205
Recorded events
2
Direct deaths
12
Direct injuries
$4.2M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Knox County, Illinois: 205 recorded events between 1965 and 2026. The strongest on record measured 87. That places the county #993 nationally and #39 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Knox County, Illinois: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Knox County is the 2010s, when 62 of the county's 205 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 Knox County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 52.2% of all recorded severe weather across 6 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #993 for this hazard and #39 within Illinois, putting it in the 68.4 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Knox County with 65 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 23, 2007 | (GBG)GALESBURG ARPT | 61 | 1 | 7 | $800K |
| Mar 9, 2002 | GALESBURG | 50 | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| Jun 8, 2005 | GALESBURG | 60 | 0 | 2 | $0 |
| Jun 29, 1998 | COUNTYWIDE | 52 | 0 | 2 | $1.0M |
| Jun 21, 1997 | GALESBURG | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 10, 2026 | CENTERVILLE | 61 | $0 |
| Mar 10, 2026 | CENTERVILLE | 61 | $0 |
| Mar 10, 2026 | CENTERVILLE | 61 | $0 |
| Aug 19, 2025 | LONDON MILLS | 61 | $0 |
| May 20, 2025 | KNOX | 52 | $0 |
| Apr 21, 2025 | MAQUON | 61 | $0 |
| Mar 15, 2025 | (GBG)GALESBURG ARPT | 60 | $0 |
| Aug 16, 2024 | DAHINDA | 52 | $0 |
| Jul 16, 2024 | GALESBURG | 61 | $0 |
| Jul 16, 2024 | OAK RUN | 87 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Knox County
- Hail 114
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A swath of wind damage cut through Knox county. The winds produced considerable tree, power line, and crop damage. Numerous structures were also damaged along the path, primarily due to falling trees and tree limbs. A man was killed in the Victoria area by a falling tree. Seven injuries were reported in the Galesburg area due to the storm, at least one due to a falling tree.
As a severe thunderstorm moved northeast across Knox County, it blew down several trees and power lines. Also, 2.4 miles south southeast of Rio on IL Route 150 at 2500 N, the thunderstorm winds caused a woman to lose control of her car. She slid sideways and struck a utility pole. She was killed in the crash. No other injuries or deaths were reported.
A downburst with estimated winds of 80-90mph created considerable damage at several farms near the town of Abingdon. A silage wagon was flipped over, the roof of a livestock barn was ripped off, and a machine shed was destroyed at Malone Farms. Numerous trees were blown down around the area, and neighboring farm buildings were damaged as well.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Knox County, Illinois?
205 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Knox County between 1965 and 2026, causing 2 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Knox County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Knox County measured 87.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Knox 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 Knox County, Illinois.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/illinois/knox-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.