62938 Zip Code Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
Hot Rankings
The chance of earthquake damage in 62938 Zip Code is higher than Illinois average and is lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in 62938 Zip Code is lower than Illinois average and is much higher than the national average.
Earthquake Index, #116
| 62938 Zip Code | 0.93 |
| Illinois | 0.24 |
| U.S. | 1.81 |
The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.
Volcano Index, #1
| 62938 Zip Code | 0.0000 |
| Illinois | 0.0000 |
| U.S. | 0.0023 |
The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.
Tornado Index, #944
| 62938 Zip Code | 207.82 |
| Illinois | 220.15 |
| U.S. | 136.45 |
The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.
Other Weather Extremes Events
A total of 3,500 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of 62938 Zip Code were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:
| Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count |
| Avalanche: | 0 | Blizzard: | 2 | Cold: | 15 | Dense Fog: | 15 | Drought: | 13 |
| Dust Storm: | 0 | Flood: | 611 | Hail: | 833 | Heat: | 57 | Heavy Snow: | 47 |
| High Surf: | 0 | Hurricane: | 0 | Ice Storm: | 17 | Landslide: | 1 | Strong Wind: | 35 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 1,507 | Tropical Storm: | 0 | Wildfire: | 3 | Winter Storm: | 56 | Winter Weather: | 27 |
| Other: | 261 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
No volcano is found in or near 62938 Zip Code.
Historical Earthquake Events
A total of 7 historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near 62938 Zip Code.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Depth (km) | Latitude | Longitude |
| 26.4 | 1968-11-09 | 5.3 | N/A | 37 | -88.5 |
| 42.8 | 1968-11-09 | 5.3 | N/A | 38 | -88.5 |
| 41.2 | 1965-08-14 | 5 | N/A | 37.1 | -89.2 |
| 39.7 | 1972-06-19 | 4.5 | 13 | 37 | -89.08 |
| 22.3 | 1984-06-29 | 4.1 | 2 | 37.7 | -88.47 |
| 27.9 | 1984-02-14 | 3.8 | 2 | 37.21 | -89 |
| 30.0 | 1963-08-03 | 3.6 | 18 | 37 | -88.8 |
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 90 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near 62938 Zip Code.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County |
| 3.0 | 2002-04-28 | 3 | 37°21'N / 88°43'W | 37°23'N / 88°28'W | 12.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 1 | 400K | 0 | Pope |
| Brief Description: The tornado touched down near Dixon Springs and tracked east, parallel and very close to Illinois Route 146. The path was through rural farm country and the Shawnee National Forest. A couple of farm buildings were damaged near the beginning of the track. Where the tornado crossed Route 146, a mobile home was destroyed, injuring one person. On the north side of Golconda, one brick home was destroyed and a couple of nearby homes were damaged. The tornado then crossed the Ohio River into Kentucky. | |||||||||||
| 3.7 | 2003-05-06 | 3 | 37°18'N / 88°41'W | 37°23'N / 88°29'W | 13.00 Miles | 600 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Pope |
| Brief Description: The tornado entered Pope County near where Illinois Route 145 crosses the Massac County line. The tornado passed near the communities of Temple Hill, Homberg, and Brownfield. In Pope County, three mobile homes and four permanent homes were destroyed, along with numerous barns and outbuildings. An additional nine single-family homes and two mobile homes received major damage. Dozens of other residences received minor to moderate damage. Some vehicles were rolled or moved. The tornado passed just west and northwest of Golconda before ending about a mile north of town. Just west of Golconda, the roof was blown off the county elementary school's gymnasium. Despite the seven destroyed residences, not one injury was reported. The maximum intensity of the tornado was rated F-3 in Pope County, and F-4 in Massac and Pulaski Counties. The slightly lower intensity of the tornado, combined with the fact it narrowly missed the center of several Pope County communities, may partly explain the lack of injuries. When the tornado ended just north of Golconda, it had been on the ground for 33 miles and an hour and ten minutes. Where the track of the tornado ended near Golconda, the Ohio River and Kentucky state line were less than a mile away. The deadliest and most destructive storm of the night tracked within 10 miles of the Ohio River across extreme southern Illinois. The storm produced a 33-mile long tornado that killed two and injured about 33. A small but very damaging downburst occurred several miles south of the tornado track. A swath of large hail occurred north of the tornado track. Hailstones up to 2 inches in diameter were reported at and near the intersection of Highways 145 and 147, near the community of Glendale in Pope County. | |||||||||||
| 5.0 | 1999-01-22 | 2 | 37°19'N / 88°31'W | 37°19'N / 88°29'W | 1.50 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 800K | 0 | Pope |
| Brief Description: A tornado with top winds estimated near 125 MPH struck a development of cabins and small summer homes in the Shawnee National Forest, at a place called Ropers Landing. The tornado damaged or destroyed about 30 of these structures and caused extensive tree damage. About six cabins were completely demolished. The homes were unhabited in the middle of winter. Ropers Landing is located at the base of a bluff along the Ohio River. The tornado lifted as it crossed the Ohio River. | |||||||||||
| 8.6 | 2002-04-28 | 2 | 37°23'N / 88°28'W | 37°21'N / 88°18'W | 10.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 40K | 0 | Livingston |
| Brief Description: This tornado crossed the Ohio River just upriver from Golconda, Illinois. It tracked eastward across northern Livingston County, over rural wooded and farm country. Many thousands of trees were blown down. Few structures were in the path of the tornado. A mobile home was destroyed, and at least a couple of farm buildings were damaged. | |||||||||||
| 11.6 | 1972-04-21 | 3 | 37°33'N / 88°32'W | 0.30 Mile | 60 Yards | 3 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Pope | |
| 12.6 | 2004-10-18 | 2 | 37°33'N / 88°43'W | 37°32'N / 88°35'W | 6.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 150K | 0 | Pope |
| Brief Description: This tornado entered Pope County from Johnson County in a remote area of the Shawnee National Forest. Most of the track was through heavily forested areas, causing extensive tree destruction. The tornado reached its peak intensity about a mile northeast of Bell Smith Springs, a scenic river gorge about 4 miles northwest of Eddyville. Peak winds were estimated near 120 MPH. Near the end of the damage path, just as the tornado was reaching Illinois Route 145, a mobile home was damaged. A supercell thunderstorm organized over southern Jackson County, then spawned a tornado as it moved east along the Union/Williamson County line. This supercell continued east-southeast across northern Johnson and northern Pope Counties, producing two significant tornadoes and large hail. Although the storm exhibited strong rotation as it continued east through Hardin County and across the Ohio River into Kentucky, no additional tornadoes were reported there. | |||||||||||
| 13.8 | 1972-04-21 | 2 | 37°15'N / 88°26'W | 37°16'N / 88°15'W | 10.10 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Livingston |
| 15.1 | 1990-10-03 | 2 | 37°35'N / 88°26'W | 1.00 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Pope | |
| 16.5 | 2003-05-06 | 2 | 37°14'N / 88°50'W | 37°15'N / 88°44'W | 4.00 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 80K | 0 | Massac |
| Brief Description: The roofs of several houses were severely damaged or blown off. One business was destroyed. Several barns and outbuildings were destroyed. Numerous large trees were blown down, along with seven power poles. Peak winds were estimated near 125 MPH. The damage path began due north of Metropolis and crossed Illinois Route 145 about 7 miles north-northeast of Metropolis. Route 145 and several smaller roads were closed due to large trees blown across them. This damage was located in nearly the exact location where damaging thunderstorm winds occurred about 48 hours earlier, on the evening of May 4. The deadliest and most destructive storm of the night tracked within 10 miles of the Ohio River across extreme southern Illinois. The storm produced a 33-mile long tornado that killed two and injured about 33. A small but very damaging downburst occurred several miles south of the tornado track. A swath of large hail occurred north of the tornado track. Hailstones up to 2 inches in diameter were reported at and near the intersection of Highways 145 and 147, near the community of Glendale in Pope County. | |||||||||||
| 16.6 | 2002-04-28 | 2 | 37°22'N / 88°54'W | 37°22'N / 88°47'W | 7.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 2 | 100K | 0 | Johnson |
| Brief Description: This tornado was produced by the same supercell thunderstorm that spawned a long-track tornado over southern Union and southwest Johnson Counties. This tornado touched down along U.S. Highway 45, about 3 miles south of Vienna. The tornado moved east across Interstate 24, and then dissipated about 1.5 miles east of the interstate near Ganntown. Two persons were injured when their mobile home was demolished. Two other mobile homes were extensively damaged. Numerous trees were down. | |||||||||||
| 16.9 | 2003-05-06 | 4 | 37°14'N / 88°56'W | 37°19'N / 88°42'W | 14.00 Miles | 1000 Yards | 1 | 20 | 10.0M | 0 | Massac |
| Brief Description: The tornado was near its maximum F-4 intensity as it crossed the Pulaski County line into western Massac County near the community of Hillerman. Estimated winds of 210 MPH disintegrated mobile homes and levelled several modern frame homes. One frame house was swept clean off its foundation, with only the roof left intact in a creek about 200 yards away. Many vehicles were lifted, rolled, or thrown up to 100 yards or more. Numerous cases of missiling were observed, including glass embedded in trees. Tree destruction in forested areas was nearly complete, and a few trees were debarked. The only fatality in Massac County was a 65-year-old female who was killed when her mobile home disintegrated. The official cause of death was blunt trauma to the head. She was found in a water-filled ravine about 100 yards from the former site of her mobile home. The frame of the mobile home was wrapped around the trunks of two trees that were stripped of all their limbs. Most of the levelled frame homes were concentrated on Boaz Road and Rolling Hills Road, in or near Hillerman. After passing through Hillerman, the tornado overturned dozens of railroad cars of a train just west of the Mermet Lake Conservation Area, which is off U.S. Route 45. The Mermet Lake Conservation Area was extensively damaged. An estimated 300 acres of forest were