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NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Roanoke, IL

Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.

No tropical storm or hurricane has passed within 75 miles of Roanoke, Illinois since records began in 1851. Since 1950, 159 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 8 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
0

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
0

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
159

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
8

3 deaths in all

Tornadoes within 25 miles of Roanoke

By decade

  • 2020s25
  • 2010s22(2 EF3+)
  • 2000s34(2 EF3+)
  • 1990s25(1 EF3+)
  • 1980s13
  • 1970s24(1 EF3+)
  • 1960s11(1 EF3+)
  • 1950s5(1 EF3+)
Strongest tornadoes near Roanoke, Illinois
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
Nov 17, 2013EF41 mi46.36 mi3 / 125
Jul 13, 2004F4in town9.6 mi0 / 3
Jun 29, 1976F424 mi4.9 mi0 / 0
Feb 28, 2017EF310 mi17.77 mi0 / 0
May 10, 2003F317 mi17.5 mi0 / 32
May 13, 1995F324 mi25 mi0 / 25
Sep 14, 1965F321 mi6.6 mi0 / 30
Aug 13, 1956F314 mi3.8 mi0 / 0
Feb 28, 2017EF217 mi4.5 mi0 / 0
Jun 22, 2016EF223 mi11.1 mi0 / 4
Jun 5, 2010EF28 mi3.08 mi0 / 0
Jun 5, 2010EF222 mi17.62 mi0 / 17

The strongest 12 of 159, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.

How to read this page

A storm is listed when the centre of its track passed within 75 miles of Roanoke while it was at least a tropical storm, which is the reach of damaging wind and rain for a typical hurricane. Being on the list does not mean the city took a direct hit; the "closest" column says how near the centre came. Tornadoes are counted when any part of the path came within 25 miles.

Tornado records before the 1990s are thinner, because weak tornadoes in open country often went unreported before Doppler radar and mobile phones. A rise in the decade counts is mostly better reporting, not a change in the weather.

Tracks come from the National Hurricane Center's HURDAT2 database, tornadoes from the Storm Prediction Center's database. Both are the official federal records and both are revised as old storms are re-analysed.

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