Illinois, 1961

Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in Illinois, March 6, 1961

March 6, 1961 · 12 events in 10 counties and zones

11 tornado, 1 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
8
Property damage
$4.3 million
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
12

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

Event by event

11 tornado, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, Jersey

When
March 6, 1:30 AM CST
Where
Jersey County
Rating
F1
Path length
33.4 mi
Path width
77 yd
Property damage
$3,000
Coordinates
39.130, -90.330

Tornado, Montgomery

When
March 6, 2:05 AM CST
Where
Montgomery County
Rating
F1
Path length
11.5 mi
Path width
77 yd
Property damage
$250,000
Coordinates
39.220, -89.720

Tornado, Montgomery

When
March 6, 2:16 AM CST
Where
Montgomery County
Rating
F1
Path length
18.7 mi
Path width
77 yd
Property damage
$250,000
Coordinates
39.250, -89.500

Tornado, Randolph

When
March 6, 2:30 AM CST
Where
Randolph County
Rating
F2
Path length
110.2 mi
Path width
33 yd
Property damage
$2.5 million
Coordinates
37.900, -89.850

Tornado, Shelby

When
March 6, 2:35 AM CST
Where
Shelby County
Rating
F1
Path length
36.5 mi
Path width
77 yd
Injuries
1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$250,000
Coordinates
39.230, -89.150

Tornado, Cumberland

When
March 6, 3:11 AM CST
Where
Cumberland County
Rating
F1
Path length
17.8 mi
Path width
77 yd
Property damage
$3,000
Coordinates
39.220, -88.470

Tornado, Saline

When
March 6, 3:40 AM CST
Where
Saline County
Rating
F2
Path length
4.7 mi
Path width
100 yd
Injuries
2 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$250,000
Coordinates
37.800, -88.530

Tornado, Clay

When
March 6, 4:00 AM CST
Where
Clay County
Rating
F1
Path length
24.6 mi
Path width
33 yd
Property damage
$25,000
Coordinates
38.670, -88.480

Tornado, Effingham

When
March 6, 4:00 AM CST
Where
Effingham County
Rating
F3
Path length
21.2 mi
Path width
33 yd
Injuries
3 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$250,000
Coordinates
39.100, -88.530

Thunderstorm Wind, Champaign

When
March 6, 4:00 AM CST
Where
Champaign County
Measured
63 kt (72 mph)
Coordinates
40.080, -88.180

Tornado, Douglas

When
March 6, 4:15 AM CST
Where
Douglas County
Rating
F2
Path length
10.3 mi
Path width
33 yd
Injuries
2 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$250,000
Coordinates
39.800, -88.280

Tornado, Champaign

When
March 6, 4:37 AM CST
Where
Champaign County
Rating
F2
Path length
20.3 mi
Path width
33 yd
Property damage
$250,000
Coordinates
39.880, -88.120

What these are

Tornado
A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Illinois in 1961Every state in 1961This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Illinois, 1961

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 10007612, 10007613, 10007614, 10007615, 10007616, 10007617, 10007618, 10007619, 10007620, 10007621, 10007622, 10007623.