NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Paris, IL
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated
5 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Paris, Illinois since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ike in 2008. Since 1950, 93 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 4 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 5
- Tornadoes
- 93
- EF3 or stronger
- 4
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
no recorded deaths
What the records show for Paris
None of the 5 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Paris; the strongest was Ike in 2008, a tropical storm with 55 mph winds when its centre passed 17 miles away. The record near Paris begins with an unnamed storm in 1902; the most recent system was Ike in 2008. Of the 5 systems, one has come since 2000. Paris is tied for the most tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles among the 548 Illinois cities on this site. The highest rating among the 93 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 4 times; the most recent, on April 29, 1963, came within 23 miles. Of the 93, 7 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 27 have come since 2000. May has had the most tornadoes, 24. The most recent tornado was on December 28, 2025. Of the 548 Illinois cities, 85% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Paris. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 48 times since 1974, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Of the 548 Illinois cities, 82% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Paris.
Compare Paris's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Paris
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | IkeSep 14 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormSep 25 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 3 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 21 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 29 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Paris: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Tornadoes within 25 miles of Paris
By decade
- 2020s10
- 2010s9
- 2000s8
- 1990s23
- 1980s14
- 1970s16
- 1960s7(3 EF3+)
- 1950s6(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 29, 1963 | F3 | 23 mi | 5.6 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 22, 1963 | F3 | 13 mi | 38.6 mi | 0 / 40 |
| Jun 22, 1960 | F3 | 19 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 11, 1958 | F3 | 22 mi | 4.7 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Apr 2, 2025 | EF2 | 8 mi | 48.91 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 10, 2021 | EF2 | 17 mi | 3.65 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 2, 1990 | F2 | 10 mi | 8 mi | 0 / 6 |
| Jun 2, 1990 | F2 | 6 mi | 17.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 17, 1988 | F2 | 10 mi | 3.5 mi | 0 / 4 |
| May 15, 1986 | F2 | 5 mi | 5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 25, 1984 | F2 | 13 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 12, 1973 | F2 | 20 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 93, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Paris
The Storm Prediction Center has 48 hail reports within 10 miles of Paris since 1974, made on 37 separate days. Of these, 33 were 1 inch across or larger, and 6 reached 2 inches. The largest size, 2.75 inches (baseball size), was reported on 2 days, most recently May 10, 2003. The most recent report is from June 25, 2024. April has the most reports, 21.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Paris
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Paris Stp, IL, 2 miles east of Paris at 649 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 84°F and low of 64°F; January is the coolest, at 34°F and 17°F. June is the wettest at 5.0 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 2.3 inches; the year adds up to 42.7 inches over 76 days with at least a tenth of an inch. Highs reach 90°F on about 19 days a year, almost all from June to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 117 nights a year. Snowfall averages 19.1 inches a year, most of it in January. That 42.7 inches is more than at 112 of the 146 Illinois stations used on this site (77%). West Terre Haute, IN, 14 miles southeast, has its own station (Terre Haute Hulman Regional Airport, IN): 40.7 inches a year, 2.0 less than here, and a July average high of 86°F against 84°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34 | 17 | 2.8 | 6 | 8.6 |
| Feb | 39 | 20 | 2.3 | 5 | 3.6 |
| Mar | 50 | 29 | 3.0 | 7 | 2.0 |
| Apr | 63 | 40 | 4.9 | 8 | 0.3 |
| May | 73 | 51 | 4.2 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 82 | 61 | 5.0 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 84 | 64 | 3.8 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 83 | 62 | 3.6 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 78 | 54 | 2.9 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 66 | 43 | 3.6 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 51 | 31 | 3.7 | 7 | 0.6 |
| Dec | 39 | 23 | 2.9 | 6 | 4.0 |
| Year | 62 | 41 | 42.7 | 76 | 19.1 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Paris Stp, IL (649 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.
Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Paris
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 70 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Paris: 65 thunderstorm wind reports and 5 flash floods. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $987,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 75 mph, on May 2, 1998. June has had the most flash floods, 2 of 5. Of the 547 Illinois cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 28 have had fewer than Paris.
April 26, 2016: flash flood 4 miles from the centre of Paris — $250,000 damage.
NWS: “00 inches during a three hour period during the mid-afternoon of April 26th in central and eastern Edgar County, including the city of Paris. S.”
May 10, 2017: thunderstorm wind in Paris — $250,000 damage.
NWS: “Widespread wind damage occurred across Paris. Numerous trees were blown down or uprooted, including one that crushed a truck.”
April 27, 2002: thunderstorm wind in Paris — $200,000 damage.
NWS: “Several trees and powerlines were blown down. Some of the fallen trees caused minor damage to a couple of homes.”
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, events whose starting point is on record, 1996 to June 30, 2026. Damage is the NWS estimate in the dollars of the year, not insured losses, and NWS notes that some reports are unverified.
Flood insurance claims, disaster declarations and FEMA risk ratings
Edgar County, which includes Paris, has been named in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1974, 7 of them major disasters (by incident: 2 biological emergencies, 2 severe storms, 1 flood, 1 hurricane). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms and Flooding, on August 15, 2023. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Edgar County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for strong wind; Relatively Low for tornadoes, hail and heat waves; Very Low for hurricanes, inland flooding and lightning. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $11.7 million a year, the 71st highest of 102 Illinois counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $3.7 million (32%), is from inland flooding.
Claims: FEMA, OpenFEMA Dataset FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims – v3, summed over ZIP codes; payments in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Declarations: Disaster Declarations Summaries – v2, by county. Retrieved October 25, 2026. 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).
Risk ratings: FEMA, National Risk Index county table, December 2025 (v1.20), retrieved October 26, 2026; ratings compare counties nationwide, are meant for planning and are no substitute for a local risk assessment. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets 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).
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.
Cities near Paris
- Chrisman, IL12 mi
- West Terre Haute, IN14 mi
- Clinton, IN15 mi
- Marshall, IL15 mi
- Terre Haute, IN20 mi
- Martinsville, IL22 mi
- Rosedale, IN22 mi
- Georgetown, IL26 mi
- Charleston, IL26 mi
- Casey, IL27 mi
- Farmersburg, IN29 mi
- Villa Grove, IL30 mi
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