Alexander County

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Alexander County: 0.
2. Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.

Every storm within 100 miles

1. Tropical storms and hurricanes (34 kt or more, still tropical) at closest approach. Post-tropical remnants with gale-force winds are listed but not counted. Direct: track within 50 miles; near: within 100 miles. Distance is measured to the county boundary for counties and to the city centre for cities, using positions interpolated hourly between HURDAT2 fixes.

National Hurricane Center HURDAT2, 1851 to 2025.

Smoke overhead

1. A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.

NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Claims by ZIP code

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.

River crests

River gauges

1. Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.

NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.

1. The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.

NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

1. Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the county boundary (or inside the county).
2. Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.

More event types since 1996

Costliest events since 1996

1. Jan 26, 2009Winter Storm, Alexander$10.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A prolonged, major winter storm dumped 6 to 10 inches of sleet and snow north of a line from East Cape Girardeau through Vienna to the confluence of the Wabash and Ohio Rivers. This resulted in at least two dozen roof collapses and very difficult driving conditions. South of that line, at least one inch of ice accumulated, with locally around 1.5 inches of ice. This resulted in a federal disaster declaration due to widespread tree damage and power outages. Virtually 100 percent of Massac County in the southern tip of the state was without power. The vast majority of nearby Alexander, Pulaski, Pope, Hardin, and southern Johnson Counties lost power. A major 161,000 volt transmission…

2. Sep 14, 2008High Wind, Alexander$4.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Frequent wind gusts from 60 to nearly 70 mph caused considerable damage in southern Illinois. The low pressure center that was the remnant of Hurricane Ike raced northeast at 40 to 50 mph across Missouri and Illinois. The center passed between Carbondale and St. Louis on its way toward the northeastern states. The rapid speed of the low pressure system contributed to this high wind event.||Considerable tree damage occurred. Trees were uprooted, and very large limbs were broken. Some trees fell on homes, outbuildings, and vehicles. Fewer than a dozen homes in each county were damaged by falling trees. Others fell on commercial and public buildings. Numerous trees or limbs fell on…

3. Jan 1, 2016Flood$4.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Mississippi River levels continued their climb from December, and record flooding occurred early in the month. At the Thebes river gage, the river crested at a new record of 47.74 feet before dawn on the 2nd. The old record was 45.91 feet, which was set in May of 1995. Records at Thebes go back to at least 1844. The 2016 crest would have been higher if a major levee break had not occurred in Alexander County. Flood stage at Thebes is 33 feet. The primary flood-related impact was a large levee break (about one-quarter mile wide) in the Len Small Levee near Miller City, between Thebes and Cairo. This levee break contributed to major flooding in and near the communities of Olive…

4. Jul 1, 2019Flood$3.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The Mississippi River finally fell below flood stage at the Thebes river gage after spending about four and one-half months above flood stage. While the crest was among the ten highest on record, the extended duration of the flood played an even greater role on the impact. The combination of seepage and relief wells along the levees permitted large amounts of water to seep into normally dry areas. The biggest impacts in Alexander County were weeks after the river crested. Portions of Illinois Routes 3 and 146 were flooded and closed from the East Cape Girardeau area down to Thebes. A number of residences were flooded in McClure and East Cape Girardeau. Further south, the breach in…

5. Jun 1, 2019Flood$2.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Major flooding continued on the Mississippi River through the month of June. After rising above flood stage in mid March, the Mississippi River remained above flood stage through the spring and into early summer. At the Thebes river gage, the river crested at 43.66 feet on June 10. This is considered a major flood. Major flooding starts at 42 feet. The East Cape Girardeau area was particularly hard hit, with some residences flooded for weeks. The Route 146 bridge connecting Illinois and Missouri at Cape Girardeau was closed due to flooding on the Illinois side of Route 146. Illinois Route 3 was flooded and closed for an extended period of time from Thebes north to East Cape…

6. May 1, 2011Flood$1.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Major flooding continued on the Mississippi River from April. At the Thebes river gage, the flood crest of 45.52 feet on the night of May 2 was the second highest crest on record. The record crest was 45.91 feet in May of 1995. A major levee break at Fayville resulted in flash flooding in central and northern parts of the county. Communities outside of levee protection systems, such as Olive Branch, Miller City, and Tamms, were evacuated as floodwaters inundated entire communities and cut off access roads. Many homes and businesses in those communities were sandbagged, but most of them ended up being flooded. Lower portions of the community of Thebes were inundated. The National…

7. May 8, 2002Flood, Alexander$1.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Major flooding of the Mississippi River occurred. The river rose above flood stage at Thebes on May 8, then reached its crest of 44.3 feet on May 18. Flood stage at Thebes is 33 feet. This resulted in extensive flooding of farmland and threats to some developments. Backwater from the Mississippi threatened dozens of homes in the Horseshoe Lake area, including the Miller City and Olive Branch communities. These communities are between Cairo and East Cape Girardeau. As was the case in the floods of 1993 and 1995, emergency measures were taken to reinforce and build up levees around Olive Branch and Miller City. The levees held up, but structures not protected by levees were flooded.…

8. Feb 11, 2008Winter Storm, Alexander$1.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Low pressure developed over the southern Plains, spreading widespread heavy precipitation across southern Illinois. At the same time, high pressure over the upper Ohio Valley produced a cold easterly wind flow. The result was a crippling ice storm. Around one inch of ice caused extensive damage across far southern Illinois, along and south of a line from Carbondale and Marion to Harrisburg and Carmi. Many of those same areas received three to six inches of sleet and snow. The most destructive icing occurred in an east to west band across Union, Johnson, Massac, and Pope Counties. The state designated most counties in southern Illinois as a disaster area. Numerous trees and power…

9. May 1, 2011Flood$1.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Record flooding occurred on the Ohio River. At the Cairo river gage, the flood crest of 61.72 feet on the evening of May 2 broke the previous record of 59.50 feet set in 1937. The activation of the New Madrid Floodway by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spared Cairo (population 2,800) from an even higher crest that could have easily overtopped the city's levees. With the detonation of the Mississippi River levee at Birds Point, Missouri, the Ohio River dropped suddenly at Cairo. The entire city of Cairo was placed under a mandatory evacuation order as the Ohio River approached the top of the levees protecting the city. Only about 40 people remained behind after the evacuation. Due…

10. Mar 18, 2008Flood$800,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Numerous road closures were reported, though all major roads were reopened within 24 hours. U.S. Highway 51 was closed at the northern entrance to Cairo. Several homes were flooded, mainly in the Olive Branch and Gale areas. Basement flooding occurred in Cairo, especially north parts of the city. Ten people were rescued with three boats used by the Department of Natural Resources.

1. Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.

All-time high

107°FJun 29, 2012

All-time low

−18°FJan 11, 1977

Warmest night

81°F2 times, most recently Jun 13, 2022

Coldest day

2°FJan 20, 1985

Wettest day

11.49 inMar 18, 2008

Snowiest day

24.0 inFeb 25, 1979

Hottest year

2024mean 60.5°F

Coldest year

1979mean 55.2°F

Wettest year

201174.39 in

Driest year

201227.00 in

Station Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport (USW00003935), 334 ft elevation, 16.4 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1960 to October 17, 2026; 98.7% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.

NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.

Neighbouring counties

• Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
• Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
• Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
• Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
• Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
• Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USW00003935.
• River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
• Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.

Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.