Illinois, 1996

Flooding in Illinois, May 1 to 31, 1996

May 1 to 31, 1996 · NWS LSX · 10 events in 10 counties and zones

Heavy rain from late April into Early May caused flooding on the Mississippi, Illinois and several smaller rivers in the area. A record stage was set on the La Moine River at Ripley, IL.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 10 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
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
10

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS LSX wrote it up.

Heavy rain from late April into Early May caused flooding on the Mississippi, Illinois and several smaller rivers in the area. A record stage was set on the La Moine River at Ripley, IL. Damage was primarily limited to agricultural lowlands, Although some towns had some roads closed. Some stages and highlights:La Moine River Flood Stage Crest Ripley 22 29.8 5/8 New Record, old record 29.07, set in 1985Kaskaskia River Flood Stage Crest Vandalia 18 27.46 4/30Illinois River Flood Stage Crest Hardin 25 31.5 5/31Mississippi River Flood Stage Crest Quincy 17 24.4 5/29 Grafton 30 25.3 5/16 Chester 27 35.5 5/16Calhoun County, Mozier, Hamburg, and Kampsville: Highway 96 was closed at Mozier and Hamburg. The ferrys that cross the Mississippi River, including the Brussels and Golden Eagle, has to cease opertions due to the high water. On the Illinois River at Kampsville, street flooding occurred in town.Jersey County, Grafton: Lower parts of this river town flooded, as is usually the case. However damage was minimal, again due to buyouts following the 1993 and 1995 flooding.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Adams

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Adams forecast zone
Coordinates
39.988, -91.188 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Brown

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Brown forecast zone
Coordinates
39.962, -90.750 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Pike

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Pike forecast zone
Coordinates
39.623, -90.886 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Calhoun

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Calhoun forecast zone
Coordinates
39.169, -90.667 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Jersey

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Jersey forecast zone
Coordinates
39.086, -90.357 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Madison

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Madison forecast zone
Coordinates
38.830, -89.905 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Fayette

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Fayette forecast zone
Coordinates
39.000, -89.024 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, St. Clair

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 AM CST
Where
St. Clair forecast zone
Coordinates
38.470, -89.928 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Monroe

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Monroe forecast zone
Coordinates
38.279, -90.177 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Randolph

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Randolph forecast zone
Coordinates
38.052, -89.825 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Illinois in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, May 1996

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: 5553122, 5553123, 5553124, 5553125, 5553126, 5553127, 5553128, 5553129, 5553130, 5553131.