Pike County, Illinois
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 17149 · population 14,724 · 831 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 443 records for Pike County, Illinois from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 304 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (172 records). The deadliest single record is the May 24, 2020 flash flood: 1 death. FEMA has issued 25 declarations naming the county since 1965, 23 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
- 443on 304 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 35 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $57Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 34strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 25latest 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 Pike County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 172 since 1956. 49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in June and July. 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 | 172 | 107 | 1956-2025 | 0 | 0 | $155K | 99 of 102 |
| Hail | 92 | 68 | 1955-2025 | 0 | 0 | $60K | 91 of 102 |
| Winter storms | 50 | 48 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 101 of 102 |
| Heat | 44 | 44 | 1999-2025 | 1 | 0 | – | 38 of 102 |
| Tornadoes | 34 | 25 | 1956-2021 | 0 | 4 | $31M | 96 of 102 |
| Floods | 29 | 24 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 1 | $25M | 102 of 102 |
| High wind and dust storms | 9 | 8 | 1997-2009 | 0 | 0 | $11K | 98 of 102 |
| Drought | 6 | 6 | 2005-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 92 of 102 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 5 | 2000-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 101 of 102 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 1998-2014 | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | 66 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 Pike County had?
NOAA records 34 tornadoes in Pike County from 1956 to 2021, the strongest rated F3, 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 35 tornadoes whose track touched Pike County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 34: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961-05-14 17:00, as SPC files it | Clayton to Wyoming | F3 | 127.1 mi | 0 |
| 1961-04-24 19:30, as SPC files it | Barry to Winchester | F3 | 64.2 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Illinois.
Every tornado record filed for Pike County (34)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-03-23 | Rockport, Pike County | EFU 1.48 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-12-01 | Valley City, Pike County | EF1 0.6 mi x 110 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-12-01 | Detroit, Pike County | EF0 0.11 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-12-01 | Pleasant Hill, Pike County | EF1 1.65 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-05-15 | Beecreek, Pike County | EF0 0.17 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-02-20 | Martinsburg, Pike County | EF2 12.09 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2008-05-30 | Pittsfield, Pike County | EF0 3.91 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-05-30 | New Salem, Pike County | EF1 1.42 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2008-01-07 | Pleasant Hill, Pike County | EF0 2.35 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-09-30 | Perry, Pike County | EF0 2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 2 | – |
| 2007-09-30 | Baylis, Pike County | EF0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-09-22 | Valley City, Pike County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-03-30 | Baylis, Pike County | F1 2.7 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-03-30 | Barry, Pike County | F1 4.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-03-12 | Pearl, Pike County | F0 1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-03-11 | Milton, Pike County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-03-11 | Independence, Pike County | F0 0.1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-05-24 | Pittsfield, Pike County | F1 3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-05-24 | New Hartford, Pike County | F1 5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-05-24 | Rockport, Pike County | F0 1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-06-11 | Rockport, Pike County | F0 0.7 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-05-26 | Milton, Pike County | F0 0.8 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-05-26 | Detroit, Pike County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-08-12 | Chambersburg, Pike County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-04-08 | Pike County | F2 26.5 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-02-11 | Beecreek, Pike County | F1 5.7 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $354K |
| 1996-05-27 | Griggsville, Pike County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-07-02 | Pike County | F0 0.1 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1982-07-04 | Pike County | F0 0.1 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1961-05-14 | Pike County | F3 89.6 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1961-04-24 | Pike County | F3 29.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1957-06-14 | Pike County | F2 18.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1957-06-10 | Pike County | F2 42.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1956-06-19 | Pike County | F2 14 mi x 33 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 Pike County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 19, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($25,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-08 | FloodGreenpond, Pike County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-29 | Winter StormPike County · forecast zone Pike | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-15 | Excessive HeatPike County · forecast zone Pike | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-19 | Thunderstorm WindPittsfield, Pike County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-19 | Thunderstorm WindPike County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2025-04-20 | Thunderstorm WindHull Airport, Pike County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-14 | HailPittsfield, Pike County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-14 | HailPittsfield, Pike County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-14 | HailPittsfield, Pike County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-01-05 | Winter StormPike County · forecast zone Pike | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-03-31 | HailHull Airport, Pike County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-03-23 | TornadoRockport, Pike County | EFU 1.48 mi x 10 yd | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-05-24 | Flash FloodHadley, Pike County Up to three inches of rain fell in about a two hour time period causing localized flash flooding on Hadley Creek, about 2 miles north northeast of Barry. Hadley Creek was overflowing the low water crossing on 275th Street. A car was driven into the flood waters at the low water crossing and stalled out. The passenger ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2015-07-19 | Flash FloodFishhook, Pike County Up to six inches of rain fell onto already saturated soils causing flash flooding. Numerous roads were flooded across the northern part of Pike County. County Road 2 about a mile east of New Salem was washed out due to a creek that flowed through the area. This created a 30 foot wide by 30 foot deep hole. A lineman ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2009-06-19 | Excessive HeatPike County · forecast zone Pike A 29 year old Griggsville man died of heat stroke while working at a construction site in Valley City. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2007-09-30 | TornadoPerry, Pike County A tornado touched down 1.7 miles west southwest of Perry off of Township Road 3225E. It travelled to the east northeast with intermittent touchdowns occurring until the tornado reached the southern portion of Perry. On the south side of Perry, a vacant mobile home had its roof and northwest corner ripped off. Another ... | EF0 2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 2 | – |
| 2014-02-20 | TornadoMartinsburg, Pike County The tornado developed over the north side of Martinsburg, Illinois. One home sustained minor roof and fascia damage and one window was damaged along the south side of the home. A few large trees and several large branches were downed by the tornado. The tornado then traveled east-northeast and sheared a path of large ... | EF2 12.09 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2008-06-03 | Flash FloodHull Airport, Pike County Up to 6 inches of rain fell in a short amount of time over northern Pike county during the morning hours of June 3rd. Numerous secondary roads had water over them. Around 810 am, an eastbound Norfolk Southern freight train derailed on a bridge that just got washed out between Kinderhook and Barry. Hadley Creek was out ... | 0 | 1 | $27K | |
| 1957-06-14 | TornadoPike County | F2 18.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 1 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-06-03 | FloodEast Hannibal, Pike County | 0 | 0 | $25M | |
| 2014-10-01 | LightningPerry, Pike County | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 1999-02-11 | TornadoBeecreek, Pike County | F1 5.7 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $354K |
| 2002-04-14 | HailPittsfield, Pike County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $41K |
| 2008-06-03 | Flash FloodHull Airport, Pike County | 0 | 1 | $27K | |
| 2025-05-19 | Thunderstorm WindPike County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2008-05-30 | TornadoNew Salem, Pike County | EF1 1.42 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
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: May 14, 1961 (tornado, Pike 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 Pike 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 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 27 | 69 | 39 | 17 |
| Hail | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 14 | 35 | 22 | 11 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 11 | 19 | 13 | 7 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 1 | 17 | 23 | 3 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 17 | 5 | 1 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 15 | 10 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 23 · Feb 16 · Mar 26 · Apr 49 · May 79 · Jun 74 · Jul 75 · Aug 34 · Sep 18 · Oct 12 · Nov 11 · Dec 26 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Pike County
FEMA's register lists 25 declarations that include Pike County: 20 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (10) and severe storm (6).
| 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 |
| 2019-09-19 | DR-4461 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2013-05-10 | DR-4116 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2011-03-17 | DR-1960 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2010-08-19 | DR-1935 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2008-06-24 | DR-1771 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2006-12-29 | EM-3269 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3230 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-05-15 | DR-1469 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2002-05-21 | DR-1416 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 2001-05-09 | DR-1368 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1999-01-08 | EM-3134 | Snowstorm | Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99 |
| 1995-05-30 | DR-1053 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1993-07-09 | DR-997 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1985-03-29 | DR-735 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1982-12-13 | DR-674 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1979-04-30 | DR-583 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1974-06-10 | DR-438 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1973-04-26 | DR-373 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1969-08-30 | DR-276 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
| 1969-06-06 | DR-262 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1965-04-25 | DR-194 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Severe Storms & 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 Pike County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 29 flood or flash flood records for Pike County from 1996 to 2026, on 24 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Pike County ranks 691st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $7.2 million on 335 claims filed in Pike County; the most in one year was 187 in 1993. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 29 · 1982: 11 · 1983: 6 · 1985: 7 · 1986: 6 · 1993: 187 · 1995: 14 · 1996: 3 · 1998: 2 · 2001: 3 · 2002: 12 · 2003: 5 · 2008: 8 · 2009: 2 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 3 · 2013: 13 · 2015: 9 · 2017: 1 · 2019: 11; 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 Pike County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Pike County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $9.6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $1.0M | 4.2 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $720K | 4.9 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $21K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $1.3M | 9.2 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1.4M | 3.4 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $238K | 48 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $256K | 4 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $597K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Pike 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 Pike CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Pike County's FEMA declarations (CSV)25 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis