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Illinois · County tornado history

Shelby County, Illinois tornadoes

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has recorded 33 tornadoes in Shelby County, Illinois from 1950 through 2024, about one every 2.3 years. That ranks it 44 of 102 counties in Illinois with a recorded tornado. The most recent was an EF2 on December 10, 2021.

By Twisters.us · Updated · How we count

Tornadoes since 1950
33
Since 2000
16
Strongest
F3, August 21, 1977
Most recent
EF2, December 10, 2021
Peak month
June (8)
Per 1,000 sq mi
43
FEMA tornado risk
Relatively Low

F0/EF0 1 2 3 4 5 · Lines run from where each tornado touched down to where it lifted; dots are short paths. Neighboring counties are outlined.

When tornadoes hit Shelby County

June has brought the most, 8 of 33. About 64% touched down between 2 pm and 8 pm (Central Standard Time, as the Storm Prediction Center records it). Winter tornadoes (December to February) make up 15% of the total, a sign of the cool-season storms common in the South.

By decade

More tornadoes in recent decades mostly reflects better detection and reporting (Doppler radar, storm spotters, damage surveys), especially for weak EF0 tornadoes, not necessarily more storms. The 2020s bar covers only 2020 to 2024.

How strong they were

Rating Estimated 3-second gust Tornadoes
F0 / EF0 Light damage: 65 to 85 mph (EF scale) 18
F1 / EF1 Moderate: 86 to 110 mph 7
F2 / EF2 Considerable: 111 to 135 mph 7
F3 / EF3 Severe: 136 to 165 mph 1
F4 / EF4 Devastating: 166 to 200 mph 0
F5 / EF5 Incredible: over 200 mph 0

Tornadoes before February 2007 were rated on the original Fujita (F) scale; since then the National Weather Service uses the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale. Wind speeds above are EF-scale estimates from damage, not measurements. See what the EF scale means.

The strongest tornadoes in Shelby County

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
August 21, 1977 F3 26.9 mi 77 yd 6 56
June 1, 1999 F2 15.5 mi 450 yd 4
June 2, 1990 F2 8 mi 600 yd 2
February 20, 2014 EF2 22.4 mi 200 yd 1
December 10, 2021 EF2 41.5 mi 690 yd 1
October 6, 1955 F2 1 mi 10 yd
October 13, 2014 EF2 10 mi 200 yd
December 10, 2021 EF2 15.9 mi 200 yd
March 6, 1961 F1 117.9 mi 77 yd 1
June 20, 2000 F1 24 mi 300 yd 1

Deaths and injuries are for each tornado’s whole path, which can cross other counties.

The deadliest

The deadliest tornado to touch Shelby County was an F3 on August 21, 1977. It killed 6 people and injured 56 along its 26.9-mile path.

Most recent tornadoes

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
December 10, 2021 EF2 15.9 mi 200 yd
December 10, 2021 EF2 41.5 mi 690 yd 1
August 12, 2019 EF0 1.9 mi 75 yd
October 13, 2014 EF2 10 mi 200 yd
February 20, 2014 EF0 0.3 mi 50 yd
February 20, 2014 EF2 22.4 mi 200 yd 1
June 15, 2011 EF0 0.3 mi 20 yd
June 15, 2011 EF0 0.3 mi 10 yd

The official database ends with 2024. For storms since then, see the Storm Prediction Center’s reports and your local National Weather Service office.

FEMA’s tornado risk rating

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the tornado risk in Shelby County as relatively low, with a score of 40 out of 100 compared with every other U.S. county. It estimates about 0.76 tornadoes a year here and an expected annual loss of about $997,557 to buildings, people and farming. The index mixes how often tornadoes strike with what is exposed and how well a community can recover, so a busy rural county can rate lower than a less active city.

Neighboring counties

Staying safe

When a tornado warning is issued, act at once. Go to a basement, storm shelter or safe room. With none, use a small windowless room on the lowest floor, as far from outside walls as you can, and cover your head and neck. Mobile homes and cars are not safe places to ride out a tornado: leave early for a sturdy building or shelter. Read the full tornado safety guide and the National Weather Service advice linked below.

Sources

Sources last checked 1 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How many tornadoes has Shelby County had?

33 from 1950 through 2024 in NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center database, 16 of them since 2000.

When was the last tornado in Shelby County?

The most recent in the official record was an EF2 on December 10, 2021. Later storms are not yet in the final database.

What was the strongest tornado in Shelby County?

An F3 on August 21, 1977, with a 26.9-mile path.

When is tornado season in Shelby County?

June has had the most tornadoes here. Across the U.S. the peak runs from spring into early summer, and the South also sees tornadoes in late fall and winter.