73
Recorded events
1
Direct deaths
76
Direct injuries
$40.5M
Property damage
Tornado in Logan County, Illinois: 73 recorded events between 1951 and 2025. The strongest on record measured F4. That places the county #145 nationally and #7 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Logan County, Illinois: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Logan County is the 2000s, when 29 of the county's 73 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Logan County archive, tornado makes up 13.2% of all recorded severe weather across 7 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #145 for this hazard and #7 within Illinois, putting it in the 95.1 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Apr is the peak month for tornado in Logan County with 19 recorded events, while Feb is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
| Date | Scale | Path length | Max width | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977-05-05 | EF4 | 7.3 mi | 1,000 yd | Touched down here |
| 1951-06-27 | EF3 | 18.2 mi | 200 yd | Touched down here |
| 2009-08-19 | EF3 | 24.3 mi | 880 yd | Crossed in |
| 1996-04-19 | EF3 | 9.4 mi | 880 yd | Touched down here |
| 1995-05-09 | EF3 | 50.0 mi | 880 yd | Crossed in |
| 1968-05-15 | EF3 | 12.6 mi | 600 yd | Crossed in |
| 1951-06-27 | EF3 | 9.6 mi | 300 yd | Touched down here |
| 2023-03-31 | EF2 | 21.0 mi | 200 yd | Crossed in |
| 2006-03-12 | EF2 | 2.5 mi | 400 yd | Touched down here |
| 2006-03-12 | EF2 | 3.5 mi | 200 yd | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 28, 1951 | F3 | 1 | 15 | $2.5M | |
| Jun 28, 1951 | F3 | 0 | 35 | $2.5M | |
| May 9, 1995 | Cantrall | F3 | 0 | 6 | $10.0M |
| May 30, 2004 | LINCOLN | F0 | 0 | 3 | $250K |
| Mar 13, 1954 | F1 | 0 | 3 | $250K | |
| Apr 9, 1953 | F2 | 0 | 3 | $25K | |
| Aug 19, 2009 | ELKHART | EF3 | 0 | 2 | $7.2M |
| Apr 19, 2006 | LINCOLN | F0 | 0 | 2 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 2025 | LATHAM | EFU | $0 |
| May 13, 2025 | EMDEN | EFU | $0 |
| Apr 2, 2025 | LATHAM | EF0 | $0 |
| Apr 19, 2024 | LATHAM | EF1 | $0 |
| Apr 19, 2024 | NARITA | EF1 | $0 |
| Jun 29, 2023 | BEASON | EF1 | $0 |
| Jun 29, 2023 | LINCOLN | EF1 | $0 |
| Mar 31, 2023 | CORNLAND | EF2 | $0 |
| Jan 3, 2023 | LATHAM | EFU | $0 |
| Aug 1, 2022 | BEASON | EF1 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Logan County
- Thunderstorm Wind 287
- Hail 136
- Flash Flood 43
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A tornado developed 3 NE of Salisbury and moved northeast lifting 5 NE of Beason in Logan County at 1756 CST. The path width varied from one-quarter to three-quarters of a mile and was on the ground for 40 miles. The tornado caused significant damage in Cantrall (three homes destroyed, 10 had major damage, 11 had minor damage, and the roof and interior of a grade school suffered extensive damage). In the Brookwood Hills Subdivision in Menard County (3 SE Athens), one home was destroyed, one had major damage, 12 homes suffered minor damage, and one farm in the area sustained damage to barns and silos. In Elkhart, 50 to 75 homes were damaged, as well as, several businesses. In Flamingo Heights subdivision (4S of Lincoln), all 23 homes were damaged. Numerous power lines, poles, trees, and a 400 foot cellular tower were blown down. With all of the damage, only six people suffered minor injuries. Preliminary damage estimates were $1 million in Sangamon County, $1 Million in Menard County, and over $8 million in Logan County.
The tornado moved into Logan county from Sangamon county at 326 PM CST and continued heading northeast. It widened to 1/2 mile at several locations along its path. The tornado destroyed 7 houses and damaged 15 others. Numerous grain bins and outbuildings were also destroyed. Crop losses were extensive along the 20 mile path and were estimated to be around $1 Million. Two people sustained injuries when the shed they were seeking shelter in was destroyed.||Wind speeds were estimated at 140 mph as the tornado crossed from Sangamon County, decreasing to 110 to 120 mph as it moved to areas between Lincoln and Mt. Pulaski. The tornado continued northeast before weakening to speeds of 90 to 100 mph, with a width of 50 to 100 yards. The tornado dissipated just east of Beason at 402 PM CST. The path length in Logan County was nearly 20 miles.
A tornado touched down on the northeast side of Lincoln. It tracked through a small subdivision, just northeast of the Logan County Airport. The tornado damaged roofs, siding and outbuildings, and blew down numerous trees and power lines. In addition, before lifting, the tornado damaged several barns in a rural area to the east of Lincoln.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Logan County, Illinois?
73 tornado events are recorded in Logan County between 1951 and 2025, causing 1 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Logan County?
The strongest tornado on record in Logan County measured F4.
Where does the tornado data for Logan County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Tornado in Logan County, Illinois.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/illinois/logan-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.