Illinois, 1998

Tornado and Damaging Winds in Illinois, December 6, 1998

December 6, 1998 · NWS ILX · 3 events in 2 counties and zones

2 thunderstorm wind, 1 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
0
Property damage
$325,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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.

The radar

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

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Event by event

2 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, Vermilion

When
December 6, 6:55 PM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Vermilion County, Collison
Rating
F0
Path length
2 mi
Path width
200 yd
Property damage
$300,000
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
40.230, -87.800

A tornado touched down on the west side of Collison. It caused moderate to major damage to a dozen homes and destroyed a post office and two mobile homes. Dozens of trees were blown over and numerous projectiles...ranging from small tree branches to 2 inch by 8 inch boards...were either driven into the ground or into structures. No injuries or deaths were reported. Damage was estimated around $300,000.

Thunderstorm Wind, Edgar

When
December 6, 7:00 PM CST to 7:10 PM CST
Where
Edgar County, Paris
Property damage
$25,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
39.620, -87.700

Thunderstorm winds blew down a large sign and several power poles in Paris. Just east of Paris a pole barn was destroyed. No injuries were reported and damage to the pole barn was estimated around $25,000.

Thunderstorm Wind, Vermilion

When
December 6, 7:10 PM CST
Where
Vermilion County, 1 mi W of Hoopeston
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
40.470, -87.680

Thunderstorm winds destroyed a shed and blew down several trees and power lines one mile west of Hoopeston.

What these are

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.
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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Illinois in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Illinois, 1998Warnings in Illinois, December 1998

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: 5673465, 5673467, 5673466.