destroyed, boat docks were destroyed, and bathing facilities were destroyed. Dozens of waterfowl were found dead. After destroying additional residences and high tension power lines, the tornado crossed Interstate 24 near mile marker 28, about a mile south of the New Columbia exit. Tractor-trailer rigs and a tour bus were overturned on the interstate, injuring the drivers. The interstate was closed due to grain bins, tree limbs, and some building debris on the highway. Additional residences were destroyed between the interstate and the Pope County line. The tornado crossed into Pope County near where Illinois Route 145 crosses the county line. In Massac County, a total of 15 single-family houses and 13 mobile homes were destroyed. About 20 other single-family houses and 15 mobile homes received major damage. Several dozen other residences had some type of minor damage. Numerous vehicles and farming implements were destroyed, including combines. About 20 persons were injured in Massac County, but only one or two were hospitalized in serious or critical condition. Most of the injuries involved lacerations, bruises, broken bones, and internal injuries. Near Hillerman, a deputy sheriff escaped unhurt after his patrol car was thrown about 50 yards and struck by a flying tree and telephone pole. F65MH The deadliest and most destructive storm of the night tracked within 10 miles of the Ohio River across extreme southern Illinois. The storm produced a 33-mile long tornado that killed two and injured about 33. A small but very damaging downburst occurred several miles south of the tornado track. A swath of large hail occurred north of the tornado track. Hailstones up to 2 inches in diameter were reported at and near the intersection of Highways 145 and 147, near the community of Glendale in Pope County. | |||||||||||
| 18.3 | 2006-09-22 | 3 | 37°12'N / 88°48'W | 37°14'N / 88°48'W | 3.50 Miles | 125 Yards | 0 | 2 | 500K | 0 | Massac |
| Brief Description: This tornado, which contained peak winds near 160 MPH, struck between Joppa and the Metropolis airport. The damage path started about a mile from the Ohio River, where F-1 winds uprooted numerous trees. As the tornado crossed U.S. Highway 45 near Joppa Road, a barn was destroyed. The tornado then strengthened to F-3 intensity, destroying a log home. The roof and an exterior wall of the well-constructed log home were blown about one-half mile. Another house nearby sustained major damage. Four mobile homes were destroyed, along with garages and outbuildings. Part of a double wide mobile home blew into a church sanctuary. Six vehicles were tossed up to 100 yards. At least one of the vehicles landed in a pond. The only two persons injured were residents of a destroyed mobile home. The worst of the injuries was a broken arm. Hundreds of trees were broken or uprooted, and numerous trees fell on cars. Numerous power poles were downed. A seriously injured dog was found in a ditch one quarter mile away. The most intense damage, where vehicles were tossed, occurred about two-thirds of the way along the damage path near Red Oak Road. The tornado was witnessed by the general public. The average path width was 100 yards. | |||||||||||
| 21.5 | 1957-12-18 | 2 | 37°18'N / 88°55'W | 0.10 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Johnson | |
| 21.7 | 1972-04-14 | 2 | 37°33'N / 88°58'W | 37°34'N / 88°46'W | 10.90 Miles | 30 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Johnson |
| 22.0 | 1957-12-19 | 2 | 37°42'N / 88°32'W | 0.50 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Saline | |
| 24.6 | 1973-04-19 | 2 | 37°02'N / 88°37'W | 37°01'N / 88°27'W | 9.10 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Mccracken |
| 25.6 | 2003-05-06 | 4 | 37°16'N / 89°02'W | 37°16'N / 88°56'W | 6.00 Miles | 1000 Yards | 1 | 13 | 3.5M | 0 | Pulaski |
| Brief Description: This violent tornado began near Grand Chain and reached its maximum intensity of 210 MPH as it neared the Massac County line. A 53-year-old man was killed when the chimney of his house collapsed on him. The man, who was in his basement, was protecting his son by lying on top of him when the collapse occurred. The son received broken bones. Their house was impaled by some nearby large trees that prevented it from being swept farther away. Along the Pulaski County portion of the tornado path, six single family homes and ten mobile homes were destroyed. Another ten single family homes and a mobile home had major damage. A few dozen other residences received some type of minor damage. A few dozen outbuildings, two businesses, and a campground were destroyed or had major damage. Approximately 13 persons were injured, but only a few of those required hospitalization. All roads in the damage area were impassable due to large numbers of trees and building debris on them. Many of the tornado victims in this county had no insurance on their residences. The area of most intense destruction was along Tick Ridge Road, a state road that follows a ridge above the Ohio River. M53PH The deadliest and most destructive storm of the night tracked within 10 miles of the Ohio River across extreme southern Illinois. The storm produced a 33-mile long tornado that killed two and injured about 33. A small but very damaging downburst occurred several miles south of the tornado track. A swath of large hail occurred north of the tornado track. Hailstones up to 2 inches in diameter were reported at and near the intersection of Highways 145 and 147, near the community of Glendale in Pope County. | |||||||||||
