IL

Storm restoration across Menard County

Menard County sits in central Illinois within the NWS Lincoln (ILX) forecast area, a corridor with documented tornado activity in every season. Since 1950, the county has recorded 15 tornadoes including an EF3 in December 2010 that caused $12 million in damage near Petersburg and an EF2 in December 2021 near Atterberry, with peak tornado months running April through June. Large hail and straight-line derecho winds are recurrent severe-weather hazards during spring and summer convective events, frequently triggering county-wide tornado watches alongside Logan, Sangamon, and Cass counties. The Sangamon River, which runs through the county, is a documented flooding source with recorded high crests near Chandlerville, and central Illinois winters bring ice storms and snow-loading events that cause significant roof, gutter, and structural damage across the county's rural and small-town building stock.