The December 18, 1957 tornado

F4Jefferson County, Illinois

An F4 tornado on a 16.8-mile path that killed 1 and injured 45. It was one of 25 tornadoes recorded in the U.S. that day, 11 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Watch how it happened Part of the outbreak of December 18, 1957: 25 tornadoes in 2 states

F4 tornado · December 18, 1957

How it happened

Follow the tornado’s recorded path from touchdown to lift-off.

About this replay

Distance travelled—Historical replay — even pace

Distance—of 16.8 miles

Now in—

RatingF4

The tornado

Rating: F4; Fujita scale
Path length: 16.8 mi; Width up to 250 yards
Killed: 1; Along the whole path
Injured: 45; Along the whole path
Date and time: Wednesday, December 18, 1957; 3:55 PM CST
That day: 25; tornadoes in the U.S.; every one, with a replay of the day

Counties on its path

Jefferson CountyIL

Other notable tornadoes that day

F5, Perry County1 killed
F4, Jackson County11 killed

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database. Path drawn as a straight line from the recorded start to end point.