Jackson County, Illinois
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 17077 · population 52,912 · 584 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,435 records for Jackson County, Illinois from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 979 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (239 records). 844 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 December 18, 1957 tornado: 11 deaths and 180 injuries. FEMA has issued 15 declarations naming the county since 1969, 13 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms and Flooding” on September 19, 2019.
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
- 1,435on 979 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 18281 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $216Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 39strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 15latest 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 Jackson County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 239 since 1956. 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 | 239 | 190 | 1956-2026 | 1 | 8 | $144M | 19 of 102 |
| Floods | 224 | 174 | 1996-2024 | 1 | 0 | $8.2M | 8 of 102 |
| Winter storms | 175 | 126 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 1 | $3.6M | 33 of 102 |
| Hail | 154 | 112 | 1963-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.2M | 19 of 102 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 154 | 117 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 17 of 102 |
| High wind and dust storms | 138 | 115 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.2M | 10 of 102 |
| Heat | 122 | 87 | 1997-2025 | 1 | 60 | – | 19 of 102 |
| Extreme cold | 119 | 85 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $4.3M | 17 of 102 |
| Drought | 55 | 35 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $4.9M | 19 of 102 |
| Tornadoes | 39 | 30 | 1951-2025 | 11 | 211 | $46M | 38 of 102 |
| Heavy rain | 12 | 12 | 2003-2015 | 0 | 0 | $37K | 17 of 102 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2000-2010 | 1 | 1 | $17K | 45 of 102 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 0 | $102K | 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 Jackson County had?
NOAA records 39 tornadoes in Jackson County from 1951 to 2025, the strongest rated F4, with 11 deaths and 211 injuries recorded in the county. That is 38th 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 40 tornadoes whose track touched Jackson County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 39: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 12 people, 11 of them in Jackson County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957-12-18 16:45, as SPC files it | Murphysboro | F4 | 28.3 mi | 11 |
| 2017-02-28 19:51, as SPC files it | ChristopherCrossed IL, MO | EF4 | 53.47 mi | 1 |
| 2006-09-22 15:13, as SPC files it | MurphysboroCrossed IL, MO | F4 | 27.5 mi | 0 |
| 1958-04-05 16:10, as SPC files it | Du Quoin | F3 | 20.6 mi | 0 |
| 1957-05-21 18:07, as SPC files it | Alto Pass to Makanda | F3 | 8.5 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Illinois.
Every tornado record filed for Jackson County (39)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-03-14 | Vergennes, Jackson County | EF0 2.49 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $300K |
| 2024-05-08 | Boskydell, Jackson County | EF0 1.15 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2024-05-08 | Cora, Jackson County | EF1 1.26 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $71K |
| 2023-08-05 | Grand Tower, Jackson County | EF0 0.5 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-03-01 | Etherton, Jackson County | EF0 4.11 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2017-02-28 | Cora, Jackson County | EF3 28.77 mi x 850 yd | 0 | 0 | $7.2M |
| 2015-12-23 | Ava, Jackson County | EF0 6 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2015-06-19 | Murphysboro, Jackson County | EF1 0.2 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $31K |
| 2014-04-24 | Mt Carbon, Jackson County | EF1 2.21 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $44K |
| 2014-02-20 | Etherton, Jackson County | EF1 0.39 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2012-03-23 | Barr, Jackson County | EF0 1.82 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-03-23 | Dowell, Jackson County | EF1 7.45 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $96K |
| 2012-02-29 | Makanda, Jackson County | EF2 2.99 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $129K |
| 2011-04-19 | Elkville, Jackson County | EF0 3.94 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $92K |
| 2010-04-07 | Crain, Jackson County | EF0 1.88 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2009-05-08 | Raddle, Jackson County | EF0 0.36 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-05-08 | Elkville, Jackson County | EF0 0.14 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2009-05-08 | Sato, Jackson County | EF1 3.11 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $110K |
| 2008-05-25 | Murphysboro, Jackson County | EF0 0.21 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-09-22 | Gorham, Jackson County | F2 19.5 mi x 225 yd | 0 | 1 | $1.2M |
| 2004-05-30 | Murphysboro, Jackson County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-11-10 | De Soto, Jackson County | F0 9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 1998-04-15 | De Soto, Jackson County | F0 0.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-04-15 | Crbndl/Mrfysbro, Jackson County | F0 0.4 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-08-19 | Murphysboro, Jackson County | F0 0.25 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-06-14 | Jackson County | F1 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1988-05-08 | Jackson County | F1 0.2 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1984-11-09 | Jackson County | F0 0.1 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1984-11-09 | Jackson County | F1 0.1 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1973-06-02 | Jackson County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1971-08-21 | Jackson County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1970-06-01 | Jackson County | F2 | 0 | 5 | $25K step |
| 1970-03-25 | Jackson County | F2 | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1958-04-05 | Jackson County | F3 7.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 6 | $250K step |
| 1958-04-05 | Jackson County | F3 13.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 5 | $250K step |
| 1957-12-18 | Jackson County | F2 1.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 5 | $25K step |
| 1957-12-18 | Jackson County | F4 19.5 mi x 300 yd | 11 | 180 | $2.5M step |
| 1957-12-18 | Jackson County | F2 5.4 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1951-11-13 | Jackson County | F2 7.1 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 7 | $250K 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 Jackson County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 27, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-27 | HailSato, Jackson County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-27 | Thunderstorm WindCarbondale, Jackson County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-04-27 | Thunderstorm WindDe Soto, Jackson County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-04-27 | Thunderstorm WindCrbndl/Mrfysbro, Jackson County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-27 | HailCarbondale, Jackson County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-27 | HailGorham, Jackson County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-27 | HailMurphysboro, Jackson County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-27 | HailDowell, Jackson County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-27 | HailVergennes, Jackson County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-25 | Dense FogJackson County · forecast zone Jackson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-02 | Strong WindJackson County · forecast zone Jackson | 42 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-02-17 | Strong WindJackson County · forecast zone Jackson | 41 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957-12-18 | TornadoJackson County | F4 19.5 mi x 300 yd | 11 | 180 | $2.5M step |
