Moultrie County, Illinois
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 17139 · population 14,522 · 336 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 292 records for Moultrie County, Illinois from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 220 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (104 records). The deadliest single record is the January 1, 1999 heavy snow, filed for the forecast zone Moultrie, which covers the county: 1 death and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 10 declarations naming the county since 1990, 8 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
- 292on 220 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 15 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $48Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 17strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 10latest 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 Moultrie County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 104 since 1955. 43% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 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 | 104 | 73 | 1955-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.8M | 61 of 102 |
| Hail | 52 | 40 | 1974-2026 | 0 | 0 | $13M | 61 of 102 |
| Winter storms | 42 | 42 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 1 | $262K | 55 of 102 |
| Floods | 31 | 27 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $934K | 47 of 102 |
| Tornadoes | 17 | 13 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 4 | $1.6M | 74 of 102 |
| Heat | 13 | 13 | 1997-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 43 of 102 |
| Drought | 12 | 12 | 2012-2026 | 0 | 0 | $30M | 36 of 102 |
| High wind and dust storms | 11 | 11 | 1996-2023 | 0 | 0 | $22K | 42 of 102 |
| Extreme cold | 8 | 8 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 55 of 102 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 1997-2008 | 0 | 0 | – | 44 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 Moultrie County had?
NOAA records 17 tornadoes in Moultrie County from 1956 to 2026, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 4 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 15 tornadoes whose track touched Moultrie County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 17: 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.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-04-28 00:59, as SPC files it | Golconda | F3 | 22 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Illinois.
Every tornado record filed for Moultrie County (17)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-17 | Bethany, Moultrie County | EF1 2.97 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | Ullrich, Moultrie County | EF1 5.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | Bethany, Moultrie County | EF0 2.04 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-14 | Lovington, Moultrie County | EF1 3.08 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-14 | Ullrich, Moultrie County | EF1 4.92 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-12-10 | Gays, Moultrie County | EF2 3.77 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-05-28 | Ullrich, Moultrie County | EFU 0.31 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-05-28 | Bethany, Moultrie County | EFU 0.36 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-06-19 | Dunn, Moultrie County | EF0 0.11 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2013-11-17 | Williamsburg, Moultrie County | EF1 7.02 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 2005-03-30 | Lovington, Moultrie County | F1 2 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-07-08 | Sullivan, Moultrie County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-07-08 | Lovington, Moultrie County | F0 1.5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-04-07 | Cadwell, Moultrie County | F2 3 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 4 | $181K |
| 1980-04-08 | Moultrie County | F2 0.5 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1974-08-10 | Moultrie County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1956-04-03 | Moultrie County | F1 4.5 mi x 100 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 Moultrie County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 15, 2018 thunderstorm wind ($411,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Roofs were ripped off several houses, trees were blown down, and a machine shed was knocked down on the southeast side of Sullivan.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 750141)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-17 | Thunderstorm WindLovington, Moultrie County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-17 | HailLovington, Moultrie County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-17 | HailUllrich, Moultrie County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-17 | HailFairbanks, Moultrie County | 3.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-17 | TornadoBethany, Moultrie County | EF1 2.97 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindSullivan, Moultrie County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindBethany, Moultrie County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindBethany, Moultrie County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-08 | Flash FloodSullivan, Moultrie County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-04 | HailBethany, Moultrie County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-04 | HailSullivan, Moultrie County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-04 | HailLovington, Moultrie County | 1.00 in hail | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-01-01 | Heavy SnowMoultrie County · forecast zone Moultrie A major winter storm paralyzed much of the region during the first few days of 1999. Snow began falling across portions of Central Illinois before noon on New Year's Day and continued to fall, moderate to heavy at times for most of the following 24-hour period. Locations near and south of Charleston/Mattoon saw ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 1998-04-07 | TornadoCadwell, Moultrie County A tornado touched down 2 miles south of Cadwell and travelled to the northeast. In Moultrie County it either damaged or destroyed 9 homes, as well as, numerous barns, sheds, silos, and outbuildings. One double-wide mobile home was blown from its foundation. Four people were inside at the time. Three sustained minor ... | F2 3 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 4 | $181K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-09-01 | DroughtMoultrie County · forecast zone Moultrie | 0 | 0 | $30M | |
| 1998-04-07 | HailBethany, Moultrie County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $13M |
| 2010-07-19 | Thunderstorm WindKirksville, Moultrie County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.5M |
| 2013-11-17 | TornadoWilliamsburg, Moultrie County | EF1 7.02 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 2015-12-27 | FloodGays, Moultrie County | 0 | 0 | $623K | |
| 2018-05-15 | Thunderstorm WindSullivan, Moultrie County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $411K |
| 2011-02-01 | Winter StormMoultrie County · forecast zone Moultrie | 0 | 0 | $262K | |
| 2005-01-13 | Flash FloodCountywide, Moultrie County | 0 | 0 | $254K |
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: April 3, 1956 (tornado, Moultrie County); April 8, 1980 (tornado, Moultrie 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 Moultrie 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 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 12 | 28 | 23 | 30 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 16 | 12 | 18 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 11 | 12 | 11 | 8 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 11 | 16 | 2 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
43% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 21 · Feb 18 · Mar 40 · Apr 30 · May 52 · Jun 37 · Jul 34 · Aug 25 · Sep 3 · Oct 3 · Nov 11 · Dec 18 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Moultrie County
FEMA's register lists 10 declarations that include Moultrie County: 6 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (2) and tornado (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-08-15 | DR-4728 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2010-08-19 | DR-1935 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3230 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002-05-21 | DR-1416 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 1999-01-08 | EM-3134 | Snowstorm | Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99 |
| 1990-03-06 | DR-860 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Ice Storm |
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 Moultrie County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 31 flood or flash flood records for Moultrie County from 1996 to 2026, on 27 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Moultrie County ranks 2085th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $121,000 on 20 claims filed in Moultrie County; the most in one year was 6 in 2008. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 2 · 1982: 2 · 1985: 1 · 1997: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2005: 2 · 2008: 6 · 2009: 1 · 2013: 2 · 2018: 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 Moultrie County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Moultrie County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $10.4 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 | $1.1M | 1.7 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.5M | 2.6 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $535K | 4.9 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $844K | once in about 320 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $332K | 3 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $357K | 7.3 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $55K | 8.3 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $4.7M | 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 Moultrie 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 Moultrie CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Moultrie County's FEMA declarations (CSV)10 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis