White County, Illinois
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 17193 · population 13,871 · 495 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 950 records for White County, Illinois from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 803 days; the most frequent are floods and flash floods (227 records). 534 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 February 28, 2017 tornado: 1 death, 1 injury and $2.4 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 10 declarations naming the county since 1983, 8 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
- 950on 803 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 328 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $39Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 25strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 10latest 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 White County most?
The most frequent records are floods and flash floods: 227 since 1996. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | 227 | 189 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 11 | $6.2M | 6 of 102 |
| Winter storms | 125 | 124 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 5 | $174K | 24 of 102 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 117 | 111 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 15 of 102 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 117 | 95 | 1975-2025 | 1 | 2 | $4.1M | 76 of 102 |
| Heat | 80 | 80 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 17 of 102 |
| High wind and dust storms | 76 | 76 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 1 | $814K | 16 of 102 |
| Extreme cold | 75 | 75 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $4.3M | 16 of 102 |
| Hail | 64 | 50 | 1978-2024 | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | 76 of 102 |
| Drought | 28 | 28 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | $4.9M | 20 of 102 |
| Tornadoes | 25 | 23 | 1965-2024 | 1 | 7 | $17M | 48 of 102 |
| Heavy rain | 10 | 10 | 2008-2015 | 0 | 0 | $13K | 19 of 102 |
| Lightning | 6 | 5 | 1996-2011 | 0 | 2 | $268K | 21 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 White County had?
NOAA records 25 tornadoes in White County from 1965 to 2024, the strongest rated EF3, with 1 death and 7 injuries recorded in the county. That is 48th 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 27 tornadoes whose track touched White County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 25: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-02-28 21:55, as SPC files it | Fort Branch to OaklandCrossed IL, IN | EF3 | 44.13 mi | 1 |
| 1957-12-18 18:00, as SPC files it | Springerton | F3 | 19.8 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Illinois.
Every tornado record filed for White County (25)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-26 | Grayville, White County | EF1 1.02 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $28K |
| 2024-04-02 | Garnerville, White County | EF1 2.67 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2022-03-30 | Norris City, White County | EF1 6.62 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $202K |
| 2018-06-26 | Gossett, White County | EF0 0.71 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $24K |
| 2018-04-03 | New Haven, White County | EF1 2.25 mi x 225 yd | 0 | 0 | $59K |
| 2017-02-28 | Carmi Municipal Airport, White County | EF3 9.56 mi x 420 yd | 1 | 1 | $2.4M |
| 2015-12-23 | Carmi, White County | EF1 1.58 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $93K |
| 2015-06-19 | Norris City, White County | EF0 4.92 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $68K |
| 2014-04-03 | Trumbull, White County | EF1 0.99 mi x 90 yd | 0 | 0 | $62K |
| 2012-03-02 | Carmi, White County | EF0 2.6 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 2012-01-22 | Enfield, White County | EF2 18.03 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $321K |
| 2011-04-19 | Epworth, White County | EF1 1.44 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $394K |
| 2011-04-19 | Concord, White County | EF2 1.8 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.6M |
| 2006-05-10 | Phillipstown, White County | F0 2.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-11-15 | Norris City, White County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-10-24 | Springerton, White County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $83K |
| 1996-04-19 | Carmi Municipal Airport, White County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.9M |
| 1990-05-16 | White County | F1 10 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1989-01-07 | White County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-01-07 | White County | F2 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 6 | $2.5M step |
| 1983-05-02 | White County | F1 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1981-06-01 | White County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1976-05-30 | White County | F2 0.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1974-06-08 | White County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1965-02-09 | White County | F2 3.3 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $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 White County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 2, 2026 strong wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-02 | Strong WindWhite County · forecast zone White | 35 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-02-19 | Dense FogWhite County · forecast zone White | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-15 | Dense FogWhite County · forecast zone White | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-30 | Cold/Wind ChillWhite County · forecast zone White | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-26 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillWhite County · forecast zone White | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Heavy SnowWhite County · forecast zone White | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Cold/Wind ChillWhite County · forecast zone White | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-23 | Dense FogWhite County · forecast zone White | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-22 | Dense FogWhite County · forecast zone White | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-19 | Thunderstorm WindSpringerton, White County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-09-23 | Dense FogWhite County · forecast zone White | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-14 | DroughtWhite County · forecast zone White | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-02-28 | TornadoCarmi Municipal Airport, White County The tornado touched down between Crossville and Carmi, quickly strengthening to EF-3 intensity before crossing Illinois Route 1. The tornado track stayed northeast of Carmi, in relatively sparsely populated farmland. In White County, 35 structures were damaged or destroyed. At least several of those were homes. Just ... | EF3 9.56 mi x 420 yd | 1 | 1 | $2.4M |
