The severe cold front that swept across the region on Dec. 28 sparked several tornadoes, some of which caused significant damage across Macon and Tazewell counties in central Illinois.

Twisters in Illinois in the winter months are not entirely rare. While the majority of the state’s tornadoes, as elsewhere, occur between March and May, a surprising number of destructive tornadoes have struck in the months of meteorological winter, December, January and February.

The office of the Illinois State Climatologist reports that, from 1950-2020, more twisters occurred in December and February combined than in September and October combined.

Those winter storms in Illinois are often deadly. While December and February have the fourth- and fifth- fewest tornadoes of any month, they also have the fourth- and fifth-most fatalities.

One of the December tornadoes in state history was an EF3 storm on Dec. 10, 2021, that tore through an Amazon warehouse south of Edwardsville, in the St. Louis Metro East. Six people were killed.

Three years earlier, an outbreak on Dec. 1, 2018, caused 28 tornadoes across Illinois, the most of any December event in state history. The old record was 21, set on Dec. 18-19, 1957.

The worst of the 2018 tornado event was an EF3 that ripped through a residential area of Taylorville, 25 miles southeast of Springfield. That storm, which lasted for 12.7 miles and was a half-mile wide, injured 22 people and damaged 406 homes. That same day, EF2 twisters caused damage to homes near Litchfield, Leroy and Stonington.

January is not immune to Illinois tornadoes, as 33 were reported in the state from 1950-2022. On Jan. 3, 2023, nine tornadoes were reported across the state, many in Macon and Sangamon counties in central Illinois.

It was the most January twisters in the state since eight were confirmed on Jan. 7, 1989. Another notable outbreak was on Jan. 24, 1967, when five were reported in central Illinois.

Nearby, a massive EF4 tornado left 21 dead in the St. Louis area on Feb. 10, 1959, in one of the worst winter tornadoes in American history. It was part of an outbreak of 17 tornadoes in the Midwest and Southeast.

After ravaging St. Louis, the tornado continued across the Mississippi River and caused damage in Madison County, Illinois. The twister was estimated to have traveled 23.9 miles in 35 minutes on the ground, and was 200 yards wide. In addition to the fatalities, 345 were injured, with damage to over 2,000 buildings.

Another deadly February tornado was the EF4 “Leap Day” twister that hammered parts of Harrisburg, in southern Illinois, on Feb. 29, 2012. Eight people were killed, with 108 injuries.

Eleven tornadoes were confirmed in northern Illinois, including 10 in the Chicago area, on Feb. 27, 2024, including a twister that left a trail of damage in Geneva, in the western suburbs.

In an earlier era, winter twisters hit Caseyville near St. Louis and Metropolis, along the Ohio River, on Feb. 19, 1884.

• Tom Emery is a freelance writer and historical researcher from Carlinville, Illinois. He may be reached at 217-710-8392 or ilcivilwar@yahoo.com.