Richland County, Illinois
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 17159 · population 15,809 · 360 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 494 records for Richland County, Illinois from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 400 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (110 records). 281 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 June 6, 2011 heat, filed for the forecast zone Richland, which covers the county: 1 death. FEMA has issued 8 declarations naming the county since 1990, 6 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm” on March 17, 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
- 494on 400 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 210 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $161Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 18strongest F4
- 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 Richland County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 110 since 1955. 46% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 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 | 110 | 87 | 1955-2026 | 0 | 1 | $1.3M | 50 of 102 |
| Winter storms | 92 | 79 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 1 | $462K | 30 of 102 |
| Hail | 46 | 33 | 1982-2024 | 0 | 0 | $403 | 82 of 102 |
| Heat | 46 | 41 | 1997-2023 | 1 | 0 | – | 24 of 102 |
| Floods | 41 | 36 | 1998-2022 | 0 | 0 | $92K | 32 of 102 |
| Extreme cold | 40 | 38 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $18K | 21 of 102 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 39 | 38 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 20 of 102 |
| High wind and dust storms | 32 | 28 | 1996-2016 | 0 | 0 | $238K | 23 of 102 |
| Drought | 29 | 25 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | $124M | 15 of 102 |
| Tornadoes | 18 | 17 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 5 | $35M | 47 of 102 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2008-2008 | 0 | 3 | $85K | 61 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 Richland County had?
NOAA records 18 tornadoes in Richland County from 1956 to 2026, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 5 injuries recorded in the county. That is 47th 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 17 tornadoes whose track touched Richland County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 18: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990-06-02 16:45, as SPC files it | Olney | F4 | 23 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Illinois.
Every tornado record filed for Richland County (18)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-21 | Claremont, Richland County | EF1 2.11 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | Olney, Richland County | EF0 1.91 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-06-17 | Passport, Richland County | EF1 3.31 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-05-06 | Schnell, Richland County | EFU 0.12 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-11-05 | Pureton, Richland County | EF1 6.84 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $84K |
| 2016-04-27 | Olney, Richland County | EF0 0.09 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-06-19 | Olney, Richland County | EF0 0.52 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2015-06-19 | Olney, Richland County | EF0 0.13 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2011-05-25 | Higgins, Richland County | EF0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-05-27 | Olney, Richland County | EF0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-04-15 | Noble, Richland County | F0 9.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-08-03 | Richland County | F1 0.5 mi x 1,733 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1990-06-02 | Richland County | F4 12 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1984-03-15 | Richland County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1965-11-26 | Richland County | F2 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 5 | $25K step |
| 1957-05-21 | Richland County | F2 3.6 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1956-08-18 | Richland County | F1 37.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1956-02-25 | Richland County | F2 8.8 mi x 450 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M 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 Richland County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the November 5, 2017 tornado ($84,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A tornado touched down in an open field about 3.4 miles north of Noble at 5:24 pm CST. The tornado tracked to the east-northeast...damaging the roof of a house, destroying a garage, damaging a truck in the garage, and downing several trees before doing damage to the roof of a barn on Pleasant Ridge Lane at around 5:26 pm. The tornado continued to the east-northeast for another 7 minutes primarily damaging trees. The tornado dissipated at 5:33 pm CST, 3.2 miles north-northwest of Olney about one-half mile northwest of the Richland Country Club.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 724199)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-21 | TornadoClaremont, Richland County | EF1 2.11 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | TornadoOlney, Richland County | EF0 1.91 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-11 | Thunderstorm WindDundas, Richland County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtRichland County · forecast zone Richland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-19 | Funnel CloudStringtown, Richland County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-05 | DroughtRichland County · forecast zone Richland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-26 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillRichland County · forecast zone Richland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Heavy SnowRichland County · forecast zone Richland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-05 | Heavy SnowRichland County · forecast zone Richland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-06-29 | HailNoble, Richland County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-08-01 | HailOlney, Richland County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-06-17 | TornadoPassport, Richland County | EF1 3.31 mi x 60 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-06-06 | HeatRichland County · forecast zone Richland Three consecutive days of temperatures in the middle 90s and heat index values around 100 contributed to the hyperthermia death of a toddler in Noble. The 19 month old child was found unresponsive in a room that was not air conditioned during the early evening of June 8th. The child died that same evening at an Olney ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2010-02-14 | Heavy SnowEdwards County and Richland County · forecast zone Edwards A strong upper level low moved southeast across Missouri, then east across Kentucky. The heaviest snowfall rates were associated with a deformation zone on the north side of the upper low. Snowfall rates were about an inch per hour along an axis from Mount Vernon, Illinois east along the Interstate 64 corridor through ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1965-11-26 | TornadoRichland County | F2 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 5 | $25K step |
| 2008-05-07 | LightningOlney, Richland County A lightning strike to a 60 foot tall brick chimney in downtown Olney resulted in damage to 16 autos and the roof of the building. Bricks were thrown as far as one block away. Three people were indirectly injured by falling bricks and debris. Ages and genders of the three people were not available. The three injuries ... | 0 | 3 | $85K | |
| 2008-02-01 | Winter WeatherEdwards County and Richland County · forecast zone Edwards A deepening surface low pressure system tracked northward from the Lower Mississippi Valley, passing across far western Kentucky. Cold air wrapped southward around the back side of the low, keeping precipitation frozen or freezing over parts of southern Illinois. Storm total precipitation ranged from 3 to 6 inches ... | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2004-05-30 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Richland County Numerous trees, tree limbs, power poles and power lines were blown down countywide. Several homes sustained minor to moderate roof damage after trees fell on them. One tree fell on an occupied vehicle trapping the driver for a time. She sustained minor injuries. The roof of a barn was blown off 3 miles west southwest ... | 55 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-09-01 | DroughtEdwards County and Richland County · forecast zone Edwards | 0 | 0 | $87M | |
| 2012-09-01 | DroughtRichland County · forecast zone Richland | 0 | 0 | $32M | |
| 2011-02-01 | Ice StormRichland County · forecast zone Richland | 0 | 0 | $394K | |
| 2008-05-07 | LightningOlney, Richland County | 0 | 3 | $85K | |
| 2017-11-05 | TornadoPureton, Richland County | EF1 6.84 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $84K |
| 2015-06-19 | TornadoOlney, Richland County | EF0 0.52 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2015-06-19 | TornadoOlney, Richland County | EF0 0.13 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
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: February 25, 1956 (tornado, Richland County); August 3, 1991 (tornado, Richland 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 Richland 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 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 22 | 26 | 31 | 16 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 21 | 43 | 23 | 5 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 13 | 5 | 16 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 10 | 13 | 21 | 2 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 17 | 20 | 2 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 5 | 27 | 6 | 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 1955 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 54 · Feb 38 · Mar 21 · Apr 45 · May 53 · Jun 65 · Jul 65 · Aug 37 · Sep 18 · Oct 22 · Nov 18 · Dec 58 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Richland County
FEMA's register lists 8 declarations that include Richland County: 5 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and snowstorm (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 1990-06-22 | DR-871 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & 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 Richland County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 41 flood or flash flood records for Richland County from 1998 to 2022, on 36 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Richland County ranks 2003rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $199,000 on 25 claims filed in Richland County; the most in one year was 11 in 1993. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 1982: 1 · 1983: 1 · 1985: 1 · 1986: 7 · 1993: 11 · 1995: 3; 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 Richland County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Richland County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $12.3 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 | $654K | 2.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $516K | 4.1 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $4.2M | once in about 155 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $587K | 8 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $59K | 6.6 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.1M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $227K | 2.8 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $62K | 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 Richland 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 Richland CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Richland County's FEMA declarations (CSV)8 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis