The tornado outbreak of December 18, 1957

25 tornadoesIllinois and Missouri

25 tornadoes touched down across 2 states between 12:30 PM and 6:40 PM CST, 11 of them rated F3 or stronger, and 17 people were killed.

Watch the day unfold

Tornado outbreak · December 18, 1957

How the day unfolded

Every tornado recorded that day, at its logged touchdown time and along its path, with the counties it crossed.

About this replay

Central time—Historical replay — logged touchdown times

Tornadoes—of 25 that day

Strongest so far—

Killed—in tornadoes so far

The day’s milestones

Tornado pathsWider and brighter with the rating; F3 and stronger glow

On the groundEach grows from its logged touchdown time

Counties crossedLit as a tornado reaches them, brighter for F3 or stronger

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database (touchdown times, ratings, start and end points) and Storm Events Database (segment paths and times for the notable tornadoes that have record pages). SPC logs the touchdown time only; other paths are drawn at a typical forward speed of 35 mph. Times are Central Standard Time.

The day in numbers

Tornadoes: 25; on Wednesday, December 18, 1957
F3 or stronger: 11; 3 rated F4 or F5
Killed: 17; 66th-deadliest tornado day since 1950
Injured: 273; Along all the paths
Path miles: 191; All the paths end to end
First and last: 12:30 PM to 6:40 PM; Touchdowns, Central Standard Time

Hour by hour

Tornadoes touching down in each hour, Central Standard Time.

Every tornado

In order of touchdown. 3 have a record page, linked from the rating.

Tornadoes of December 18, 1957

12:30 PM	F1	Lincoln County MO	0.3	100	0	1
1:50 PM	F2	St. Francois County MO	2.7	33	1	1
2:40 PM	F3	Randolph County, Perry County IL	20.2	10	0	0
3:00 PM	F2	Perry County MO	0.5	50	0	0
3:15 PM	F3	Randolph County, Perry County IL	17.7	10	0	0
3:20 PM	F2	Madison County IL	1.0	10	0	1
3:35 PM	F1	Mason County IL	0.1	10	0	1
3:35 PM	F3	Perry County IL	2.5	10	0	1
3:45 PM	F2	Jefferson County IL	4.5	10	0	2
3:55 PM	F4	Jefferson County IL	16.8	250	1	45
4:00 PM	F2	Jackson County IL	5.4	10	0	0
4:15 PM	F3	Randolph County IL	5.7	10	0	0
4:30 PM	F2	Jefferson County IL	11.6	200	0	0
4:35 PM	F5	Perry County IL	5.4	200	1	6
4:45 PM	F4	Jackson County, Williamson County and 1 more IL	28.3	300	11	200
4:45 PM	F2	Cape Girardeau County MO	15.8	700	0	1
5:00 PM	F3	Wayne County, Clay County IL	19.6	200	0	1
5:00 PM	F2	Perry County MO	1.0	10	0	0
5:22 PM	F2	Scott County MO	0.5	33	3	1
5:25 PM	F2	Jackson County IL	1.5	10	0	5
5:25 PM	F3	Jasper County IL	4.5	10	0	0
5:35 PM	F3	Hamilton County IL	2.5	150	0	3
6:00 PM	F3	Hamilton County, White County and 1 more IL	19.8	10	0	4
6:00 PM	F2	Johnson County IL	0.1	10	0	0
6:40 PM	F1	Vermilion County IL	3.0	60	0	0

By state

Tornadoes by state, December 18, 1957

Illinois	19	11	13
Missouri	6	0	4

Tornadoes in 1957 · On this date in other years · The biggest outbreak days

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025. A day is SPC’s calendar date in Central Standard Time; an outbreak day here has 40 or more tornadoes, or 6 or more rated F3/EF3 or stronger.