Flash Flood in Illinois, May 10, 1996

Name: Flash Flood in Illinois, May 10, 1996
Start: 1996-05-10T19:00
End: 1996-05-10T21:00
Location: Illinois

May 10, 1996 · NWS PAH · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Many roads in Jackson County became impassable after 3 to 5 inches of rain fell in about 3 hours. S.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $200,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

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 PAH wrote it up.

Many roads in Jackson County became impassable after 3 to 5 inches of rain fell in about 3 hours. U.S. 51 near Illinois 149 was impassable. This flooding combined with the late April flash flood resulted in a federal disaster declaration for Jackson County. Rainfall totals from late April into early May were close to 12 inches. In the May 10 event, a family narrowly escaped injury when their camper vehicle was swept off a road by high water. They swam to safety, but their mobile home and its contents were a total loss. Basement flooding was quite common across the county, including some that caved in.

The radar

The Paducah radar (KPAH), 96 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:59 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Jackson

When: May 10, 7:00 PM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where: Jackson County, Murphysboro
Property damage: $200,000
Coordinates: 37.785, -89.382 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Illinois in 1996 Every state in 1996 This day in weather history Warnings 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: 5554378.