233
Recorded events
1
Direct deaths
8
Direct injuries
$104.1M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Jackson County, Illinois: 233 recorded events between 1956 and 2025. The strongest on record measured 100. That places the county #788 nationally and #29 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Jackson County, Illinois: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Jackson County is the 2010s, when 48 of the county's 233 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 Jackson County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 40.3% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #788 for this hazard and #29 within Illinois, putting it in the 74.9 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jul is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Jackson County with 50 recorded events, while Nov 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 8, 2009 | NEUNERT | 92 | 1 | 6 | $100.0M |
| Oct 24, 2001 | VERGENNES | 61 | 0 | 2 | $50K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 14, 2025 | BARR | 61 | $35K |
| Sep 14, 2025 | BARR | 61 | $15K |
| May 20, 2025 | GRAND TOWER | 61 | $15K |
| Mar 15, 2025 | AVA | 60 | $100 |
| Aug 15, 2024 | GORHAM | 65 | $15K |
| Jul 5, 2024 | GORHAM | 70 | $75K |
| Jun 16, 2024 | MURPHYSBORO | 52 | $5K |
| May 27, 2024 | GRAND TOWER | 61 | $20K |
| May 8, 2024 | VERGENNES | 56 | $10K |
| Apr 2, 2024 | HOWARDTON | 54 | $1K |
Other hazards here
More from Jackson County
- Hail 148
- Flood 89
- Flash Flood 44
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
About one-third of the roof was blown off a brand new police station, landing on three nearby homes. The police station suffered water damage, and the nearby homes were heavily damaged. There were numerous trees and power lines blown down in the city. On the Southern Illinois University campus, windows were broken at an academic building, and a tree landed on a residence hall. Carbondale city schools were closed the following day since thousands of utility customers remained without power.
Thunderstorm winds estimated over 100 MPH destroyed a brick home and numerous outbuildings. Several homes were partially damaged from fallen trees. The path of this thunderstorm downburst extended into nearby northwest Williamson County near Cambria.
Widespread damage was reported throughout the county. Rooftop heating units were damaged. A trailer was blown off of its foundation, and numerous trees were down countywide. The wind gusted to 73 mph at the middle school in Murphysboro. The automated observing system at the Carbondale airport measured a peak wind of 73 mph. Trees were down throughout Murphysboro. Minor damage was reported to several homes and businesses in town, mainly to roofs.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Jackson County, Illinois?
233 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Jackson County between 1956 and 2025, causing 1 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Jackson County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Jackson County measured 100.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Jackson 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 Jackson County, Illinois.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/illinois/jackson-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.