| 25.7 | 2004-10-18 | 2 | 37°36'N / 88°58'W | 37°34'N / 88°54'W | 4.30 Miles | 250 Yards | 0 | 2 | 500K | 0 | Johnson |
| Brief Description: The tornado turned east-southeast from Williamson County back into Johnson County. The bulk of the damage and injuries occurred in a neighborhood on the southern half of the Lake of Egypt. The two injured persons were mobile home residents whose homes were demolished. One of the mobile homes was swept clean off its foundation. The demolished home was deposited 50 to 100 yards away. The 32-year-old male occupant of the mobile home, who was ejected from the home, received numerous bruises and cuts. A female resident of another mobile home was injured. In total, three mobile homes were destroyed, and dozens of mobile homes, barns, and sheds were damaged. Rescue efforts were hampered by a large amount of tree debris on roads. Peak winds in the Lake of Egypt neighborhood were estimated near 120 MPH. The tornado lifted as it reached the southeast side of the Lake of Egypt. The parent thunderstorm produced another tornado in northern Johnson County only a few miles beyond where this tornado lifted. A supercell thunderstorm organized over southern Jackson County, then spawned a tornado as it moved east along the Union/Williamson County line. This supercell continued east-southeast across northern Johnson and northern Pope Counties, producing two significant tornadoes and large hail. Although the storm exhibited strong rotation as it continued east through Hardin County and across the Ohio River into Kentucky, no additional tornadoes were reported there. | |||||||||||
| 26.2 | 2002-04-28 | 2 | 37°22'N / 89°03'W | 37°22'N / 88°59'W | 3.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 2 | 3.0M | 0 | Johnson |
| Brief Description: The tornado entered Johnson County near Cypress and was on the ground for only a few miles in Johnson County. Cypress was impacted directly, where about 50 structures were damaged, including a school. The school lost portions of upper story walls and the roof. Two trailers were destroyed. | |||||||||||
| 26.4 | 1970-04-24 | 3 | 37°03'N / 88°18'W | 37°05'N / 88°14'W | 4.30 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 5 | 0K | 0 | Livingston |
| 26.4 | 1963-03-16 | 3 | 37°44'N / 88°21'W | 0.30 Mile | 30 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Gallatin | |
| 26.5 | 1970-04-24 | 3 | 37°02'N / 88°20'W | 37°03'N / 88°18'W | 1.90 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Marshall |
| 27.4 | 1971-12-15 | 2 | 36°59'N / 88°42'W | 37°01'N / 88°39'W | 3.60 Miles | 10 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Mccracken |
| 27.6 | 1951-11-13 | 3 | 37°01'N / 88°20'W | 2.00 Miles | 33 Yards | 1 | 11 | 250K | 0 | Marshall | |
| 27.8 | 1972-04-14 | 2 | 37°31'N / 89°03'W | 37°33'N / 88°58'W | 4.90 Miles | 30 Yards | 0 | 5 | 25K | 0 | Johnson |
| 27.8 | 1974-06-22 | 2 | 37°33'N / 89°00'W | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Johnson | |||
| 28.1 | 1966-06-06 | 2 | 36°58'N / 88°37'W | 36°59'N / 88°29'W | 7.40 Miles | 67 Yards | 0 | 2 | 25K | 0 | Mccracken |
| 28.2 | 1966-06-06 | 2 | 36°59'N / 88°29'W | 37°00'N / 88°17'W | 11.10 Miles | 167 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Madison |
| 28.5 | 1970-04-24 | 3 | 37°05'N / 88°14'W | 37°10'N / 88°02'W | 12.40 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 5 | 0K | 0 | Lyon |
| 29.2 | 2003-05-04 | 2 | 37°24'N / 88°01'W | 37°24'N / 88°00'W | 0.20 Mile | 25 Yards | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Crittenden |
| Brief Description: A mobile home was destroyed, and there was significant damage to a permanent home. The occupant of the mobile home received minor injuries. A barn was destroyed, and numerous trees and power lines were down. Peak winds were estimated near 120 MPH. A severe thunderstorm produced a series of tornadoes across Livingston, Crittenden, and Webster Counties. Both tornadoes in Livingston County originated on the Illinois side of the Ohio River. The strongest tornadoes occurred from Mattoon to Clay, where F2 damage was observed in spots. | |||||||||||
| 29.5 | 1995-05-13 | 2 | 37°11'N / 88°08'W | 37°12'N / 87°59'W | 3.00 Miles | 75 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 50K | Crittenden |
| 29.6 | 1961-03-06 | 2 | 37°48'N / 88°32'W | 37°49'N / 88°27'W | 4.70 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 2 | 250K | 0 | Saline |
| 29.6 | 1967-12-11 | 2 | 37°20'N / 88°05'W | 37°27'N / 87°55'W | 12.10 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Crittenden |
| 29.8 | 1979-04-11 | 2 | 37°09'N / 88°11'W | 37°23'N / 87°51'W | 24.40 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Crittenden |
| 29.9 | 2005-11-06 | 3 | 37°25'N / 88°03'W | 37°28'N / 87°57'W | 6.20 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 5 | 300K | 0 | Crittenden |
