Monroe County

Monroe County, IL

Data available through 1/1/2013

Date

Time (CST)

F/EF-Scale

Length (Miles)

Maximum Width (Yards)

Killed

Injured

Property Damage

Source*

6/5/1805

1:00 PM

n/a

n/a

1000

n/a

n/a

n/a

G

This may have been a tri-state tornado or a family of tornadoes extending from Missouri, across Illinois, to Indiana.  The most well documented part of the path was near the Mississippi River.  The tornado crossed the river one mile below the mouth of the Merrimac River.  The massive funnel crossed the rich alluvial plain called the "American Bottom (which ran for 80 miles from Alton to Kaskaskia).  Fish from the river were "scattered all over the prairie" on the Illinois side.  Some pine tree tops were identified as having been carried at least 50 miles from eastern Missouri to American Bottom, for none of that species grew any closer than that distance.  Clothes from one destroyed home were carried 8 miles.  The start of the event was in unsettled territory in Missouri.  The eastern-most documented damaged was in Edwards County, IL, where settlers had moved W from the Wabash River.  In central Illinois, the 3/4 mile wide swath of downed trees was a major obstacle for early pioneers.  A straight line from the above points would place the path directly over Mt. Vernon.   

6/4/1877

4:45 PM

F3

4

50

n/a

1

n/a

G

A tornado destroyed 4 farms housed and unroofed 2 others from just above "Smiths Landing" to near Columbia.  The one injury may have been fatal.

11/17/1892

3:30 AM

F3

12

200

2

7

n/a

G

Formed 10 miles WSW of Red Bud and moved ENE, passing across the NW part of that town.  About 80 buildings were damaged or destroyed, including 43 homes.  A mother and child were killed.

3/15/1938

11:50 AM

F2

80

400

1

18

$0

G

Tornado formed and reached it's peak intensity before crossing the Mississippi River.  No damage was reported in Illinois.

3/15/1938

3:20 PM

F2

3

170

0

0

n/a

G

Formed 1 mile W of Red Bud.   Barns and farm implements were torn apart on three farms.  One was destroyed and another unroofed.

3/19/1948

6:45 AM

F2

25

100

0

0

$30,000

G

Formed near Fults and had a intermittent path to the NE into St. Clair County.  A brewery and a large department were unroofed in Athens.  Three farms lost barns and outbuildings.

4/18/1957

2:00 PM

F0

n/a

n/a

0

0

n/a

NCDC

5/21/1957

3:50 PM

F2

20

150

0

0

n/a

NCDC

5/10/1959

12:10 AM

F1

4

50

0

0

>$5,000

NCDC

Tornado moved NE from a point 1 mile NE of Columbia.  Damage to at least 4 farmsteads in rolling or hilly terrain.  The path was intermittent and favored high spots.

3/29/1960

9:40 PM

F2

22

100

0

0

n/a

NCDC

Tornado formed S of Red Bud in Randolph County and moved NNE through the far eastern part of Monroe County into St. Clair County.

3/8/1964

6:05 PM

F1

4

20

0

0

>$500

NCDC

First and worst damage at a farm 2.5 miles SW of Columbia.  Tornado was probably not in continuous contact with the ground although path could be followed by tree and outbuilding damage on a line ENE for 3.5 miles.  House damage was to roofs or from flying debris.  Funnel sighted 3 miles SW of the first damage and debris pattern gave ample evidence of a tornado.

5/26/1965

3:00 PM

F1

0.5

n/a

0

0

>$5,000

NCDC

Small tornado moved NE.  "Sucked" water and sand from the Mississippi and deposited it in fields.  Most damage to roofs and small buildings, but distinct circular pattern to debris.

9/4/1965

7:24 PM

F1

1.5

100

0

0

>$500

NCDC

Tornado moved through generally open country but was probably not in continuous contact with the ground.  Major damage to one farmstead 2 miles W of Fults. 

4/3/1968

6:05 PM

F2

20

50

0

0

n/a

NCDC

Tornado first touched down in Monroe County and moved NE into St. Clair County.  Most of the damage (>$50,000) was in St. Clair County.

5/7/1973

6:15 PM

F1

2

300

0

0

n/a

NCDC

Tornado reported near Hecker.

