Adams County

Adams County, IL

Data available through 1/1/2013

Date

Time (CST)

F/EF-Scale

Length (Miles)

Maximum Width (Yards)

Killed

Injured

Property Damage

Source*

3/10/1876

n/a

F4

n/a

G

Tornado touched down in Monroe County and moved through Ralls and Marion Counties before moving into Adams County. Tornado crossed the Mississippi River at "McDonald's Island", about 5 miles N of Hannibal. A total of 14 people were killed and 40 people injured.

5/23/1878

6:30 PM

F3

25

100

n/a

G

What was probably a family of tornadoes moved NE from 7 miles S of Quincy, passing 1 miles S of "Mound Station," now called Timewell. Homes were "carried away". One person died, as did 50 head of livestock. A total of 6 people were injured. Tornado dissipated in Brown County.

4/24/1880

7:20 PM

F3

12

400

0

7

n/a

G

Tornado probably formed in Missouri. Damaged or destroyed 11 homes in Lima, Keene, and Houston townships. One person may have died.

6/25/1895

7:00 PM

F2

4

n/a

0

n/a

G

Moved from 1.5 miles south of Burton to 1 mile north of Adams (then called Newtown). Destroyed barns and killed hundreds of chickens.

3/30/1938

3:00 PM

F3

115

800

13

73

n/a

G

This tornado formed near Kellerville and moved ENE, ending to the NE of Peoria. No deaths, injuries or damage are known of in Adams county.

3/30/1938

4:00 PM

F2

4

70

0

n/a

G

Formed 3 miles south of Stilwell and moved NE into Hancock county, damaging or destroying five farms. The farm houses were partially unroofed. A board from one passed entirely through a home; in a west window and out an east window.

4/12/1945

8:15 PM

F2

30

n/a

0

19

$2,230,000

G

Complex of small tornadoes accompanied by intense and destructive downbursts traveled from near Palmyra, MO and traveled to Loraine, IL. The business district in Quincy was torn apart, and the dome was blown from the courthouse. Homes and a hotel were unroofed. Three homes were unroofed in Mendon and a barn was destroyed near Loraine.

4/23/1955

2:00 AM

F2

15

n/a

0

n/a

NCDC

5/26/1955

11:50 AM

F2

1.5

500

0

n/a

NCDC

6/23/1960

2:00 AM

F1

23

n/a

0

n/a

NCDC

Formed near Big Neck and moved into Brown County. Damage to farm buildings, trees, powerlines, and crops

5/14/1961

5:00 PM

F3

127

100

0

n/a

NCDC

Formed near Hannibal, MO and moved northeast to west of Peoria. Maximum intensity occurred in Knox County.

7/21/1961

2:15 PM

F1

147

n/a

0

n/a

NCDC

9/23/1970

2:47 PM

F1

15

n/a

0

n/a

NCDC

Storm moved NNE after ripping a roof from a factory complex at the NE edge of Quincy. Left intermittent track with damage reported to trees, roofs, and minor outbuildings. Garage destroyed and other outbuildings damaged on farm E of Mendon. Crop damage near Mendon indicated tornado pattern.

6/16/1973

7:30 PM

F1

n/a

0

n/a

NCDC

5/30/1974

11:30 AM

F2

16

200

0

12

n/a

NCDC

A tornado touched down at Ursa damaging a camping trailer, several cars, and a school bus. The tornado continued its eastward path and destroyed a house trailer injuring one man at the southern edge of Mendon. The tornado was then sighted at Camp Point.

9/23/1977

6:00 PM

F2

3

150

0

3

n/a

NCDC

Formed near Monroe City, MO and crossed the river. People were injured when a trailer was destroyed on the north side of Marblehead.

6/21/1981

9:00 PM

F0

n/a

0

n/a

NCDC

A tornado touched down in a field just south of Plainville, crossed IL Rte. 96, and passed through a farm. The twister moved near the farm house, but did not directly strike any buildings. Minor damage from wind and flying debris occurred to the house and other nearby structures, as well as to a camper truck. Several trees were also destroyed. Witnesses who saw the tornado from beginning to end said it was on the ground about 1.5 miles. Although short-lived, the tornadoes' appearance was spectacular as it moved across a farm field.

6/2/1987

1:40 PM

F1

1.5

40

0

n/a

NCDC

5/18/1991

2:30 PM

F0

0.7

33

0

NCDC

Tornado touchdown reported by the Quincy observer and the public.

6/17/1992

12:54 PM

F0

0.5

40

0

n/a

NCDC

The county sheriff reported a tornado in Quincy. Only a few trees were damaged along the short path.

7/2/1992

1:05 PM

F0

0.1

250

0

NCDC

The public reported a brief tornado southwest of Baldwin field.

7/2/1992

1:10 PM

F0

0.8

300

0

n/a

NCDC

A tornado was reported by the public at Highway 57 and South 24th Street. Damage was reported at 48th Street and Harrison in Quincy.

7/2/1992

1:38 PM

F0

0.2

350

0

NCDC

The weather observer at Baldwin Field reported a tornado touched down in an open field. No damage reported.

5/27/1996

7:40 PM

F0

1

50

0

NCDC

A pilot reported a small tornado touched down briefly in open country near Beverly.

4/5/1997

1:30 PM

F0

2

50

0

$10,000

NCDC

Eyewitnesses reported a small tornado which caused damage on a couple of farms near the Quincy Airport. Several farm buildings were damaged as were some grain silos. A garage was nearly destroyed damaging the truck inside. Three window wells on a home were pulled from the ground and found about 150 feet away.