| Brief Description: The tornado touched down one quarter mile west of Highway 654 and moved rapidly east-northeast. A mobile home on Highway 654 was overturned and destroyed, injuring a 12-year-old boy. A house roof was blown off. Where the tornado crossed Highway 365, a two-story home was completely demolished. The home exterior was mainly vinyl with some brick. Three persons in the house were injured. Two of the injured were treated and released, but a third person was critically injured and transferred to an Evansville hospital. The tornado was estimated to be at its strongest near Highway 365, with peak winds of 160 MPH. A small boat was carried about 400 yards, and several vehicles were moved. After crossing Highway 365, the path was roughly parallel to and less than a mile north of U.S. Highway 60. The tornado crossed Highway 60 and exited into Webster County about a mile northeast of Arflack Hill. Where the tornado crossed U.S. Highway 60, a truck trailer was overturned, and a house roof was damaged. Along the entire length of the path, numerous large trees were snapped or uprooted. The Crittenden/Webster County tornado was one of a pair of strong supercell tornadoes that occurred simultaneously. This tornado, which was the more southern tornado, was shorter-lived and somewhat weaker than its northern counterpart. The northern tornado caused considerably more destruction and loss of life in the Henderson, KY and Evansville, IN areas. | |||||||||||
| 30.1 | 1975-01-10 | 2 | 37°49'N / 88°32'W | 2.00 Miles | 587 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Saline | |
| 31.2 | 2002-04-28 | 2 | 37°50'N / 88°38'W | 37°50'N / 88°30'W | 7.50 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 3 | 3.5M | 0 | Saline |
| Brief Description: The tornado struck Galatia directly, damaging about 55 structures and destroying several. Peak winds were estimated between 120 and 130 MPH. The roof of a car wash was blown off, and then the walls collapsed on a police cruiser that was sheltered there. A coal mine sustained a quarter million dollars in damage. Two persons were injured in an overturned trailer. Two brick homes lost their roofs and some walls. | |||||||||||
| 32.3 | 1971-12-15 | 2 | 36°53'N / 88°33'W | 36°57'N / 88°23'W | 10.30 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Graves |
| 32.5 | 1991-11-19 | 3 | 37°44'N / 88°56'W | 1.50 Miles | 70 Yards | 0 | 16 | 25.0M | 0 | Williamson | |
| 32.6 | 2000-01-03 | 3 | 37°16'N / 88°05'W | 37°23'N / 87°49'W | 15.00 Miles | 440 Yards | 0 | 3 | 5.0M | 0 | Crittenden |
| Brief Description: Although the tornado tracked about 15 miles through the county with estimated top winds of 160 MPH, damage was relatively light due to the rural nature of the land. Based on aerial surveys, structures that were heavily damaged or destroyed included 85 homes, 5 to 10 businesses, and 50 to 80 barns and outbuildings. Three people in the Crayne area were transported to a hospital for non life-threatening injuries. About 35 National Guard personnel were deployed to Crittenden County, primarily for damage assessment and security operations. An emergency shelter was opened to accomodate roughly 25 homeless persons. | |||||||||||
| 32.6 | 1958-06-12 | 3 | 37°05'N / 89°00'W | 0 | 3 | 25K | 0 | Ballard | |||
| 33.9 | 1970-04-24 | 3 | 37°10'N / 88°02'W | 37°12'N / 87°55'W | 6.80 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 3 | 0K | 0 | Caldwell |
| 34.2 | 1973-06-02 | 2 | 37°46'N / 88°56'W | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Williamson | |||
| 35.2 | 2005-11-06 | 2 | 37°28'N / 87°57'W | 37°29'N / 87°52'W | 5.00 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 75K | 0 | Webster |
| Brief Description: The tornado crossed into Webster County from Crittenden County and moved rapidly east-northeast. The track ended on the north side of the community of Wheatcroft. Most of the damage occurred along and near Highway 109 around Wheatcroft, the only community directly affected by the tornado. West of Wheatcroft, there was slight structural damage, and trees were snapped. A large shed door was blown off, and pillar columns on a house were bent. On the north side of Wheatcroft, a tool shed was destroyed and two campers were overturned. A pickup truck without an engine was rolled about 200 feet. The hood of the truck went through a window. Smaller trees and a house antenna were blown down. The Crittenden/Webster County tornado was one of a pair of strong supercell tornadoes that occurred simultaneously. This tornado, which was the more southern tornado, was shorter-lived and somewhat weaker than its northern counterpart. The northern tornado caused considerably more destruction and loss of life in the Henderson, KY and Evansville, IN areas. | |||||||||||
| 35.3 | 1972-04-14 | 2 | 37°32'N / 89°16'W | 37°31'N / 89°03'W | 11.80 Miles | 30 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Union |
| 35.3 | 2002-04-28 | 3 | 37°22'N / 89°20'W | 37°22'N / 89°02'W | 16.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 1 | 8 | 5.0M | 0 | Union |
| Brief Description: The tornado first touched down in very hilly terrain in the Shawnee National Forest and then tracked east, crossing Route 127 just north of Mill Creek. The tornado then directly struck the community of Dongola, where most of the damage and casualties occurred. A 69-year-old woman was killed as she was attempting to flee her mobile home. The woman had just gotten into her car, started the engine, and turned the lights on when the tornado struck. She was blown away from the car and found dead under a structure across the road from where the vehicle was parked and still running. Elsewhere in the Dongola area, a train was blown off the tracks. Several wood houses were demolished, and seven double-wide trailers were destroyed. Approximately 75 homes were damaged. A recreational vehicle was tossed across Lake Dongola and impaled into the ground. F69VE | |||||||||||
