Rare September Tornado: Missouri & Illinois Hit! What You Need To Know
September is typically a quieter month for tornadoes, with the exception of those spawned by hurricanes and tropical storms. However, on September 22, 2006, a powerful tornado ripped through parts of southeast Missouri and southern Illinois, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
The tornado touched down near Perryville, Missouri, and traveled 27 miles to just north of Murphysboro, Illinois, in a mere 23 minutes. Its peak intensity reached F4 status in Crosstown, Missouri. The National Weather Service damage survey reported that “four well-constructed homes…were leveled to the foundation.” Over 100 additional homes were damaged, hundreds of trees were uprooted or damaged, and over 100 power poles were snapped.
Miraculously, no one was killed, and only five people were injured. This tornado was part of a larger outbreak of 50 tornadoes that occurred between September 21-23 across the Plains, Ohio Valley, and Southeast.
According to the Tornado Archive, no other September U.S. tornado has reached F/EF4 or higher intensity in the 19 years since this event. Another EF4 tornado struck just north of Perryville, Missouri on February 28, 2017, remaining on the ground for over an hour.
What Makes This Tornado Significant?
- Rarity: Violent tornadoes are uncommon in September.
- Intensity: An F4 tornado packs winds between 207-260 mph, causing significant damage.
- Speed: Traveling 27 miles in 23 minutes indicates a fast-moving and dangerous storm.
Jonathan Erdman, a senior meteorologist at weather.com, has been covering national and international weather since 1996.