261
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
4
Direct injuries
$4.8M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Stephenson County, Illinois: 261 recorded events between 1956 and 2026. The strongest on record measured 90. That places the county #626 nationally and #25 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Stephenson County, Illinois: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Stephenson County is the 2000s, when 83 of the county's 261 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Stephenson County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 50.4% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #626 for this hazard and #25 within Illinois, putting it in the 80.1 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Stephenson County with 76 recorded events, while Jan is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 31, 2008 | WINSLOW | 61 | 0 | 1 | $25K |
| Jul 5, 2003 | PEARL CITY | 55 | 0 | 1 | $20K |
| May 17, 1999 | ORANGEVILLE | 0 | 0 | 1 | $40K |
| Aug 16, 1987 | 58 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 14, 2026 | PEARL CITY | 83 | $0 |
| Aug 18, 2025 | FREEPORT | 56 | $0 |
| Aug 18, 2025 | FREEPORT | 50 | $0 |
| Jul 5, 2025 | DAKOTA | 65 | $0 |
| Jul 16, 2024 | WINNESHIEK | 61 | $0 |
| Jul 16, 2024 | GERMAN VLY | 65 | $0 |
| Jul 16, 2024 | LENA | 81 | $0 |
| Jul 16, 2024 | FREEPORT | 56 | $0 |
| Jul 16, 2024 | PEARL CITY | 56 | $0 |
| Jul 15, 2024 | PEARL CITY | 52 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Stephenson County
- Hail 135
- Flash Flood 40
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Wind gusts estimated to be 65 to 75 mph caused widespread tree and structural damage in the vicinity of Freeport, IL between 630 pm and 655 pm August 4. On Rock City Rd, several trees and branches were blown down as well as a metal storage shed. In addition, twenty-five rows of corn on both sides of the road were flattened. Some buildings on the southwest side of town were damaged. On Fairview Rd, a tree was blown over onto a house. On Edwardsville Rd, some large tree limbs were blown down. A power outage was also observed across the county.
Wind gusts estimated to be 70 mph snapped some trees and utility poles in half and ripped some siding off of some houses along Pearl City Rd about 0.25 miles west of Highland Community College on the west side of Freeport, IL around 1155 pm April 5. This report was relayed by Stephenson County SKYNET. In addition, a 40 foot tall pine tree on the 1200 block of Lincoln Boulevard fell onto a house. Several Freeport streets were littered with downed trees, especially hard hit were South High Ave, Lemon Ave, Nursery Ave, Bauch Ave, West Pleasant St, and South Highland Ave. The Freeport Journal Standard also contributed to this report.
Wind gusts estimated to be 70 mph blew some farm equipment over in a nearby farm field about 3.5 miles southwest of Orangeville, IL around 430 pm June 1. The equipment was laying to the south. It was determined that downburst winds caused this damage. Time estimated.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Stephenson County, Illinois?
261 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Stephenson County between 1956 and 2026, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Stephenson County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Stephenson County measured 90.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Stephenson County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Thunderstorm Wind in Stephenson County, Illinois.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/illinois/stephenson-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.