375
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
8
Direct injuries
$10.6M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Rock County, Wisconsin: 375 recorded events between 1955 and 2025. The strongest on record measured 100. That places the county #258 nationally and #2 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Rock County, Wisconsin: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Rock County is the 2000s, when 101 of the county's 375 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 Rock County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 51.0% of all recorded severe weather across 9 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #258 for this hazard and #2 within Wisconsin, putting it in the 91.8 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Rock County with 109 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 5, 2000 | EVANSVILLE | 100 | 0 | 2 | $5.0M |
| Jun 6, 1999 | EVANSVILLE | 65 | 0 | 2 | $3K |
| Jul 7, 1991 | 0 | 0 | 2 | $0 | |
| Aug 5, 1989 | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 | |
| May 8, 1988 | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 16, 2025 | DOWNTOWN JANESVILLE | 50 | $15K |
| Jul 11, 2025 | EVANSVILLE | 66 | $0 |
| Jul 11, 2025 | EVANSVILLE | 50 | $2K |
| Jun 26, 2025 | TIFFANY | 50 | $3K |
| Mar 15, 2025 | MALLWOOD | 65 | $0 |
| Mar 15, 2025 | MILTON JCT | 65 | $0 |
| Mar 15, 2025 | PERRYGO PLACE | 56 | $0 |
| Mar 15, 2025 | BELOIT NORTH | 56 | $0 |
| Mar 15, 2025 | DOWNTOWN JANESVILLE | 56 | $0 |
| Mar 15, 2025 | AVON | 56 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Rock County
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Police reported numerous trees and power lines down between Milton and Janesville. Roof damage was reported in Janesville from the thunderstorm wind gusts, and several homes were damaged by tree debris. One home had some windows blown out. Barn damage was noted in the countryside around Janesville. A 68 knot (78 mph) wind gust was recorded at the Janesville Airport (KJVL).
Law enforcement officials in Rock County reported trees and power lines down in a 23-mile wide swath from west northwest of Orfordville to northeast of Clinton due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 65 knots (75 mph). Corn crops, valued at $700,000, were also flattened. A home in downtown Janesville had a bedroom addition crushed when a tree fell on it. The winds also blew down a barn on Creek Road where it crosses Turtle Creek, as well as a giant 22-foot, 2,000 pound fiberglass pumpkin off of a 65-foot tall silo at Meyer's Farm Market north of Janesville.
Powerful thunderstorm winds raked the city of Janesville. At least 50 large trees were uprooted, and numerous power-lines were down. A metal roof of a business was ripped off by the winds. Elsewhere, a tree fell on a flatbed truck (minor damage), and a carriage house roof was blown off. Heavy rains resulted in minor urban flooding and a couple stalled vehicles.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Rock County, Wisconsin?
375 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Rock County between 1955 and 2025, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Rock County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Rock County measured 100.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Rock 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 Rock County, Wisconsin.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/wisconsin/rock-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.