| 35.6 | 1982-05-29 | 4 | 37°48'N / 89°08'W | 37°43'N / 88°50'W | 17.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 10 | 181 | 250.0M | 0 | Williamson |
| 35.8 | 1976-02-16 | 2 | 37°28'N / 89°11'W | 1.00 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Union | |
| 36.4 | 1967-06-21 | 2 | 37°06'N / 89°06'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Pulaski | |||
| 36.4 | 1973-04-19 | 2 | 37°39'N / 87°58'W | 0.50 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Union | |
| 36.5 | 2005-11-15 | 2 | 36°56'N / 88°11'W | 37°03'N / 88°00'W | 14.50 Miles | 275 Yards | 0 | 0 | 500K | 0 | Lyon |
| Brief Description: The tornado entered Lyon County from Marshall County as it crossed Kentucky Lake. The tornado reached the lakeshore at Hillman Ferry campground, within the Land Between The Lakes (LBL) National Recreation Area. The tornado then moved east-northeast across the forests of LBL, producing a narrow swath of downed trees. After exiting LBL and crossing Lake Barkley, the tornado struck a subdivision on the east side of the lake. Damage to the well-constructed homes in this subdivision was estimated to be the result of F-2 winds. The tornado proceeded east-northeast across Interstate 24, passing near the 46-mile marker, before lifting at the community of Saratoga. The total path length of the tornado across Graves, Calloway, Marshall, and Lyon Counties was 44 miles. Estimated time on the ground was 65 minutes. | |||||||||||
| 36.9 | 2002-04-28 | 2 | 37°23'N / 87°53'W | 37°23'N / 87°51'W | 1.00 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 100K | 0 | Crittenden |
| Brief Description: The tornado was spawned by a long-lived supercell that originated over southeast Missouri and tracked across southern Illinois and western Kentucky. This tornado, which was one of the strongest and longest-lived of the night, first touched down just inside Crittenden County on State Route 120. It quickly moved into Webster County. Before moving into Webster County, about a dozen homes and farm buildings were damaged in Crittenden County. | |||||||||||
| 37.3 | 1958-04-24 | 2 | 37°12'N / 87°54'W | 0.50 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Caldwell | |
| 37.6 | 2003-05-06 | 2 | 37°01'N / 89°09'W | 36°58'N / 88°53'W | 15.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Ballard |
| Brief Description: The tornado crossed into Ballard County between Wickliffe and the U.S. Route 60/62 bridge over the Ohio River. The tornado was rated F-2 in a forested area along the Mississippi River just north of Wickliffe, where intense tree damage was observed. Along the rest of its path through Ballard County, it was rated F-1 or F-0 (winds below 113 MPH). Where the tornado passed through the northeast outskirts of Wickliffe, there were a few homes with mainly minor damage. Roads were blocked by large fallen trees, including a 300-year-old white oak tree. The tornado moved east-southeast across rural Ballard County, where there was considerable roof damage to a home, and a garage door was blown out. Large trees were uprooted. At least one house was struck by falling trees. There was slight structural damage to the roof and attic portion of a home. The most prolific tornado-producing storm of the night entered western Kentucky near the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers and moved east, passing between Paducah and Mayfield. The storm continued to spawn tornadoes, mostly of weak to moderate intensity, until it reached Kentucky Lake. Elsewhere, severe thunderstorms moved northeast across northwest Kentucky, producing sporadic wind damage and a tornado. Sporadic wind damage occurred in Livingston, Crittenden, Webster, and Daviess Counties, with a tornado in Union and Henderson Counties. | |||||||||||
| 37.7 | 1972-04-21 | 2 | 37°14'N / 89°15'W | 37°17'N / 89°10'W | 5.60 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 2 | 25K | 0 | Pulaski |
| 37.8 | 1955-11-16 | 2 | 37°26'N / 89°16'W | 37°27'N / 89°11'W | 4.50 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Union |
| 38.9 | 1967-05-06 | 2 | 37°26'N / 87°53'W | 37°32'N / 87°48'W | 8.20 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 2 | 250K | 0 | Webster |
| 39.0 | 2005-11-15 | 3 | 36°45'N / 88°28'W | 36°56'N / 88°12'W | 19.50 Miles | 500 Yards | 1 | 20 | 8.0M | 0 | Marshall |
| Brief Description: The long-track tornado entered Marshall County from extreme northwest Calloway County. As the tornado moved quickly northeast across Marshall County, it reached its peak intensity of 200 MPH as it approached the Kentucky Lake resort campgrounds and boatyards. Until the tornado reached U.S. Highway 641 south of Benton, mostly F-1 damage occurred. Garages and barns sustained varying degrees of damage, and numerous trees were down. The most serious damage, ranging up to F-3 intensity, occurred from Big Bear Highway to Moor's Resort on Kentucky Lake. The occupant of a destroyed mobile home was killed in this area. The mobile home was thrown 40 feet and overturned before catching fire. At Moor's Resort, a year-round camping area was struck directly. A total of 115 RV's were destroyed, and the campground was devastated. A dock was demolished, taking a number of boats with it. Although the harbor and campground were destroyed, cabins and other lodging facilities outside of the tornado path were untouched. The average path width of this tornado was 275 yards, but it grew to a maximum of 500 yards in Marshall County. In Marshall County, approximately 19 homes were destroyed, 36 suffered major damage, and 65 received minor damage. The tornado then moved over Kentucky Lake and crossed into Lyon County. M63MH The total path length of the tornado across Graves, Calloway, Marshall, and Lyon Counties was 44 miles. Estimated time on the ground was 65 minutes. | |||||||||||
