IL

Storm restoration across Macon County

Macon County sits in central Illinois's severe weather corridor and has recorded 79 tornadoes since 1950, including an F4 in 1976 that tracked 63 miles, an F3 that caused $9 million in damage to Decatur in 1996, and an EF-2 in December 2025 that traveled nearly 24 miles and destroyed roofs across eight homes southeast of Decatur. The county is also a documented derecho target: the July 2024 derecho delivered straight-line winds of 80-95 mph, produced hail reports exceeding 5 inches near Decatur, and dumped more than 3.5 inches of rain in a single event, causing flash flooding. Large hail events are frequent across the county's flat agricultural terrain, and the Soybean Belt geography accelerates convective storm development each spring and early summer. Winter storms bring ice accumulation and heavy snow that regularly damage rooflines, gutters, and older structures throughout the county.