperatures rose well into the 90s, and high humidity raised the heat index to between 105 and 110 degrees. Near Carmi, a 32-year-old male construction worker died as a result of the heat. The man's body temperature was 106 degrees. The coroner ruled that the man, who alternated between digging and operating a ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2019-06-21 | LightningRosiclare, Hardin County A 31-year-old man was struck by lightning while riding a lawn mower. He was hospitalized at a regional hospital with non life-threatening injuries. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2005-07-21 | HeatHardin County · forecast zone Hardin 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 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-01-26 | Winter StormHardin County · forecast zone Hardin | 0 | 0 | $12M | |
| 2008-09-14 | High WindHardin County · forecast zone Hardin | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5.8M |
| 2004-05-26 | Thunderstorm WindKarbers Ridge, Hardin County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $125K |
| 1998-06-14 | HailCave In Rock, Hardin County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $72K |
| 2008-05-31 | Thunderstorm WindCave In Rock, Hardin County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $69K |
| 2025-03-14 | Strong WindHardin County · forecast zone Hardin | 36 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-08-19 | Thunderstorm WindElizabethtown, Hardin County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
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: September 7, 1990 (tornado, Hardin 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 Hardin 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 | – | – | – | – | 11 | 26 | 46 | 22 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 5 | 13 | 50 z | 32 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 6 | 11 | 40 z | 25 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 3 | 26 | 24 | 18 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 14 | 32 | 15 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 15 | 21 | 18 | 4 |
Fog, smoke and funnel clouds in the 2010s: 50 records against 13 in the decade before, 50 of them forecast-zone records. Heat in the 2010s: 40 records against 11 in the decade before, 40 of them forecast-zone records. Cells marked z rose mostly through zone records. The local National Weather Service office files these once per forecast zone, so a change in how it draws its zones or splits a storm into records moves this count as much as the weather does; read it beside the Hardin County days with a record above.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
67% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 82 · Feb 67 · Mar 47 · Apr 54 · May 31 · Jun 30 · Jul 58 · Aug 43 · Sep 18 · Oct 31 · Nov 44 · Dec 60 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Hardin County
FEMA's register lists 8 declarations that include Hardin County: 5 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (3) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-26 | DR-4489 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3435 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011-06-07 | DR-1991 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2009-03-02 | DR-1826 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| 1997-03-21 | DR-1170 | 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 Hardin County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 58 flood or flash flood records for Hardin County from 1996 to 2024, on 53 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Hardin County ranks 2181st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $210,000 on 16 claims filed in Hardin County; the most in one year was 4 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1985: 1 · 1989: 1 · 1991: 3 · 1994: 1 · 1995: 1 · 1997: 3 · 2000: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2011: 4; 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 Hardin County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Hardin County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $3.6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $631K | once in about 136 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $97K | 5.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $46K | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $313K | 4.2 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $467K | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $147K | 9.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Landslide | Very Low | $307 | about once a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Very Low | $8K | once in about 49 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Hardin 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 Hardin CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Hardin County's FEMA declarations (CSV)8 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis