564
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
5
Direct injuries
$3.7M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Will County, Illinois: 564 recorded events between 1956 and 2026. The strongest on record measured 95. That places the county #80 nationally and #2 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Will County, Illinois: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Will County is the 2020s, when 197 of the county's 564 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 Will County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 45.1% of all recorded severe weather across 9 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #80 for this hazard and #2 within Illinois, putting it in the 97.5 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Will County with 129 recorded events, while Dec 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 15, 1993 | Crest Hill Joliet | 0 | 0 | 2 | $500K |
| Jun 30, 2012 | JOLIET WILHEM FLD AR | 50 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| May 15, 2007 | PEOTONE | 50 | 0 | 1 | $10K |
| Apr 6, 1988 | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 17, 2026 | EAGLE LAKE | 59 | $0 |
| Apr 17, 2026 | BEECHER | 55 | $0 |
| Apr 2, 2026 | CHICAGOLAND SPEEDWAY | 52 | $0 |
| Apr 2, 2026 | (LOT) LEWIS UNIVERSITY AIRPORT | 52 | $0 |
| Mar 15, 2026 | HOMER GLEN | 55 | $0 |
| Sep 21, 2025 | ELWOOD | 55 | $0 |
| Sep 21, 2025 | SHOREWOOD | 50 | $0 |
| Aug 17, 2025 | CRETE | 52 | $0 |
| Aug 16, 2025 | SOUTH LOCKPORT | 56 | $0 |
| Aug 16, 2025 | LOCKPORT | 52 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Will County
- Hail 358
- Tornado 98
- Flood 88
- Flash Flood 65
- Lightning 41
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A thunderstorm produced widespread downburst wind damage in Crest Hill and Joliet. Measured wind gusts to 82 mph were recorded on the West side of Joliet. A survey of the damage in Crest Hill found a narrow concentrated path through a corn field where the corn was flattened and lying at an angle to the path. This was likely a small tornado or gustnado that touched down briefly. There was also an apartment garage destroyed at this point. South and southeast of this area was widespread damage to trees, fences and homes. There was severe roof damage to a church. A tent collapsed at an outdoor festival injuring two people.
An NWS Storm Survey confirmed scattered straight-line wind damage across Romeoville consistent with 70 to 90 mph winds. Large tree limbs were blown down and an evergreen tree was snapped at its base along Marquette Drive and Enterprise Drive. A large metal street light was broken at its base and leaning on power lines near Romeo Road and Route 53. Multiple trees were blown down west of Route 53 partially blocking Belmont Drive. Power lines were down at Romeo Road and Macon Avenue. A tree was blown down blocking Homer Avenue. Portions of Route 53 were closed due to power lines down across the road north of Normantown Road. Minor roof damage occurred across the area.
Numerous trees and tree limbs were blown down on west side of Crest Hill and the north and northwest side of Joliet. Several garage doors damaged by wind. One garage door blown in causing damage to the structure. A fence was also blown down.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Will County, Illinois?
564 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Will County between 1956 and 2026, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Will County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Will County measured 95.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Will 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 Will County, Illinois.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/illinois/will-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.