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Massac County, Illinois severe weather history spans 300 recorded events between 1979 and 2025. The dominant hazard is thunderstorm wind, accounting for 40.7% of all recorded events. It ranks #1,782 nationally and #65 in Illinois.
300
Recorded events
5
Direct deaths
70
Direct injuries
$24.0M
Property damage
The record
What the Massac County, Illinois severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Massac County, Illinois severe weather history averages 6.5 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2010s, with 124 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 10 events fall before 1990 and 290 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The deadliest hazard in the Massac County, Illinois record is tornado, responsible for 4 direct deaths. The costliest is tornado, with $17.3M in reported property damage. In total, 8 distinct hazard types appear in this county archive, each listed with its own dated record below.
By hazard type
Every hazard type recorded in Massac County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 122 | 1 | $2.5M | 87 | 1980–2025 |
| Flood | 66 | 0 | $3.6M | 0 | 1996–2025 |
| Hail | 52 | 0 | $12K | 3 | 1979–2025 |
| Flash Flood | 19 | 0 | $347K | 0 | 1996–2023 |
| Tornado | 18 | 4 | $17.3M | F4 | 1989–2023 |
| Heavy Rain | 11 | 0 | $53K | 0 | 2003–2015 |
| Lightning | 6 | 0 | $135K | 0 | 2007–2025 |
| Funnel Cloud | 6 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 1997–2009 |
Decade by decade
Massac County, Illinois severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
17 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 12 touched down inside it and 5 crossed in from a neighbouring county. This comes from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
| Date | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Path length | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-05-06 | EF4 | 2 | 33 | 33.0 mi | Crossed in |
| 2013-11-17 | EF3 | 3 | 34 | 42.5 mi | Crossed in |
| 2006-09-22 | EF3 | 0 | 2 | 3.5 mi | Touched down here |
| 2025-04-02 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 12.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 2012-02-29 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 2.4 mi | Crossed in |
| 2011-05-25 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 19.9 mi | Crossed in |
| 1957-12-18 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 mi | Touched down here |
| 2018-04-03 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 10.6 mi | Touched down here |
| 2016-07-06 | EF1 | 0 | 2 | 2.8 mi | Touched down here |
| 2011-04-23 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 6.6 mi | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Massac County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 17, 2013 | Tornado | BROOKPORT | 3 | 33 | $5.5M |
| May 7, 2003 | Tornado | HILLERMAN | 1 | 20 | $10.0M |
| May 30, 1987 | Thunderstorm Wind | 1 | 0 | $0 | |
| Jun 9, 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | 0 | 5 | $250K |
| Jul 6, 2016 | Tornado | METROPOLIS | 0 | 2 | $350K |
| Jun 26, 2011 | Lightning | NEW COLUMBIA | 0 | 2 | $0 |
| Jul 17, 2007 | Lightning | METROPOLIS | 0 | 2 | $0 |
| Sep 22, 2006 | Tornado | METROPOLIS MUNI ARPT | 0 | 2 | $500K |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A few basements were flooded in Metropolis. Street flooding occurred in Metropolis. Several roads were closed. U.S. Highway 45 was covered with water in several areas. Thousands of acres of farmland were flooded. Some roads were damaged.
The tornado began along the Ohio River, where power poles were damaged at a barge-loading facility. Further east along the track, the roof was blown off a trailer, and some roof and utility pole damage occurred at an industrial complex. Portable buildings were destroyed and a trailer was overturned just east of the industrial complex. On the north end of Metropolis, several trees were blown down. There was tree damage to at least one garage, two homes, and two vehicles. There was minor roof damage to two other homes. Several utility poles were snapped. Near Interstate 24, part of the metal roof was torn off a large building in an industrial park. One trailer was overturned. One barn was heavily damaged. Peak winds were estimated near 110 mph. The average path width was 225 yards.
Numerous trees were blown down and widespread minor roof damage occurred, mainly in the southern part of the county. Between Metropolis and Brookport, a large metal shed was blown apart, and a tree landed on a house. The house roof sustained minor to moderate damage. In Metropolis, a window was blown out of a downtown museum. A portion of the roof was blown off a Metropolis city business, and a shed was destroyed. There were numerous reports of downed tree limbs on Metropolis city streets and some county roads. The west part of Metropolis was without power. One tree fell onto a house in Brookport. The house was heavily damaged, and the family was displaced. A mobile home was partially unroofed in Brookport.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Relatively Low
FEMA NRI risk rating
13,865
Population (ACS)
$122K
Median home value
12
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 26, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 | EM |
| Nov 26, 2013 | Tornado | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND TORNADOES | DR |
| Jun 7, 2011 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR |
| Mar 2, 2009 | Severe Storm | SEVERE WINTER STORM | DR |
| Sep 7, 2005 | Hurricane | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM |
Within the county
Most affected places
- Metropolis 199
- Brookport 151
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Massac County, Illinois?
300 events are on record between 1979 and 2025, causing 5 direct deaths and $24.0M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Massac County?
Thunderstorm Wind, with 122 recorded events — 40.7% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Massac County?
17 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 12 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Massac County?
12 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Massac County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Massac County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Massac County as relatively low risk, placing it in the 62 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Massac County, Illinois severe weather history data come from?
Every figure is drawn from United States federal public-domain records: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events for the event archive, NOAA SPC SVRGIS for mapped tornado paths, FEMA for disaster declarations and risk ratings, and the U.S. Census for population context. Dates are shown in UTC and recent entries may still be revised by NOAA.
Nearby
Neighbouring counties
- Mason County 268
- Menard County 258
- Marshall County 258
- Mercer County 341
- Marion County 375
- Monroe County 315
Cite this page
“Massac County, Illinois.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/illinois/massac-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.