High Wind in Illinois, October 29 to 30, 1996

Name: High Wind in Illinois, October 29 to 30, 1996
Start: 1996-10-29T17:10
End: 1996-10-30T06:00
Location: Illinois

October 29 to 30, 1996 · NWS DVN · 13 events in 13 counties and zones

Strong gradient winds followed behind a line of thunderstorms which occurred along a strong cold front. This caused widespread damage to trees and power lines.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 13 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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: 13

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS DVN wrote it up.

Strong gradient winds followed behind a line of thunderstorms which occurred along a strong cold front. This caused widespread damage to trees and power lines. Numerous tin sheds and a few barns were destroyed during the 15 to 20 hours of strong to severe winds. Power outages were too numerous to count and one of these outages was credited with starting a furnace fire. The fire however was confined and no dollar damage was reported. In spite of the widespread damage to trees, several newspaper articles across the area reported that damage to unharvested crops was minimal.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

13 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Jo Daviess

When: October 29, 5:10 PM CST to October 30, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Jo Daviess forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 42.366, -90.212 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Stephenson

When: October 29, 5:10 PM CST to October 30, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Stephenson forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 42.352, -89.662 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Carroll

When: October 29, 5:10 PM CST to October 30, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Carroll forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 42.069, -89.934 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Whiteside

When: October 29, 5:10 PM CST to October 30, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Whiteside forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 41.756, -89.914 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Rock Island

When: October 29, 5:10 PM CST to October 30, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Rock Island forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 41.467, -90.567 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Henry

When: October 29, 5:10 PM CST to October 30, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Henry forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 41.353, -90.131 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Bureau

When: October 29, 5:10 PM CST to October 30, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Bureau forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 41.404, -89.529 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Putnam

When: October 29, 5:10 PM CST to October 30, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Putnam forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 41.205, -89.286 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Mercer

When: October 29, 5:10 PM CST to October 30, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Mercer forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 41.205, -90.741 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Henderson

When: October 29, 5:10 PM CST to October 30, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Henderson forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 40.818, -90.925 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Warren

When: October 29, 5:10 PM CST to October 30, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Warren forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 40.849, -90.615 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Hancock

When: October 29, 5:10 PM CST to October 30, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Hancock forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 40.404, -91.165 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, McDonough

When: October 29, 5:10 PM CST to October 30, 6:00 AM CST
Where: McDonough forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 40.456, -90.678 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Illinois in 1996 Every state in 1996 This day in weather history Warnings in Illinois, October 1996

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: 5570057, 5570058, 5570059, 5570060, 5570061, 5570062, 5570063, 5570064, 5570065, 5570066, 5570067, 5570068, 5570069.