IL

Storm restoration across Cumberland County

Cumberland County sits in east-central Illinois within the National Weather Service Lincoln office's warning area, a corridor that sees regular tornado, large hail, and damaging-wind activity from March through July. The county has recorded 18 confirmed tornadoes since 1950, including a deadly F3 in August 1977 and two EF-2 tornadoes in spring 2025, one of which tracked nearly 45 miles across Cumberland and neighboring counties. The Embarras River, which drains through the county, produces recurring flood events severe enough that the USDA designated Cumberland a natural disaster area for excessive rain and flooding. Winter brings ice storms and heavy snow events consistent with the statewide average of five severe winter storms per year, creating additional wind, structural, and freeze-thaw damage cycles.