211
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
10
Direct injuries
$2.6M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Coles County, Illinois: 211 recorded events between 1955 and 2026. The strongest on record measured 85. That places the county #952 nationally and #35 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Coles County, Illinois: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Coles County is the 2000s, when 63 of the county's 211 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 Coles County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 50.5% of all recorded severe weather across 6 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #952 for this hazard and #35 within Illinois, putting it in the 69.7 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Coles County with 60 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 30, 1986 | 0 | 0 | 5 | $0 | |
| Mar 10, 1986 | 0 | 0 | 3 | $0 | |
| Aug 16, 2012 | MATTOON | 70 | 0 | 2 | $40K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 11, 2026 | MATTOON | 52 | $0 |
| Mar 11, 2026 | MATTOON | 52 | $0 |
| Mar 11, 2026 | MATTOON | 52 | $0 |
| Mar 11, 2026 | MATTOON | 52 | $0 |
| Jul 12, 2025 | CHARLESTON | 52 | $0 |
| Jul 6, 2025 | MATTOON | 52 | $0 |
| Jun 27, 2025 | (MTO)MATTOON/CHRLSTN | 54 | $0 |
| Jun 27, 2025 | MATTOON | 52 | $0 |
| Jun 18, 2025 | DIONA | 52 | $0 |
| Jun 18, 2025 | OAKLAND | 52 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Coles County
- Hail 115
- Flash Flood 41
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Strong thunderstorm winds snapped 64 power poles along Illinois Route 16 near Ashmore. 30 poles were snapped west of Ashmore and 34 east of town. The John Deere Implement Company suffered roof damage to three of its buildings on the southwest side of Ashmore. In addition, three empty grain bins and several outbuildings were damaged north of town.
Widespread tree and power line damage occurred in and around Mattoon. In addition, several buildings in town sustained roof damage, a cinder block wall partly collapsed at a tire dealership, and numerous vehicles were damaged at a car dealership by flying debris.
Thunderstorm winds damaged two barns and blew part of the roof off of a mall, causing damage to five buisnesses. Also, several downed trees damaged two homes and numerous power lines were blown down. Numerous trees were blown down and several windows were broken by flying debris at Eastern Illinois University. Damage was estimated around $200 thousand.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Coles County, Illinois?
211 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Coles County between 1955 and 2026, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Coles County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Coles County measured 85.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Coles 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 Coles County, Illinois.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/illinois/coles-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.