Hail and Damaging Winds in Illinois, July 20, 1981

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Illinois, July 20, 1981
Start: 1981-07-20T12:45
End: 1981-07-20T17:10
Location: Illinois

July 20, 1981 · NWS RY · 29 events in 23 counties and zones

27 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 29

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

Event by event

27 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Livingston

When: July 20, 12:45 PM CST
Where: Livingston County
Coordinates: 40.980, -88.730

Thunderstorm Wind, Jersey

When: July 20, 2:30 PM CST
Where: Jersey County
Coordinates: 39.030, -90.320

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Clair

When: July 20, 2:55 PM CST
Where: St. Clair County
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Coordinates: 38.550, -89.850

Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe

When: July 20, 3:15 PM CST
Where: Monroe County
Coordinates: 38.450, -90.200

Hail, Washington

When: July 20, 3:20 PM CST
Where: Washington County
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 38.430, -89.550

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When: July 20, 3:20 PM CST
Where: Washington County
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 38.350, -89.380

Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe

When: July 20, 3:30 PM CST
Where: Monroe County
Measured: 62 kt (71 mph)
Coordinates: 38.170, -90.220

Thunderstorm Wind, Randolph

When: July 20, 3:34 PM CST
Where: Randolph County
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Coordinates: 38.220, -89.980

Thunderstorm Wind, Madison

When: July 20, 3:37 PM CST
Where: Madison County
Coordinates: 38.820, -89.950

Thunderstorm Wind, Perry

When: July 20, 3:50 PM CST
Where: Perry County
Coordinates: 38.080, -89.380

Thunderstorm Wind, Jackson

When: July 20, 3:56 PM CST
Where: Jackson County
Measured: 72 kt (83 mph)
Coordinates: 37.720, -89.480

Thunderstorm Wind, Perry

When: July 20, 3:56 PM CST
Where: Perry County
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 38.020, -89.230

Thunderstorm Wind, Marion

When: July 20, 4:05 PM CST
Where: Marion County
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 38.630, -88.950

Thunderstorm Wind, Union

When: July 20, 4:10 PM CST
Where: Union County
Coordinates: 37.500, -89.150

Thunderstorm Wind, Jefferson

When: July 20, 4:15 PM CST
Where: Jefferson County
Coordinates: 38.320, -88.900

Thunderstorm Wind, Johnson

When: July 20, 4:20 PM CST
Where: Johnson County
Coordinates: 37.530, -88.770

Thunderstorm Wind, Clay

When: July 20, 4:45 PM CST
Where: Clay County
Coordinates: 38.770, -88.500

Thunderstorm Wind, Richland

When: July 20, 4:45 PM CST
Where: Richland County
Coordinates: 38.730, -88.080

Thunderstorm Wind, Richland

When: July 20, 4:45 PM CST
Where: Richland County
Coordinates: 38.720, -87.970

Thunderstorm Wind, Jackson

When: July 20, 4:48 PM CST
Where: Jackson County
Coordinates: 37.780, -89.250

Thunderstorm Wind, Gallatin

When: July 20, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Gallatin County
Coordinates: 37.700, -88.130

Thunderstorm Wind, Wayne

When: July 20, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Wayne County
Coordinates: 38.380, -88.370

Thunderstorm Wind, Saline

When: July 20, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Saline County
Coordinates: 37.730, -88.550

Thunderstorm Wind, White

When: July 20, 5:00 PM CST
Where: White County
Coordinates: 38.080, -88.170

Thunderstorm Wind, Hardin

When: July 20, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Hardin County
Coordinates: 37.450, -88.300

Thunderstorm Wind, Wabash

When: July 20, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Wabash County
Coordinates: 38.420, -87.770

Thunderstorm Wind, Hamilton

When: July 20, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Hamilton County
Coordinates: 38.100, -88.530

Hail, Edwards

When: July 20, 5:10 PM CST
Where: Edwards County
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 38.380, -88.050

Thunderstorm Wind, Edwards

When: July 20, 5:10 PM CST
Where: Edwards County
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph)
Coordinates: 38.380, -88.050

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Illinois in 1981 Every state in 1981 This day in weather history

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 10003415, 10003416, 10003417, 10003418, 10003419, 10003420, 10003421, 10003422, 10003423, 10003424, 10003425, 10003426, 10003427, 10003428, 10003429, 10003430, 10003431, 10003432, 10003433, 10003434, 10003435, 10003436, 10003437, 10003438, 10003439, 10003440, 10004290, 10004291, 10004505.