| 39.3 | 2003-05-04 | 2 | 37°29'N / 87°51'W | 37°29'N / 87°49'W | 1.50 Miles | 75 Yards | 0 | 1 | 1.0M | 0 | Webster |
| Brief Description: In Clay, 6 homes and 2 businesses were destroyed. An additional 45 homes and 4 businesses received varying degrees of damage, ranging from minor to major. A woman was injured when a tree fell and landed on her, breaking her hip. Peak winds were estimated near 125 MPH. One of the destroyed businesses was a hardware store. The other business, on the north side of Clay, housed spring planting supplies. That business lost four metal buildings. Numerous trees and power lines were blown down. A severe thunderstorm produced a series of tornadoes across Livingston, Crittenden, and Webster Counties. Both tornadoes in Livingston County originated on the Illinois side of the Ohio River. The strongest tornadoes occurred from Mattoon to Clay, where F2 damage was observed in spots. | |||||||||||
| 40.9 | 1957-04-03 | 2 | 37°04'N / 89°11'W | 37°06'N / 89°11'W | 2.30 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Pulaski |
| 41.2 | 2000-01-03 | 3 | 37°23'N / 87°51'W | 37°29'N / 87°44'W | 9.00 Miles | 440 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.4M | 0 | Webster |
| Brief Description: The tornado caused extensive damage in the community of Diamond. Both Crittenden and Webster Counties were declared federal disaster areas. | |||||||||||
| 41.3 | 1964-03-04 | 4 | 36°45'N / 88°23'W | 36°53'N / 88°12'W | 13.60 Miles | 250 Yards | 3 | 16 | 250K | 0 | Marshall |
| 41.4 | 1972-04-21 | 2 | 37°13'N / 89°17'W | 37°14'N / 89°15'W | 1.30 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Alexander |
| 41.8 | 1957-05-21 | 3 | 37°34'N / 89°19'W | 37°38'N / 89°11'W | 8.50 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Union |
| 42.0 | 2002-04-28 | 3 | 37°24'N / 87°51'W | 37°24'N / 87°42'W | 9.00 Miles | 880 Yards | 0 | 26 | 15.0M | 0 | Webster |
| Brief Description: The tornado crossed southern Webster County, producing major damage as it paralleled Highway 120 through Providence. About two dozen persons were injured, and they were transported by ambulance to regional hospitals. One person was critically injured. The tornado produced F-3 damage in Providence, then weakened to an F-2 tornado just east of the city limits. The tornado struck a mobile home park in Providence, destroying 16 of the 20 mobile homes there. About 10 permanent homes were destroyed, and about 100 more homes were damaged. | |||||||||||
| 42.2 | 1970-03-25 | 2 | 37°43'N / 89°11'W | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Jackson | |||
| 42.3 | 1970-06-01 | 2 | 37°42'N / 89°12'W | 0 | 5 | 25K | 0 | Jackson | |||
| 42.8 | 1972-04-14 | 2 | 37°34'N / 89°19'W | 37°32'N / 89°16'W | 3.30 Miles | 30 Yards | 0 | 4 | 25K | 0 | Union |
| 43.1 | 1957-12-18 | 2 | 37°42'N / 89°13'W | 1.50 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 5 | 25K | 0 | Jackson | |
| 43.2 | 1957-04-03 | 2 | 37°00'N / 89°12'W | 37°04'N / 89°11'W | 4.50 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 5 | 250K | 0 | Alexander |
| 43.6 | 1957-12-18 | 4 | 37°51'N / 89°05'W | 37°53'N / 89°01'W | 4.30 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 10 | 2.5M | 0 | Franklin |
| 43.7 | 1960-06-28 | 3 | 37°42'N / 87°55'W | 37°42'N / 87°47'W | 7.10 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 12 | 2.5M | 0 | Union |
| 44.2 | 1989-04-03 | 2 | 37°24'N / 87°46'W | 37°24'N / 87°42'W | 4.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 1 | 2.5M | 0 | Webster |
| 45.0 | 1999-01-21 | 2 | 37°20'N / 89°22'W | 37°22'N / 89°21'W | 1.00 Mile | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 20K | 0 | Union |
| Brief Description: Top winds were estimated near 130 MPH. Damage was relatively light due to the track of the tornado over rural portions of those counties. A few sheds and barns were destroyed, and a house sustained moderate damage. A fairly large metal barn, about 100 feet by 50 feet, was blown into a stand of trees, but remained fully intact in the upper reaches of the trees. Tree damage was complete along some wooded portions of the track. The tornado formed less than a half mile east of Thebes, and then tracked seven miles through the Shawnee National Forest. The damaged structures were near Thebes and Gale. | |||||||||||
| 45.0 | 2003-05-06 | 2 | 37°05'N / 89°18'W | 36°58'N / 89°09'W | 7.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Mississippi |
| Brief Description: This tornado formed on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River, crossed the river into Missouri at the Interstate 57 bridge, then crossed the river into Kentucky. On the Interstate 57 bridge over the Mississippi River, three 18-wheelers were flipped over, closing the bridge for several hours. The Missouri portion of the track was mainly across undeveloped river bottomland, used mainly for planting crops. | |||||||||||
| 45.1 | 1957-12-18 | 4 | 37°50'N / 89°10'W | 37°51'N / 89°05'W | 4.50 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 10 | 2.5M | 0 | Williamson |
