Illinois, 1971

Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Illinois, December 15, 1971

December 15, 1971 · 7 events in 6 counties and zones

5 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado, 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
24
Property damage
$500,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
7

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

5 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Jersey

When
December 15, 3:00 AM CST
Where
Jersey County
Coordinates
39.000, -90.180

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Clair

When
December 15, 3:15 AM CST
Where
St. Clair County
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
38.500, -89.780

Thunderstorm Wind, Coles

When
December 15, 4:35 AM CST
Where
Coles County
Coordinates
39.500, -88.180

Tornado, Coles

When
December 15, 5:05 AM CST
Where
Coles County
Rating
F1
Path length
11.4 mi
Path width
350 yd
Injuries
24 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$250,000
Coordinates
39.520, -88.220

Thunderstorm Wind, Iroquois

When
December 15, 5:05 AM CST
Where
Iroquois County
Coordinates
40.500, -87.680

Tornado, Douglas

When
December 15, 5:29 AM CST
Where
Douglas County
Rating
F1
Path width
350 yd
Property damage
$250,000
Coordinates
39.650, -88.080

Thunderstorm Wind, Adams

When
December 15, 6:11 AM CST
Where
Adams County
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
39.880, -91.180

What these are

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.
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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Illinois in 1971Every state in 1971This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Illinois, 1971

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: 10010111, 10010112, 10010113, 10010114, 10010115, 10010116, 10010117.