| 2011-02-09 | Winter WeatherWhite County · forecast zone White A large area of snow occurred along and to the east of a well-defined surface low pressure trough. East of the surface trough, northeasterly surface winds kept cold air in place. Warmer air moving in aloft created conditions favorable for snow. As the low pressure trough moved east across the region, the snow ended in ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1990-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindWhite County | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2019-06-20 | FloodMaunie, White County The Wabash, Little Wabash, and Ohio Rivers rose back above flood stage late in the month. These river rises were in response to a series of nearly stationary fronts and outflow boundaries between the 16th and 24th. Numerous rounds of showers and storms occurred during this period. Rainfall totals during this time ... | 0 | 10 | $35K | |
| 1989-01-07 | TornadoWhite County | F2 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 6 | $2.5M step |
| 2008-02-21 | Winter StormWhite County · forecast zone White Low pressure organized over Louisiana, spreading precipitation northeast along a warm front that extended into the Ohio Valley. Arctic high pressure over the Great Lakes region produced a cold northeast wind flow in the low levels. This low-level cold air was responsible for sleet and freezing rain. Although this was ... | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 2011-04-09 | LightningCrossville, White County A man and his son were struck by lightning while hunting. The lightning apparently struck the barrel of a shotgun being carried by the son. Both were hospitalized with minor to moderate injuries. | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2010-12-12 | Winter WeatherWhite County · forecast zone White The first blast of winter weather followed a strong cold front that swept rapidly east across the Mississippi and Lower Ohio Valleys. Behind the front, widespread snow showers and very windy conditions produced difficult travel conditions. Northwest winds ranged from 20 to 30 mph with higher gusts. Peak gusts were as ... | 0 | 2 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-19 | TornadoConcord, White County | EF2 1.8 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.6M |
| 2017-02-28 | TornadoCarmi Municipal Airport, White County | EF3 9.56 mi x 420 yd | 1 | 1 | $2.4M |
| 1996-04-19 | TornadoCarmi Municipal Airport, White County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.9M |
| 2002-04-24 | HailCarmi, White County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| 2011-05-01 | FloodMaunie, White County | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 1996-05-10 | Flash FloodEnfield, White County | 0 | 0 | $941K | |
| 2004-08-28 | Flash FloodCarmi, White County | 0 | 0 | $781K | |
| 2005-01-05 | FloodWhite County · forecast zone White | 0 | 0 | $756K |
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: January 7, 1989 (tornado, White 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 White 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 18 | 68 | 109 | 32 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 13 | 37 | 51 | 24 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 5 | 22 | 64 | 26 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 20 | 27 | 44 | 17 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 6 | 12 | 37 z | 25 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 4 | 18 | 33 | 21 |
Heat in the 2010s: 37 records against 12 in the decade before, 37 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 White 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?
Records by month in White County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 111 · Feb 104 · Mar 91 · Apr 119 · May 86 · Jun 72 · Jul 97 · Aug 68 · Sep 30 · Oct 35 · Nov 47 · Dec 90 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for White County
FEMA's register lists 10 declarations that include White County: 7 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (4) 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 |
| 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 |
| 1989-01-13 | DR-819 | Tornado | Severe Storms & Tornadoes |
| 1983-06-06 | DR-684 | 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 White County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 227 flood or flash flood records for White County from 1996 to 2025, on 189 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), White County ranks 1378th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.5 million on 88 claims filed in White County; the most in one year was 28 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 3 · 1979: 3 · 1980: 1 · 1982: 1 · 1983: 1 · 1985: 2 · 1990: 6 · 1993: 9 · 1995: 2 · 1996: 7 · 1997: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2004: 5 · 2005: 2 · 2008: 3 · 2011: 28 · 2012: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 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 White County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates White County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $14.9 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 Moderate | $6.1M | once in about 134 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $102K | 8 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $376K | 5.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $664K | 4 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $624K | 9.3 modeled event-days a year |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $3K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.5M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $83K | 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 White 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
- Floods in IllinoisThe state's floods and flash floods, 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 White CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download White County's FEMA declarations (CSV)10 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis