192
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
4
Direct injuries
$1.7M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Effingham County, Illinois: 192 recorded events between 1956 and 2026. The strongest on record measured 70. That places the county #1,103 nationally and #46 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Effingham County, Illinois: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Effingham County is the 2010s, when 56 of the county's 192 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 Effingham County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 50.8% of all recorded severe weather across 5 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #1,103 for this hazard and #46 within Illinois, putting it in the 64.9 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Effingham County with 49 recorded events, while Mar 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 19, 2026 | WATSON | 52 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| Jul 20, 2020 | BEECHER CITY | 52 | 0 | 1 | $250K |
| Jun 11, 2002 | ALTAMONT | 55 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| Apr 20, 1996 | COUNTYWIDE | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 11, 2026 | ALTAMONT | 52 | $0 |
| Feb 19, 2026 | WATSON | 52 | $0 |
| Oct 18, 2025 | EFFINGHAM | 52 | $0 |
| Jul 20, 2025 | FUNKHOUSER | 52 | $0 |
| Jul 20, 2025 | MONTROSE | 52 | $0 |
| Jun 18, 2025 | EFFINGHAM | 52 | $0 |
| Jun 18, 2025 | ALTAMONT | 52 | $0 |
| Jun 18, 2025 | ALTAMONT | 61 | $0 |
| Jun 18, 2025 | BEECHER CITY | 52 | $0 |
| May 16, 2025 | EFFINGHAM | 52 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Effingham County
- Hail 86
- Flash Flood 59
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Two tractor-semitrailers were blown over in Effingham while numerous trees and power lines were reportedly down across the county. The county sheriff also reported partial roof damage to two homes three miles south of Effingham.
Thunderstorm winds blew down numerous large tree limbs in Moccasin. The limbs caused minor damage to one home, mainly guttering and siding damage, and severely damaged a pickup truck. No injuries were reported and damage was estimated around $1,000.
Numerous large trees and tree branches were blown down around Altamont. Some vehicle damage was reported due to falling branches. A garage door buckled in and the siding of a house was damaged. The most significant wind damage occurred along West Jefferson Avenue between 7th Street and 10th Street.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Effingham County, Illinois?
192 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Effingham County between 1956 and 2026, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Effingham County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Effingham County measured 70.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Effingham 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 Effingham County, Illinois.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/illinois/effingham-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.