Tornado and Hail in Illinois, August 23, 1993

Name: Tornado and Hail in Illinois, August 23, 1993
Start: 1993-08-23T15:35
End: 1993-08-23T19:15
Location: Illinois

August 23, 1993 · 32 events in 18 counties and zones

23 thunderstorm wind, 8 hail, 1 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 31 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $59,000
Crop damage: $50,000
Events: 32

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

23 thunderstorm wind, 8 hail, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Whiteside

When: August 23, 3:35 PM CST
Where: Whiteside County, Morrison
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 41.756, -89.914 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Rapid developing thunderstorms produced golf-ball size hail, twice, at Morrison, Illinois. Both severe thunderstorms were about half an hour apart and moved northeast at 35 mph. The second storm arrived with a stronger punch of wind with measured wind gusts recorded at 68 mph. Numerous tree limbs were blown down. No dollar amounts were reported, but crop damage had to be significant considering the time of year.

Thunderstorm Wind, Peoria

When: August 23, 3:45 PM CST
Where: Peoria County, Peoria
Property damage: $50
Coordinates: 40.788, -89.760 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tree limbs were blown down.

Hail, Whiteside

When: August 23, 4:05 PM CST
Where: Whiteside County, Morrison
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Crop damage: $50,000
Coordinates: 41.756, -89.914 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Fulton

When: August 23, 4:10 PM CST
Where: Fulton County, Cuba
Property damage: $50
Coordinates: 40.473, -90.207 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Large tree limbs were blown down.

Hail, Tazewell

When: August 23, 4:14 PM CST
Where: Tazewell County, Washington
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 40.508, -89.513 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Fulton

When: August 23, 4:15 PM CST
Where: Fulton County, Canton
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 40.473, -90.207 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A tree 24 inches in diameter was blown down.

Hail, McHenry

When: August 23, 4:40 PM CST
Where: McHenry County, Crystal Lake
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 42.324, -88.452 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Tazewell

When: August 23, 4:40 PM CST
Where: Tazewell County, Creve Coeur
Property damage: $50
Coordinates: 40.508, -89.513 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Large tree limbs were blown down at Creve Coeur. Wind gusted to 60 mph at Washington.

Thunderstorm Wind, Scott

When: August 23, 4:45 PM CST
Where: Scott County, Winchester
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 39.644, -90.475 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds estimated at 60 mph knocked several large ceramic flower pots over.

Thunderstorm Wind, De Kalb

When: August 23, 4:50 PM CST
Where: De Kalb County, Malta
Coordinates: 41.894, -88.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

County sheriff reported trees down in Malta due to thunderstorm winds.

Thunderstorm Wind, Tazewell

When: August 23, 4:50 PM CST
Where: Tazewell County, Washington
Coordinates: 40.508, -89.513 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Large tree limbs were blown down at Creve Coeur. Wind gusted to 60 mph at Washington.

Thunderstorm Wind, Woodford

When: August 23, 4:56 PM CST
Where: Woodford County, Deer Creek
Coordinates: 40.788, -89.211 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Tazewell

When: August 23, 5:05 PM CST
Where: Tazewell County, Deer Creek
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 40.508, -89.513 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts to 60 mph were reported by Tazewell County officials 2 miles west of town and a 10-inch diameter tree blown down in town.

Hail, Lake

When: August 23, 5:10 PM CST
Where: Lake County, Lake Zurich
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 42.349, -87.862 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Mason

When: August 23, 5:12 PM CST
Where: Mason County, Bath
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 40.240, -89.917 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Large trees were blown down 4 miles south of town.

Thunderstorm Wind, Kendall

When: August 23, 5:25 PM CST
Where: Kendall County, Yorkville
Coordinates: 41.591, -88.429 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A spotter reported wind gusts to 65 mph.

Hail, Marshall

When: August 23, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Marshall County, Campgrove
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 41.033, -89.345 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Cook

When: August 23, 5:33 PM CST to 5:45 PM CST
Where: Cook County, Streamwood to Arlington Heights
Coordinates: 41.895, -87.646 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusts of 60 to 70 mph blew through the north suburbs knocking down tree limbs.

