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Tornado History
Clay Tornado History
This county-level tornado history page focuses on Clay, Illinois. The records below identify 20 tornadoes from 1957 through 2026, including a highest listed rating of F4 (Devastating damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $13.3M, with 0 deaths and 13 injuries recorded across the listed events.
Key Tornado Statistics
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Check any addressKey Tornado Facts for Clay, Illinois
Top local patterns from the historical tornado records in this group.
Average 0.3 tornadoes per year (0.6/yr in last decade)
May is the peak tornado month with 8 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F3 in Clay, Illinois with 0 deaths
1998 was the most active year with 3 tornadoes
The 1990s had the most tornado activity (5 events)
Longest tornado: 24.6 miles in Clay, Illinois
Widest tornado: 300.0 yards in Clay, Illinois
Most tornadoes in one day: 2 on Apr 15, 1998
Monthly Distribution
Shows tornado frequency across months of the year, highlighting seasonal patterns and peak tornado periods.
Summary: In Clay, Illinois, May is the most active month with 8 tornadoes.
Annual Tornado Trend
Shows year-by-year tornado counts, making active years and quiet stretches easier to spot.
Summary: 1998 was the most active year with 3 recorded tornadoes.
Property Damage Trends
Visualizes reported property damage over time. Bars use a log-like scale so very large damage years do not flatten the rest of the chart.
Summary: The highest reported property damage year in this group is 2024 with at least $10.0M in NOAA-listed property damage.
Historical Track Sketch
Notable Tornado Records
The table highlights the strongest and most damaging records in this page's local dataset. Damage totals are NOAA-reported minimum estimates where available.
| Date | Rating | Area | Length | Width | Deaths | Injuries | Min. property damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2, 1990 | F4 | Clay, Illinois | 5.5 mi | 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K |
| December 18, 1957 | F3 | Clay, Illinois | 7.7 mi | 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K |
| May 26, 2024 | EF2 | Clay, Illinois | 3.6 mi | 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $10.0M |
| April 15, 1998 | F2 | Clay, Illinois | 9.5 mi | 150 yd | 0 | 8 | $2.1M |
| April 15, 1998 | F2 | Clay, Illinois | 6.5 mi | 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| May 25, 2011 | EF1 | Clay, Illinois | 1 mi | 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $510K |
| May 6, 1960 | F1 | Clay, Illinois | 1 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| March 6, 1961 | F1 | Clay, Illinois | 24.6 mi | 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| April 27, 2002 | F1 | Clay, Illinois | 5 mi | 200 yd | 0 | 5 | N/A |
| May 27, 2021 | EF0 | Clay, Illinois | 2.76 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $45K |
| March 8, 2009 | EF0 | Clay, Illinois | 0.91 mi | 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| February 19, 2026 | EF0 | Clay, Illinois | 0.14 mi | 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
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Source And Limits
Data source: NOAA/NCEI. TornadoTrace summarizes historical records for screening and research. Coordinates, damage estimates, narratives, and event details can be approximate, incomplete, revised, or missing. Do not use this page as legal, insurance, engineering, real estate, emergency management, or safety advice.