4/18/1975

5:10 PM

F3

2

30

0

1

>$50,000

NCDC

A tornado cut a narrow path between Red Bud (Randolph County) and Hecker, damaging residences and outbuildings on 12 farms.  The tornado first touched down near Parrot's Corner, just S of Oak Grove on Route 3, and continued NE to LL Road and Beck Road, SE of Hecker, before lifting.  A woman was treated for cuts from flying glass after the tornado destroyed her home.  One cow and several hogs were killed.

4/3/1984

5:45 PM

F0

0.1

n/a

0

0

>$50,000

NCDC

A tornado touched down, damaging several buildings and ripping a roof off a church in Waterloo.

4/15/1994

4:15 AM

F0

3

40

0

0

$500,000

NCDC

A small tornado touched down in the northwest corner of Waterloo damaging a four-story brick grain elevator. Damage was generally confined to the building's roof (along the eastern side). As the tornado moved ENE through a residential area, damage was limited to large trees. A large cluster of trees were snapped off near the town high school in a rotational pattern. A house lost part of its roof northeast of Waterloo just before the tornado dissipated.

5/18/1995

11:37 AM

F1

1

85

0

0

$88,050

NCDC

A tornado briefly touched down on the western side of town and lifted the roof off a business. In one area where several homes were damaged, a recreational vehicle was picked up and set down in the middle of a destroyed house. Trees and large branches were also downed and large hail was also reported by local law enforcement.

5/18/1995

11:40 AM

F2

4

300

0

0

$75,000

NCDC

A tornado initially touched down at the intersection of Mayestown and Koch Roads then heavily damaged the second story of a brick home. Several farm buildings were flattened as well. The tornado tracked northeast and crossed the intersection of County Road KK and Rock Road. Four farm buildings and two homes sustained varying degrees of damage including broken windows and sections of roofs torn off. Before the tornado lifted, it damaged several large trees. 

5/18/1995

11:42 AM

F1

5

100

0

0

$23,000

NCDC

A tornado touched down near the intersection of Fischer and Rock Roads and moved northeast. Two homes sustained minor roof damage, a number of farm buildings were knocked down, and two grain bins were toppled.

5/18/1995

11:44 AM

F1

6

200

0

0

$50,000

NCDC

A tornado touched down southwest of Burksville knocking down several trees and power lines. It moved northeast and through the town of Burksville shearing off trees and damaging about 20 homes and businesses. Northeast of town, two farms also sustained damage, including home roofs, barns, and grain bins. The tornado crossed Highway 3 and lifted a few minutes later knocking down trees and power poles.

5/18/1995

11:46 AM

F2

4

170

0

0

$110,000

NCDC

A tornado touched down SE of Burksville in open country then traveled through a residential area as it moved NE . Five homes sustained minor roof damage, although several garages and large utility buildings suffered severe damage where the roof was completely removed or sides of the buildings were knocked out. A farm implement store and storage building were also heavily damaged, with insulation from the store carried 300 yards northeast. Several high tension electrical lines were snapped after the tornado crossed Highway 3.

5/18/1995

11:48 AM

F1

5

150

0

0

$100,000

NCDC

A tornado touched down along Sportman Road just south of Highway 3 knocking down nearby trees. As the tornado moved northeast, a home and barn were damaged less than a mile northeast of Highway 3. The roof of the home had structural roof damage and debris from the barn was blown 200 to 300 yards to the northeast. The tornado then damaged three homes north of County Road KK and knocked down trees. One farm had a house and barn heavily damaged just south of Highway 156 before the tornado lifted.

4/19/1996

4:45 PM

F0

1

5

0

0

$2,000

NCDC

A small tornado touched down northeast of Valmeyer. Damage was limited to downed trees.

4/15/1998

4:47 PM

F0

0

50

0

0

$0

NCDC

Severe storm spotters reported a brief tornado in open country south of Waterloo.

4/15/1998

6:05 PM

F0

6

25

0

0

$10,000

NCDC

A small tornado initially touched down southeast of Waterloo and then moved NE leaving an intermittent damage path, which primarily consisted of downed trees. A parked ambulance was overturned at the intersection of Highways 159 and 156 near Hecker. The tornado moved along the Kaskaskia River downing trees finally dissipating near Fayettville.

5/6/2003

7:10pm

F1

4

60

0

0

N/A

NCDC

A tornado formed near the intersection of Carr and Faust roads in rural eastern Monroe County and caused damage along a 4 mile path northeast to Ames Road. Numerous trees were uprooted or snapped off near the ground, several grain silos were destroyed, a barn lost half of its roof, and a home suffered minor roof damage. 

