IL

Storm restoration across Franklin County

Franklin County sits in deep southern Illinois within the NWS St. Louis warning area, placing it squarely in a high-frequency severe weather corridor. The county carries one of the most dramatic tornado records in U.S. history: the March 18, 1925 Tri-State Tornado killed 192 people here alone, destroying the mining community of West Frankfort and erasing the town of Parrish entirely. Beyond that historic event, the county sees recurring springtime tornado outbreaks, large hail events, and bow-echo derechos capable of producing straight-line wind gusts exceeding 80 mph. The Big Muddy River drainage basin makes the county prone to flash flooding and river flooding after heavy rain events - Franklin County has been declared a federal disaster area multiple times for flood damage, including after an 8-inch rainfall event in 1996 that forced roughly 100 residents from their homes by boat. Winter brings ice storm and heavy snow risk, with glaze ice events periodically shutting down roads across the county.