Illinois, 1997

Flooding in Illinois, February 21 to 28, 1997

February 21 to 28, 1997 · NWS ILX · 10 events in 10 counties and zones

A strong storm system produced very heavy rainfall along the Illinois River basin on the 20th and 21st. 5 inches of rain, which fell on frozen grounds.

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 ILX wrote it up.

A strong storm system produced very heavy rainfall along the Illinois River basin on the 20th and 21st. The area received 2 day totals of 3 to 4.5 inches of rain, which fell on frozen grounds. This caused numerous tributaries of the Illinois River to flood and in response the Illinois River began to rise. It rose over flood stage in Havana on the 21st, on the 22nd in Henry and Peoria, and on the 23rd in Beardstown. Another storm system moved through central Illinois on the 26th and produced between 1 and 2 inches of rain over the Illinois River basin, which just aggravated the flooding situation. The result was the 6th worst flood in history at Peoria and the 7th worst flood in history at Henry. The river was continuing to rise at the end of February with the crests to occur in the beginning of March. All points along the Illinois River crested by March 6th. Several homes just south of Spring Bay were flooded as well as several homes in Liverpool. No damage estimate was available.

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, Peoria

When
February 21, 6:00 PM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Peoria forecast zone
Coordinates
40.788, -89.760 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Marshall

When
February 21, 6:00 PM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Marshall forecast zone
Coordinates
41.033, -89.345 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Woodford

When
February 21, 6:00 PM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Woodford forecast zone
Coordinates
40.788, -89.211 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Fulton

When
February 21, 6:00 PM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Fulton forecast zone
Coordinates
40.473, -90.207 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Tazewell

When
February 21, 6:00 PM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Tazewell forecast zone
Coordinates
40.508, -89.513 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Schuyler

When
February 21, 6:00 PM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Schuyler forecast zone
Coordinates
40.158, -90.615 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Mason

When
February 21, 6:00 PM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Mason forecast zone
Coordinates
40.240, -89.917 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Cass

When
February 21, 6:00 PM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Cass forecast zone
Coordinates
39.974, -90.247 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Scott

When
February 21, 6:00 PM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Scott forecast zone
Coordinates
39.644, -90.475 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Morgan

When
February 21, 6:00 PM CST to February 28, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Morgan forecast zone
Coordinates
39.716, -90.201 (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 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, February 1997

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: 5590234, 5590235, 5590236, 5590237, 5590238, 5590239, 5590240, 5590241, 5590242, 5590243.