| 45.4 | 2009-03-28 | 3 | 37°38'N / 87°48'W | 37°40'N / 87°46'W | 3.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 40K | 0K | Union |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: The second tornado spawned by this supercell was stronger and longer lived. This second tornado formed along Highway 141 and moved northeast along the highway. Damage was spotty at the beginning of the damage path, where a small grain bin imploded. Further along the damage path, a 30-by-50 foot machinery shed was destroyed. The estimated maximum winds were near 140 mph as the tornado approached the Henderson County line. The tornado continued into Henderson County. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A strong low pressure center moved northeast from Oklahoma into south central Missouri by late afternoon, with a warm front extending east from the low across western Kentucky. The warm front served as a focusing mechanism for some of the ingredients needed for tornadogenesis. | |||||||||||
| 45.8 | 1964-03-04 | 4 | 36°42'N / 88°27'W | 36°45'N / 88°23'W | 4.90 Miles | 250 Yards | 0 | 8 | 250K | 0 | Calloway |
| 46.1 | 1979-04-11 | 2 | 37°23'N / 87°51'W | 37°39'N / 87°35'W | 23.40 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Webster |
| 47.0 | 1968-04-04 | 4 | 36°45'N / 88°13'W | 36°47'N / 88°08'W | 5.10 Miles | 100 Yards | 1 | 5 | 0K | 0 | Marshall |
| 47.0 | 2003-05-06 | 2 | 37°03'N / 89°21'W | 37°00'N / 89°11'W | 3.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 1 | 300K | 0 | Alexander |
| Brief Description: The tornado formed northwest of Cairo near the Mississippi River. Three tractor-trailer rigs were overturned on the Interstate 57 bridge over the Mississippi River. The tornado tracked through Cairo, damaging dozens of homes and several businesses. One single-family home was destroyed, injuring a child who was cut by flying debris. Of the damaged homes, about four sustained major damage, and the rest had mainly minor damage. | |||||||||||
| 47.0 | 1989-04-03 | 2 | 37°24'N / 87°42'W | 37°23'N / 87°40'W | 6.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Hopkins |
| 47.1 | 1968-04-04 | 4 | 36°47'N / 88°08'W | 36°58'N / 87°48'W | 22.30 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Trigg |
| 48.7 | 1999-01-21 | 2 | 37°13'N / 89°27'W | 37°20'N / 89°23'W | 7.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 150K | 0 | Alexander |
| Brief Description: Top winds were estimated near 130 MPH. Damage was relatively light due to the track of the tornado over rural portions of those counties. A few sheds and barns were destroyed, and a house sustained moderate damage. A fairly large metal barn, about 100 feet by 50 feet, was blown into a stand of trees, but remained fully intact in the upper reaches of the trees. Tree damage was complete along some wooded portions of the track. The tornado formed less than a half mile east of Thebes, and then tracked seven miles through the Shawnee National Forest. The damaged structures were near Thebes and Gale. | |||||||||||
| 48.9 | 2007-10-18 | 2 | 37°01'N / 87°50'W | 37°04'N / 87°41'W | 9.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0K | Caldwell |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted. Trees landed across roads. At least a half dozen small barns were destroyed. Several roofs were lifted and torn off houses. Major structural damage was reported to seven homes. Windows were broken in houses. Peak winds were estimated near 110 mph. The damage path ended very close to the boundary of the Pennyrile State Forest. EPISODE NARRATIVE: The second and more significant severe weather outbreak of the day occurred as a cold front swept east across the Mississippi Valley. Scattered thunderstorms developed along and ahead of the front late in the afternoon. The storms organized into supercells and short lines during the evening. Over a dozen tornadoes occurred in western Kentucky. | |||||||||||
| 49.1 | 1971-12-15 | 2 | 37°47'N / 87°48'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Henderson | |||
| 49.2 | 1961-05-07 | 2 | 36°42'N / 89°00'W | 36°42'N / 88°36'W | 22.10 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Hickman |
| 49.6 | 2007-10-18 | 2 | 37°07'N / 87°43'W | 37°07'N / 87°41'W | 1.00 Mile | 300 Yards | 0 | 1 | 120K | 0K | Christian |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A large area of trees was snapped and uprooted in the Pennyrile State Forest. Some of the trees were 50 to 60 feet tall. A clear path was seen through the forest. A mobile home was blown down a hill and smashed as the tornado crossed Highway 109. An occupant of the mobile home was briefly trapped and sustained lacerations and bruises. The road to the mobile home was blocked by numerous downed trees and trailer debris. Two other mobile homes were severely damaged. A barn were destroyed. Peak winds were estimated near 115 mph. EPISODE NARRATIVE: The second and more significant severe weather outbreak of the day occurred as a cold front swept east across the Mississippi Valley. Scattered thunderstorms developed along and ahead of the front late in the afternoon. The storms organized into supercells and short lines during the evening. Over a dozen tornadoes occurred in western Kentucky. | |||||||||||
| 49.8 | 1990-05-09 | 2 | 38°06'N / 88°37'W | 0.50 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Hamilton | |
| 49.9 | 1968-04-04 | 4 | 36°58'N / 87°48'W | 37°05'N / 87°42'W | 9.70 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 5 | 0K | 0 | Caldwell |
* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.