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Tornado History
Jefferson Tornado History
This county-level tornado history page focuses on Jefferson, Illinois. The records below identify 31 tornadoes from 1957 through 2024, including a highest listed rating of F4 (Devastating damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $13.7M, with 3 deaths and 57 injuries recorded across the listed events.
Key Tornado Statistics
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Check any addressKey Tornado Facts for Jefferson, Illinois
Top local patterns from the historical tornado records in this group.
Average 0.5 tornadoes per year (0.3/yr in last decade)
April is the peak tornado month with 7 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F4 in Jefferson, Illinois with 1 deaths
1957 was the most active year with 4 tornadoes
The 2010s had the most tornado activity (9 events)
Longest tornado: 18 miles in Jefferson, Illinois
Widest tornado: 400.0 yards in Jefferson, Illinois
Most tornadoes in one day: 3 on Dec 18, 1957
Monthly Distribution
Shows tornado frequency across months of the year, highlighting seasonal patterns and peak tornado periods.
Summary: In Jefferson, Illinois, April is the most active month with 7 tornadoes.
Annual Tornado Trend
Shows year-by-year tornado counts, making active years and quiet stretches easier to spot.
Summary: 1957 was the most active year with 4 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 2011 with at least $4.2M 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 18, 1957 | F4 | Jefferson, Illinois | 16.8 mi | 250 yd | 1 | 45 | $2.5M |
| April 19, 1996 | F3 | Jefferson, Illinois | 2 mi | 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $200K |
| May 25, 2011 | EF2 | Jefferson, Illinois | 13.48 mi | 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $4.0M |
| March 30, 1982 | F2 | Jefferson, Illinois | 0.8 mi | 100 yd | 1 | 3 | $2.5M |
| April 15, 1998 | F2 | Jefferson, Illinois | 5 mi | 250 yd | 0 | 1 | $400K |
| February 9, 1960 | F2 | Jefferson, Illinois | 1.9 mi | 77 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K |
| March 23, 2012 | EF2 | Jefferson, Illinois | 2.58 mi | 100 yd | 1 | 2 | $150K |
| December 18, 1957 | F2 | Jefferson, Illinois | 4.5 mi | 33 yd | 0 | 2 | $25K |
| December 18, 1957 | F2 | Jefferson, Illinois | 11.6 mi | 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| December 19, 1957 | F2 | Jefferson, Illinois | 1 mi | 67 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| May 1, 1983 | F1 | Jefferson, Illinois | 0.2 mi | 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M |
| March 14, 2024 | EF1 | Jefferson, Illinois | 0.5 mi | 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $700K |
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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.