Tornado History
Mercer Tornado History
This county-level tornado history page focuses on Mercer, Illinois. The records below identify 45 tornadoes from 1952 through 2026, including a highest listed rating of F3 (Severe damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $5.3M, with 0 deaths and 3 injuries recorded across the listed events.
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Key Tornado Statistics
Key Tornado Facts for Mercer, Illinois
Top local patterns from the historical tornado records in this group.
Average 0.6 tornadoes per year (1.2/yr in last decade)
April is the peak tornado month with 17 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F1 in Mercer, Illinois with 0 deaths
2003 was the most active year with 8 tornadoes
The 2000s had the most tornado activity (12 events)
Longest tornado: 26.9 miles in Mercer, Illinois
Widest tornado: 880.0 yards in Mercer, Illinois
Most tornadoes in one day: 5 on Apr 30, 2003
Monthly Distribution
Shows tornado frequency across months of the year, highlighting seasonal patterns and peak tornado periods.
Summary: In Mercer, Illinois, April is the most active month with 17 tornadoes.
Annual Tornado Trend
Shows year-by-year tornado counts, making active years and quiet stretches easier to spot.
Summary: 2003 was the most active year with 8 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 1973 with at least $2.5M in NOAA-listed property damage.
Historical Track Sketch
This map covers the wider location—not your exact property.Measure the closest recorded track to a street address in or near Mercer, Illinois.
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 15, 1978 | F3 | Mercer, Illinois | 6.4 mi | 77 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K |
| June 14, 1974 | F3 | Mercer, Illinois | 26.9 mi | 440 yd | 0 | 1 | N/A |
| April 21, 1973 | F2 | Mercer, Illinois | 10.2 mi | 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M |
| June 18, 1998 | F2 | Mercer, Illinois | 6 mi | 880 yd | 0 | 0 | $110K |
| April 13, 2006 | F2 | Mercer, Illinois | 2 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $30K |
| May 24, 2015 | EF2 | Mercer, Illinois | 6.75 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $30K |
| April 13, 1974 | F2 | Mercer, Illinois | 0.1 mi | 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| April 13, 1974 | F2 | Mercer, Illinois | 0.1 mi | 17 yd | 0 | 1 | $2K |
| April 30, 2003 | F1 | Mercer, Illinois | 0 mi | 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $500K |
| April 30, 2003 | F1 | Mercer, Illinois | 0.1 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $500K |
| April 30, 2003 | F1 | Mercer, Illinois | 0.5 mi | 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $300K |
| April 23, 1965 | F1 | Mercer, Illinois | 16.2 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K |
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Source And Limits
Data sourced from NOAA Storm Prediction Center and the NCEI Storm Events Database. TornadoTrace summarizes reported weather events for screening and research; it is not a damage assessment, inspection, or insurance determination. Coordinates and records can be approximate, incomplete, revised, or missing. No warranty of completeness or accuracy.