| 2009-05-08 | Thunderstorm WindNeunert, Jackson County Widespread wind damage occurred across Jackson County. Widespread damage to trees, power lines, and structures occurred as the comma head of a bow echo moved east across the county. In the city of Carbondale alone, officials reported 34 properties were deemed total losses from the storm. All but nine of those ... | 92 kt wind | 1 | 6 | $138M |
| 2004-12-22 | Winter StormJackson County and Union County · forecast zone Union A major winter storm dumped from 10 to 20 inches of snow across most of southern Illinois, clogging interstates and shutting down most businesses near the peak of the Christmas shopping season. The heaviest snowfall, from 14 to 20 inches, occurred along an axis from Anna (Union County) through Harrisburg (Saline ... | 1 | 1 | $156K | |
| 2014-02-13 | Cold/Wind ChillJackson County · forecast zone Jackson Very cold temperatures resulted in a fatality. During the early morning hours, a 19-year-old college student apparently died of hypothermia after spending the night in the woods. The student fled into the woods during an altercation with another person. He may have then become lost or disoriented in the woods. He was ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2009-06-22 | HeatJackson County and Union County · forecast zone Union A building dome of high pressure aloft was responsible for near record high temperatures. Combined with high humidity, the heat index soared to between 105 and 110 on the afternoon of the 22nd. In many places, the heat index peaked near 105 on the afternoon of the 23rd. Actual air temperatures reached the mid 90's ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-06-18 | FloodGrimsby, Jackson County Minor flooding of the Big Muddy River occurred. At the Murphysboro gage, the river crested at 24.39 feet on the 25th. Flood stage there is 22 feet. Some minor flooding affected houses just downstream of Bridge Street in Murphysboro. Lowland fields were inundated. A 28-year-old woman died when she lost control of her ... | 1 | 0 | $41K | |
| 2008-02-11 | Winter StormJackson County · forecast zone Jackson Low pressure developed over the southern Plains, spreading widespread heavy precipitation across southern Illinois. At the same time, high pressure over the upper Ohio Valley produced a cold easterly wind flow. The result was a crippling ice storm. Around one inch of ice caused extensive damage across far southern ... | 1 | 0 | $685K | |
| 2007-03-29 | LightningCarbondale, Jackson County An 18-year-old high school student was struck and killed by lightning at a track meet. The lightning strike occurred on the school's campus just before the start of the track meet. Witnesses stated there was little rain, thunder, or lightning prior to the fatal strike. The student was declared dead on arrival at the ... | 1 | 0 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-05-08 | Thunderstorm WindNeunert, Jackson County | 92 kt wind | 1 | 6 | $138M |
| 2017-02-28 | TornadoCora, Jackson County | EF3 28.77 mi x 850 yd | 0 | 0 | $7.2M |
| 2008-03-18 | FloodAva, Jackson County | 0 | 0 | $2.5M | |
| 2008-09-14 | High WindJackson County · forecast zone Jackson | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2.1M |
| 1996-04-19 | Thunderstorm WindMurphysboro, Jackson County | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 2002-05-02 | HailGrand Tower, Jackson County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.6M |
| 2011-04-19 | Thunderstorm WindCarbondale, Jackson County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.6M |
| 2016-01-01 | FloodGrand Tower, Jackson County | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
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: December 18, 1957 (tornado, Jackson County, 11 killed).
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 Jackson 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 | 1 | 8 | 28 | 35 | 27 | 39 | 51 | 50 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 53 | 74 | 74 | 23 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 25 | 63 | 65 | 22 |
| Hail | 0 | 4 | 7 | 17 | 17 | 44 | 40 | 25 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 12 | 37 | 72 | 33 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 7 | 38 | 48 | 45 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Jackson County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 142 · Feb 143 · Mar 111 · Apr 205 · May 150 · Jun 123 · Jul 155 · Aug 90 · Sep 54 · Oct 63 · Nov 64 · Dec 135 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Jackson County
FEMA's register lists 15 declarations that include Jackson County: 12 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (5) and severe storm (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-26 | DR-4489 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3435 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-09-19 | DR-4461 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2011-06-07 | DR-1991 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2009-07-02 | DR-1850 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| 1996-05-06 | DR-1112 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1995-05-30 | DR-1053 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1993-07-09 | DR-997 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1983-06-06 | DR-684 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1979-04-30 | DR-583 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1973-04-26 | DR-373 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1969-08-30 | DR-276 | Flood | Heavy Rains & 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 Jackson County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 224 flood or flash flood records for Jackson County from 1996 to 2024, on 174 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Jackson County ranks 1218th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $2.1 million on 118 claims filed in Jackson County; the most in one year was 29 in 2008. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 2 · 1980: 1 · 1982: 3 · 1983: 3 · 1985: 1 · 1987: 1 · 1990: 2 · 1993: 15 · 1994: 1 · 1995: 4 · 1996: 6 · 1998: 3 · 1999: 2 · 2000: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2005: 1 · 2006: 2 · 2008: 29 · 2009: 4 · 2011: 19 · 2012: 1 · 2014: 2 · 2015: 3 · 2016: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 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 Jackson County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Jackson County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $50.0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Very High | $5.0M | 4.6 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $328K | 8.1 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $5.2M | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $20M | once in about 121 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $92K | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.4M | 11 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $551K | 54 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $290K | 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 Jackson 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 Jackson CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Jackson County's FEMA declarations (CSV)15 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis