Macon County Tornadoes Since 1950

Details:

1. 6/27/1951:  This strong tornado touched down in Logan County 2 miles south-southwest of Latham, and moved 8 miles eastward to near Forsyth.  Two farms were destroyed near Heman.
2. 4/29/1956:  Touched down 2 miles northwest of Blue Mound, causing minor damage to several farms along a 3 mile path.
3. 5/6/1960:   Damaged 3 farmsteads near Casner.
4. 4/22/1963:  This tornado first touched down near Illiopolis, in eastern Sangamon County, then roughly paralleled U.S. 36 to 3 miles west of Decatur.  The worst of the damage was near Illiopolis.  The tornado was mostly aloft between Niantic and Harristown.
5. 4/22/1963:  Touched down near Oreana and moved east into Piatt County. 
6. 6/10/1963:  This tornado touched down near the Macon County fairgrounds and moved east for 2 miles.  A second tornado reportedly parallaled this one 3 miles to the north, affecting Forsyth.
7. 4/2/1964:  Brief touchdown 4 miles south of Decatur, damaging a small grain bin.
8. 4/3/1974:  This was part of the "Super Outbreak", in which 148 tornadoes touched down across the eastern half of the U.S. in less than 24 hours.  This particular tornado originated in Christian County, then moved northeast to near Decatur, before lifting 1 mile west of Oreana.  One person was killed near the Macon County fairgrounds; 35 homes were destroyed and 120 were damaged.  Click here for more details.
9. 6/8/1974:  Touched down in a field 5 miles west of Argenta.
10. 8/10/1974:  A total of 13 tornado touchdowns occurred in a 2 hour period, from Macon County east to Champaign County.  This tornado touched down in Niantic, causing minor damage.
11. 8/10/1974:  Brief touchdown in Decatur near the Macon County fairgrounds.
12. 8/10/1974:  Brief touchdown northwest of Decatur at Bearsdale.
13. 8/10/1974:  Brief touchdown in Decatur.
14. 8/10/1974:  Brief touchdown in Decatur.
15. 8/10/1974:  Brief touchdown in Decatur.
16. 8/10/1974:  Brief touchdown west of Oreana.
17. 8/10/1974:  Brief touchdown near Oakley.
18. 8/10/1974:  Brief touchdown near Boody.
19. 8/10/1974:  Touched down east of Hervey City near Prairie Hall.
20. 8/10/1974:  Touched down 2 miles west of Mount Zion.
21. 8/10/1974:  Touched down 2 miles north of Decatur, damaging a corn field next to the county fairgrounds.
22. 11/30/1975:  Touched down 2 miles southwest of Decatur, then moved to Long Creek.  Part of the Long Creek firehouse was destroyed, and 100 homes were damaged.
23. 3/20/1976:  Touched down in far southeast Macon County near Casner, before moving into Piatt County.  This tornado ultimately was on the ground for 63 miles, lifting just northwest of Danville, and became violent by the time it reached Champaign County.
24. 5/12/1978:  Took an 8 mile path around the west and north parts of Decatur, damaging 43 residences and 12 businesses.
25. 9/16/1980:  Brief touchdown in Warrensburg.
26. 11/1/1984:  Touched down on the north side of Macon, and traveled approximately 7 miles to Mount Zion.  Several machine sheds were damaged, and a couple outbuildings were destroyed.
27. 11/10/1984:  Touched down on the north side of Decatur.  It damaged a mobile home park, as well as 18 trucks at a car dealership.
28. 5/16/1986:  Brief touchdown 1 mile south of Maroa.
29. 6/8/1993:  Touched down in Warrensburg, destroying an empty mobile home and a laundromat.  Many homes had broken windows, and many trees were blown down.
30. 5/27/1995:  Brief touchdown 1 mile northeast of Niantic.
31. 4/18/1996:  The first of two tornadoes to strike Decatur on successive days.  From Storm Data:  A tornado touched down in the southeastern portions of Decatur. The initial touchdown was near the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Marion St. on the northwestern corner of Mueller Park. The path of the storm then moved a little north of east, with damage centered along Lincoln Street to about 19th Street. At that point the damage path center appeared to move somewhat to the north, crossing 22nd Street between Cantrell and Roosevelt. The path then went across the Nelson Park Golf Course, where it knocked down over 100 trees, then crossed over the western portion of the Hwy 36 bridge before lifting. 88 homes were either damaged or destroyed, as well as, numerous businesses. Nine people sustained minor injuries. Also, 6 large utility poles on the Hwy 36 bridge were blown over, which trapped several motorists in their cars, though no one was injured. The damage is estimated around $1.5 million.
32. 4/19/1996:  The second of two tornadoes to strike Decatur on successive days.  From Storm Data:  A tornado touched down 2 miles south southwest of Niantic and travelled to the east northeast causing extensive damage. It moved into Old Harristown at 727 pm destroying 4 to 5 homes, extensively damaging the remainder of the homes, tore the roof off of the old grade school gymnasium, and destroyed a grain silo. It continued to the east northeast and moved into the westside of Decatur at the intersection of Wyckles and Center Roads after crossing I-72, destroying a church at that intersection, as well as a couple of homes. Then the tornado lifted to tree top level for a short distance till it reached Ravina Park Road. "F3" damage was seen, as the tornado demolished a house in a gully area, then continued to move to the east northeast down Ravina Park Road, causing "F2" damage. The width of the tornado was from 1 1/2 to 2 blocks wide in this area. It then crossed Oakland Avenue, destroying the Sims Lumber Company, and then it lifted to tree top level again. It dropped down again near the intersection of Bloomington Road and Pythan Avenue, causing minor damage before lifting again just east of Morgan Street. The tornado touched down once more at the intersection of Pershing and 27th, causing damage to the roofs of several buildings at a manufacturing plant and damaging the surrounding fences before lifting. Twenty-nine people were injured, two seriously and damage was estimated around $9 million.
33. 4/30/1997:  Brief touchdown 3 miles south of Blue Mound.
34. 4/30/1997:  Touched down in Oreana, destroying a mobile home and barn.
35. 4/30/1998:  Brief touchdown 4 miles east of Macon.
36. 6/4/1999:  Brief touchdown 3.5 miles south of Maroa.
37. 6/4/1999:  Brief touchdown in Lincoln Homestead Memorial Park, 7.5 miles southwest of Decatur.
38. 6/4/1999:  Brief touchdown 2 miles south of Argenta near I-72.
39. 4/20/2000:  Brief touchdown 1 mile north of Niantic, damaging a pair of storage tanks.
40. 4/20/2000:  This tornado touched down 1.8 miles northeast of Oreana, and tracked for 2 miles to Argenta.
41. 5/12/2000:  This tornado first touched down 2 miles northeast of Niantic, and intermittently lifted before finally dissipating 1 mile southeast of Warrensburg.  No damage was reported.
42. 10/24/2001:  Brief touchdown 3 miles east-northeast of Oakley.
43. 6/11/2003:  Brief touchdown 1 mile northeast of Niantic.
44. 4/22/2005:  Brief touchdown 1 mile south of Macon.
45. 4/22/2005:  Brief touchdown 2 miles east of Elwin.
46. 3/12/2006:  This tornado first touched down in southeast Logan County, before moving into northwest Macon County.  Click here for more details. 
47. 3/12/2006:  Touched down 9 miles southwest of Maroa, and was on the ground for 8 miles.  Click here for more details.
48. 4/2/2006:   Touched down 1 mile southwest of Macon, and was on the ground for 4.5 miles.
49. 4/2/2006:  Brief touchdown east of Niantic.
50. 4/2/2006:  Touched down 1 mile southwest of Elwin, and was on the ground for 7.5 miles.
51. 4/16/2006:  Touched down 2 miles southwest of Warrensburg.
52. 7/12/2006:  Brief touchdown 6 miles south of Argenta.
53. 7/26/2006:  Brief touchdown in a field 3 miles northeast of Oreana.
54. 3/1/2007:  Touched down near the intersection of US-51 and Elwin Road in Elwin, and was on the ground for 1 mile.  It caused damage to a porch and a church chimney, as well as several trees.
55. 5/25/2011:  Touched down 6 miles east-northeast of Decatur, damaging grain bins and outbuildings along a one mile path.
56. 5/25/2011:  Touched down 1.7 miles east of Oakley, damaging grain bins and outbuildings along a 1.5 mile path.
57. 5/31/2013:  Touched down on the northwest side of Decatur near Division St. and Summit Ave., moving northeast through Graceland Cemetery to just south of Decatur Memorial Hospital before dissipating.  A business lost its roof, and other minor roofing damage occurred.
58. 10/13/2014:  This tornado moved into southern Macon County from northwest Shelby County, and caused its greatest damage along the border of the two counties. Click here for more details.
59. 10/13/2014:  Brief touchdown along Illinois route 121 just south of US-36, near the Decatur Airport, causing some damage to sheds and power lines. Click here for more details.
60. 10/13/2014:  This tornado was tracked by storm spotters from near Friends Creek County park to near the intersection of Macon, De Witt and Piatt Counties. It remained in open fields and caused no damage.
61. 7/11/2015:  Brief touchdown about 0.3 miles south of Forsyth, snapping several trees near the tops, damaging a shed, blowing a garage door in, and causing minor roof damage at 2 homes.
62. 5/10/2017:  Brief touchdown near I-72 at mile marker 150, snapping several pine trees.  
63. 12/1/2018:  This was part of a historic late-season tornado outbreak in central Illinois. This tornado touched down 3.2 miles north-northwest of Blue Mound and was on the ground for over 4 miles. Click here for more details. 
64. 12/1/2018:  Touched down on the southwest edge of Harristown, causing minor roof damage as well as tree damage. 
65. 12/1/2018:  Touched down about 2.2 miles south of Maroa, damaging several buildings. Click here for more details.
66. 5/29/2019:  Landspout tornado touched down 2.1 miles east of Blue Mound, causing no damage.
67. 8/21/2019:  Brief touchdown near Rock Springs Conservation Area, damaging a few tree branches. 
68. 5/17/2020:  Touched down in an open field north-northeast of Magenta, causing some damage to trees. 
69. 6/25/2021:  Brief touchdown in an open field about 4 miles northeast of Argenta.
70. 1/3/2023:  Brief touchdown 3 miles southwest of Maroa, damaging a power pole and irrigation unit.
71. 1/3/2023:  Touched down near the intersection of US-51 and Washington St. Click here for more details. 
72. 1/3/2023:  Touched down on the northeast side of Decatur. Click here for more details.  
73. 1/3/2023:  Tracked northeast across the Richland Community College campus. Click here for more details. 
74. 5/13/2023:  Brief landspout tornado in an open field 1 mile north-northwest of Boody.