6/10/2003

5:10 PM

F0

2

50

0

0

$0

NCDC

An aerial survey conducted by members of the BAMEX (Bow Echo and Mesoscale Convective Vortex Experiment) revealed a small tornado track northeast of Waterloo. The damage occurred in a rural area and was limited to downed trees. The tornado crossed into St. Clair County west of Paderborn. 

6/10/2003

5:11 PM

F0

1

50

0

0

$0

NCDC

An aerial survey conducted by members of the BAMEX (Bow Echo and Convective Mesoscale Convective Vortex Experiment) project revealed a small tornado occurred in a rural area near Renault. Damage was limited to a path of downed trees. 

3/11/2006

9:46 PM

F1

2

100

0

0

n/a

NCDC

The third tornado from the Jefferson County, MO supercell thunderstorm formed about 2 miles southwest of Fults. It destroyed a large grain bin as it moved east northeast. As it moved into the town of Fults, it caused minor roof damage and siding damage to 2 homes and minor roof damage to the Post Office. Two small sheds in the area were also destroyed. Several pine trees were snapped off at the tornado left Fults and dissipated. The maximum damage path was 100 yards wide with a F1 rating.

3/11/2006

9:47 PM

F2

2

100

0

0

n/a

NCDC

The second Jefferson County, MO tornado crossed the Mississippi River into Monroe County Illinois and moved north northeast for about 2 miles. Several trees were and outbuildings were damaged just to the southwest and northwest of Fults. The maximum width was 100 yards with a F2 rating. 

4/30/2010

7:50 PM

EF2

7

350

0

0

n/a

NCDC

.A tornado touched down about a mile and a quarter south southeast of Kimmswick on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River. It travelled to the northeast for about 7 miles before lifting and dissipating. Several large trees were blown down just west the levee in a two and a half mile area along the path. The greatest degree of damage occurred on County Road 200E just south of the intersection with Merrimac Road. The roof of a two story home was approximately 80 percent removed. A second roof to a porch was totally removed and blown to the north northeast. Window and siding damage was also observed. Several trees and large limbs at the back of this home were severely damaged and helped to show a large convergent damage pattern. Two other homes west of the first home sustained varying degrees of damage. Roof, window and siding damage was common on these two homes. A large hanger at Jacobs Field, northeast of the home damage, sustained varying degrees of damage. Large sections of the hanger's metal roof were blown a quarter to half a mile to the north northeast. The tornado continued to damage small to medium sized machine sheds and caused minor damage to a few homes along the rest of its path. No injuries were reported.

4/30/2010

7:57 PM

EF0

n/a

n/a

0

0

n/a

NCDC

A tornado briefly touched down on Deer Hill Road, about 1.5 miles southwest of the intersection of Deer Hill Road and County Road HH. A few large trees and several large tree limbs were blown down. One home in the path of this tornado sustained shingle damage.

4/22/2011

7:50 PM

EF2

3.5

90

0

1

n/a

NCDC

A strong cold front moved through region. With plenty of moisture, instability and decent low level shear, severe storms developed along the Interstate 70 corridor in Missouri and Illinois. Numerous reports of large hail and 5 tornadoes occurred with this event.   A tornado touched down on the north side of Waterloo, Illinois near the intersection of Leah Drive and James Street. Several homes and businesses sustained varying degrees of damage; from displaced roofing materials to businesses with structural damage. Two large air conditioners were tossed 30 yards from the roof of a business. Several large trees were snapped near the base of the trunk. Four power poles were snapped south of the intersection of North Market Street and Kolmer Avenue. One large garage was also destroyed behind a church with debris tossed southeastward 30 to 40 yards. The tornado skipped eastward and crossed Floraville Road on the north side of Ridge Club Golf Course then traveled down the first fairway. A number of cedar and pine trees were snapped. The tornado then crossed Ridge Road where several homes sustained minor roof damage, with 30 to 40 percent of the shingles removed. The tornado then traveled across the northern part of Konarcik Park. Numerous old growth pine trees were snapped at the base of the trunk. Trees three feet in diameter were common in this area. The tornado caused damage to the siding of one home near the intersection of Konarcik and Kopp Roads before lifting. There was one minor injury at Canterbury Manor Nursing Center due to flying glass when a window broke. The maximum intensity was low end EF2, with a maximum estimated wind speed of 115 mph. The maximum width of the tornado was 80 to 90 yards with a total path length of 3.5 miles.

*Sources

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

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