Thunderstorm Wind, Tazewell

When: August 23, 5:35 PM CST
Where: Tazewell County, Deer Creek
Property damage: $50
Coordinates: 40.508, -89.513 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Large tree limbs were blown down.

Hail, Tazewell

When: August 23, 5:36 PM CST
Where: Tazewell County, Minier
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 40.508, -89.513 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A woman photographed a narrow tornado on the ground in an open field. As it approached it lifted. No damage was reported.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Clair

When: August 23, 5:39 PM CST
Where: St. Clair County, Cahokia
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 38.470, -89.928 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

County officials reported trees and power lines down in Cahokia. A large warehouse roof was later damaged from high wind.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Clair

When: August 23, 5:42 PM CST
Where: St. Clair County, Belleville
Property damage: $50,000
Coordinates: 38.470, -89.928 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

County officials reported trees and power lines down in Cahokia. A large warehouse roof was later damaged from high wind.

Hail, Tazewell

When: August 23, 5:45 PM CST
Where: Tazewell County, Minier
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 40.508, -89.513 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A woman photographed a narrow tornado on the ground in an open field. As it approached it lifted. No damage was reported.

Tornado, Tazewell

When: August 23, 5:45 PM CST
Where: Tazewell County, Minier
Rating: F1
Path length: 0.3 mi
Path width: 20 yd
Coordinates: 40.430, -89.320

A woman photographed a narrow tornado on the ground in an open field. As it approached it lifted. No damage was reported.

Thunderstorm Wind, Madison

When: August 23, 5:50 PM CST
Where: Madison County, Granite City
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 38.830, -89.905 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The county sheriff reported several large trees down in Granite City. Ham radio spotters also reported large trees down and minor street flooding near Godfrey.

Thunderstorm Wind, McLean

When: August 23, 5:50 PM CST
Where: McLean County, Bloomington
Coordinates: 40.491, -88.847 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts to 60 mph were measured by Mclean County ESDA officials.

Thunderstorm Wind, Madison

When: August 23, 5:55 PM CST
Where: Madison County, Godfrey
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 38.830, -89.905 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The county sheriff reported several large trees down in Granite City. Ham radio spotters also reported large trees down and minor street flooding near Godfrey.

Thunderstorm Wind, Adams

When: August 23, 6:05 PM CST
Where: Adams County, Lima
Coordinates: 39.988, -91.188 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds downed large tree limbs and small trees.

Thunderstorm Wind, Du Page

When: August 23, 6:05 PM CST to 6:25 PM CST
Where: Du Page County to Lombard
Coordinates: 41.852, -88.086 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Glen Ellyn,Winds of 60 to 70 mph knocked down many large tree limbs. A tree fell on a house in Lombard.

Thunderstorm Wind, Tazewell

When: August 23, 6:10 PM CST
Where: Tazewell County, Groveland
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 40.508, -89.513 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Large tree limbs were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cook

When: August 23, 7:10 PM CST
Where: Cook County, Alsip
Coordinates: 41.895, -87.646 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds blew out windows of a house in Alsip. Tree limbs were blown down on the south side of Chicago.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cook

When: August 23, 7:15 PM CST
Where: Cook County, Chicago
Coordinates: 41.895, -87.646 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds blew out windows of a house in Alsip. Tree limbs were blown down on the south side of Chicago.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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

Every storm in Illinois in 1993 Every state in 1993 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Illinois, 1993 Warnings in Illinois, August 1993

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: 10322277, 10322560, 10322278, 10320620, 10322737, 10320621, 10322702, 10322738, 10322268, 10320469, 10322739, 10322800, 10322740, 10320348, 10322552, 10320292, 10322551, 10320767, 10322741, 10322742, 10322575, 10322576, 10322743, 10322744, 10320356, 10321004, 10320357, 10320458, 10320505, 10322780, 10320768, 10320769.