4/30/1997

12:22 PM

F0

1

50

0

NCDC

4/30/1997

12:25 PM

F0

8

50

0

n/a

NCDC

A small tornado formed just west of La Grange, Missouri and moved northeast into Illinois. In La Grange, some trees and power lines were downed, homes suffered minor roof damage and some windows were broken. In Illinois, some outbuildings were destroyed near Marcelline.

4/30/1997

12:35 PM

F0

13

50

0

$5,000

NCDC

A small tornado formed near Ursa and moved northeast to near Lorraine. Damage was limited to a couple of outbuildings and some downed trees.

6/14/1998

3:50 PM

F1

3

75

0

1

n/a

NCDC

A damaging tornado struck the Quincy, first downing some trees about 400 pm to the SSW of town. The tornado weakened and moved northeast causing only minor tree damage. About 404 pm the tornado strengthened reaching F1 intensity about 1 mile south of Quincy near 24th St. and Payson Road. Two walls of the building housing the indoor pool of the Sheridan Swimming Club were blown away. The tornado had been spotted by lifeguards as it approached enabling all occupants to be moved to shelter areas. Only 1 minor injury occurred when a lifeguard was struck in the leg by flying glass. Numerous trees were downed in the area and a few storage sheds were destroyed. A nearby church suffered minor roof damage.

5/10/2003

5:08 PM

F2

30

300

0

10

$5,000,000

NCDC

A tornado that formed just north of the Marion-Lewis County line in Missouri crossed did major damage in Lewis County before crossing the Mississippi River near Lock and Dam 20 just southwest of Meyer. The tornado moved east northeast along the barren floodplain causing sporadic tree damage. The tornado began to strengthen though, and severely damaged a home and garage along County Road 603 about 1 mile southwest of Lima. The tornado reached its maximum strength just southwest of Lima where it caused major damage. The tornado cut a 200-300 yard wide path of damage across the north side of Lima. About 40-50 structures were damaged by the tornado. Several barns and similar type buildings were destroyed as were 2 mobile homes. One frame house lost its entire roof with several others suffering major roof damage. There were only 4 injuries as everyone took shelter in basements or interior rooms.

5/10/2003

6:20 PM

F1

18

150

0

n/a

NCDC

The supercell storm that spawned tornadoes in Monroe and Marion Counties of Missouri spawned a third tornado in east-central Adams County, Illinois. The tornado first formed approximately 2 miles north northeast of Liberty, Illinois and traveled northeast into northwest Brown County Illinois. A number of barns, machine sheds and large trees were damaged or destroyed in the path of the tornado over east central Adams county. The width of the damage area varied from 75 to as much as 150 yards and was rated F0 intensity during the early part of the path and F1 over the final 4 miles in far eastern Adams County. The storm then moved into Brown County, IL.

5/11/2005

5:35 PM

F0

0

50

0

n/a

NCDC

A weak tornado damaged the front porch and blew off roof shingles at a farm house southeast of Paloma.

9/19/2005

4:15 PM

F1

1

50

0

n/a

NCDC

A tornado first formed in a valley east of Liberty and moved south crossing County Road 2675. The tornado dissipated near the intersection of County Road 2675 and 800. One machine shed was destroyed and several trees were damaged.

10/2/2007

4:55 PM

EF0

n/a

0

n/a

NCDC

A tornado briefly touched down in a field just northeast of the intersection of CR 1000E and CR 200N. The corn field was totally flattened.A strong cold front moved through the region, triggering showers and thunderstorms. Several low-topped supercells produced 8 tornadoes and straight line wind damage from central and northeast Missouri to west central Illinois during the evening of October 2nd.

4/10/2008

4:55 PM

EF0

9

50

0

n/a

NCDC

A tornado touched down in a wooded area just south of the Mark Twain National Wildlife Refuge, west of Ursa. A few limbs and trees were blown down in this location. As it moved to the north northeast it skipped along the path damaging a few trees from time to time before finally lifting and dissipating near Lima. Several power lines were blown down on Highway 96 and a few homes sustained minor damage from the tornado in Lima.A storm system moved through the region during the day and into the evening hours of April 10th. Numerous reports of flash flooding, hail, wind damage and one tornado were reported with this system.

12/27/2008

10:30 AM

EF1

1

50

0

n/a

NCDC

A tornado touched down in an open field west of Illinois Route 104. It damaged several trees in this location. The tornado travelled to the east northeast. It damaged the roof of one home just east of Illinois Route 104. It then destroyed a large barn just south of County Road 1050N. The debris field extended for a mile to the north northeast of the barn.A strong cold front moved through the region...triggering showers and thunderstorms. Some of the thunderstorms became severe with large hail, damaging winds, tornadoes and flash flooding reported.

12/27/2008

10:33 AM

EF0

1

30

0

n/a

NCDC

A tornado touched down just west of County Road 2250th Street, north of N1025th Avenue. It damaged a machine shed and a mobile home in this location. It travelled to the northeast and caused some additional tree damage before lifting and dissipating.A strong cold front moved through the region...triggering showers and thunderstorms. Some of the thunderstorms became severe with large hail, damaging winds, tornadoes and flash flooding reported.

6/2/2009

3:25 PM

EF0

2

50

0

n/a

NCDC

A cold front moved through the region triggering numerous showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms produced severe weather including large hail and damaging winds. A tornado touched down about 2.5 miles south southeast of Clayton and travelled to the east. It only caused damage to trees and tree limbs in the area before crossing in Brown county.

*Sources:

G - Grazulis, T. P., 1993: Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. A Chronology and Analysis of Events. Environmental Films, Tornado Project, St. Johsnbury, VT.

NCDC - National Climatic Data Center U.S. Local Storms Events Data (www.ncdc.noaa.gov)