148
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
4
Direct injuries
$2.1M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in De Witt County, Illinois: 148 recorded events between 1956 and 2025. The strongest on record measured 96. That places the county #1,551 nationally and #56 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in De Witt County, Illinois: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in De Witt County is the 2010s, when 43 of the county's 148 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 De Witt County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 57.1% of all recorded severe weather across 6 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #1,551 for this hazard and #56 within Illinois, putting it in the 50.5 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in De Witt County with 44 recorded events, while Feb 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 16, 1988 | 0 | 0 | 4 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 26, 2025 | WAYNESVILLE | 52 | $0 |
| Mar 19, 2025 | KENNEY | 52 | $0 |
| Jul 16, 2024 | WAYNESVILLE | 61 | $0 |
| Jul 16, 2024 | CLINTON | 61 | $0 |
| May 22, 2024 | FARMER CITY | 52 | $0 |
| Apr 19, 2024 | CLINTON | 61 | $0 |
| Apr 19, 2024 | CLINTON | 61 | $0 |
| Aug 26, 2023 | WAPELLA | 52 | $0 |
| Jun 29, 2023 | WELDON | 61 | $0 |
| Jun 29, 2023 | FARMER CITY | 70 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from De Witt County
- Hail 65
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
In DeWitt County, a strong microburst (100 to 110 mph) hit around the Clinton Nuclear Power Plant facility and the adjacent Clinton Lake recreation area. The nuclear plant lost three high voltage transmission lines, though there was no structural damage to the facility. Nearby at the marina, the roof on the west side was blown off and several large boats (not in the water) were blown over. Also, hundreds of trees were blown down, some of which blocked Routes 54 and 10 for a time. No injuries were reported.
Damaging downburst winds moved across central portions of Dewitt county. The path of the damage was two to three miles wide and extended from 2.25 miles north of Clinton to Dewitt to 2.5 miles north of Weldon. The extent of the damage included a cement block wall blown over at a construction site north of Clinton, campers blown over at Clinton Lake State Park, siding damage to numerous homes, sporadic trees and tree limbs blown down, plus crop damage. A warehouse at a power plant sustained some roof damage and and empty grain bin was picked up and carried around 150 feet. No injuries were reported.
As a line of severe storms moved through, numerous trees and power lines were blown down. In Kenney, siding was torn off of a church. In Clinton, one tree fell onto a home causing minor damage. No injuries were reported.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in De Witt County, Illinois?
148 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in De Witt County between 1956 and 2025, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in De Witt County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in De Witt County measured 96.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for De Witt 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 De Witt County, Illinois.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/illinois/de-witt-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.