Massac County

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Massac County: 4.
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.

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, Massac$11.0 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. May 6, 2003Tornado$10.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The tornado was near its maximum F-4 intensity as it crossed the Pulaski County line into western Massac County near the community of Hillerman. Estimated winds of 210 MPH disintegrated mobile homes and levelled several modern frame homes. One frame house was swept clean off its foundation, with only the roof left intact in a creek about 200 yards away. Many vehicles were lifted, rolled, or thrown up to 100 yards or more. Numerous cases of missiling were observed, including glass embedded in trees. Tree destruction in forested areas was nearly complete, and a few trees were debarked. The only fatality in Massac County was a 65-year-old female who was killed when her mobile home…

3. Nov 17, 2013Tornado$5.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The tornado crossed the Ohio River from McCracken County, Kentucky into Massac County, Illinois. Video of the tornado taken by a barge operator as it crossed the Ohio River indicated it was completely rain-wrapped. This long-track tornado attained its peak intensity as it came onshore into Brookport, a small community along the Ohio River. Peak winds here were estimated near 145 mph. About a half dozen mobile homes were obliterated. Dozens of mobile homes were destroyed, many of which were blown 100 feet or more. Three mobile home residents were killed. A 62-year-old woman died at a local hospital within hours of sustaining blunt force trauma injuries in the tornado. A 58-year-old…

4. Sep 14, 2008High Wind, Massac$5.2 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…

5. Feb 11, 2008Winter Storm, Massac$2.0 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…

6. May 1, 2011Flood$2.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Major flooding continued on the Ohio River from April. At the Brookport river gage, the flood crest of 57.00 feet on the night of May 5 was about 3.5 feet higher than the 1997 flood. This was still several feet lower than the record crest set in 1937. The activation of the New Madrid Floodway by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spared Massac County from an even higher crest that would have inundated even larger areas of Metropolis. With the detonation of the Mississippi River levee at Birds Point, Missouri, the Ohio River stopped rising or rose much more slowly at the Brookport gage. A voluntary evacuation of the city of Brookport was requested due to potential problems with its…

7. Feb 10, 2019Flood$750,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   A prolonged major river flood affected at least 50 homes in Metropolis. At Paducah, across the river from Metropolis, the Ohio River crested at 53.27 feet on the 25th. This was tied with the 1950 flood for the second worst flood since the Flood of 1937. Since 1937, only the flood crest of 2011 was higher. The flood crest reached 60.60 feet in the winter of 1937. Metropolis is not protected by a levee or flood wall, so river floodwater impacted the city directly. Heavy rainfall events combined with backwater from the Ohio River caused widespread flooding along the eastern limits of Metropolis. Numerous roads were closed around the county. In the city of Metropolis, portions of 27…

8. Sep 22, 2006Tornado$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   This tornado, which contained peak winds near 160 MPH, struck between Joppa and the Metropolis airport. The damage path started about a mile from the Ohio River, where F-1 winds uprooted numerous trees. As the tornado crossed U.S. Highway 45 near Joppa Road, a barn was destroyed. The tornado then strengthened to F-3 intensity, destroying a log home. The roof and an exterior wall of the well-constructed log home were blown about one-half mile. Another house nearby sustained major damage. Four mobile homes were destroyed, along with garages and outbuildings. Part of a double wide mobile home blew into a church sanctuary. Six vehicles were tossed up to 100 yards. At least one of the…

9. Mar 18, 2008Flood$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   A few basements were flooded in Metropolis. Street flooding occurred in Metropolis. Several roads were closed. U.S. Highway 45 was covered with water in several areas. Thousands of acres of farmland were flooded. Some roads were damaged.

10. Apr 23, 2011Tornado$450,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    The tornado began along the Ohio River, where power poles were damaged at a barge-loading facility. Further east along the track, the roof was blown off a trailer, and some roof and utility pole damage occurred at an industrial complex. Portable buildings were destroyed and a trailer was overturned just east of the industrial complex. On the north end of Metropolis, several trees were blown down. There was tree damage to at least one garage, two homes, and two vehicles. There was minor roof damage to two other homes. Several utility poles were snapped. Near Interstate 24, part of the metal roof was torn off a large building in an industrial park. One trailer was overturned. One…

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

108°FJun 29, 2012

All-time low

−15°FJan 20, 1985

Warmest night

82°FJul 16, 1980

Coldest day

1°FJan 20, 1985

Wettest day

7.49 inSep 5, 1985

Snowiest day

14.0 inDec 22, 2004

Hottest year

2024mean 61.7°F

Coldest year

1958mean 55.6°F

Wettest year

201174.85 in

Driest year

196328.20 in

Snowiest season

35.7 in1977-78

Station Paducah (USW00003816), 506 ft elevation, 8.3 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1949 to October 26, 2026; 99.9% 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 USW00003816.
• 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.