Strong Wind in Illinois

Events

1,505

Deaths

8

Injuries

31

Damage

$3.0 million

• Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Illinois, November 17, 20133 deaths · 34 injured · $6.8 million · EF3 · 17 eventsSupercell thunderstorms developed along a pre-frontal low pressure trough over Missouri and then moved east across southern Illinois.
• Tornadoes and Flood in Illinois, May 16, 20257 injured · $25 million · EF4 · 24 eventsA 500mb shortwave trough moved across the Upper Midwest with height falls across the Quad State during the afternoon and evening of the 16th. The exit region of a strong (125kt) upper level jet was positioned across the area as well.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Illinois, June 22 to 23, 201514 injured · $27 million · EF3 · 23 eventsDuring the evening of June 22, twelve tornadoes occurred across northern Illinois, including ten in the WFO Chicago forecast area.
• Strong Wind in Illinois, November 18, 20172 deaths · $33,000 · 19 eventsA cold front surged southeast from Missouri across the lower Ohio Valley. Ahead of the front, strong south winds gusted close to 40 mph in some places.
• Strong Wind in Illinois, May 17, 20172 deaths · 4 injured · $1,000 · 4 eventsStrong southerly winds gusting to between 35 and 45mph lifted dust from recently dried fields to create significant reductions in visibility across central Illinois during the afternoon and evening of May 17th.
• Tornadoes and Hail in Illinois, March 6 to 7, 2017$983,000 · EF2 · 41 eventsA strong cold front triggered a squall line across western Iowa into eastern Kansas during the afternoon of March 6th.
• High Wind and Strong Wind in Illinois, May 11, 20081 death · 1 injured · $66,000 · 50 kt wind · 18 eventsA low pressure system over central Illinois intensified rapidly during the early morning hours of May 11. Winds gusts ranged from 45 to 55 mph across the region. There were widespread reports of tree and power line damage.
• Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Illinois, January 29, 20132 injured · $579,000 · EF2 · 24 eventsA line of thunderstorms intensified as it moved east from Missouri. The storms increased as they moved into slightly more unstable air associated with a strengthening low level jet. The storms were aided by the approach of a strong upper level trough.
• Damaging Winds and High Wind in Illinois, April 6, 20161 death · $61,000 · 65 kt wind · 6 eventsStrong to locally damaging winds occurred ahead of a cold front. At the surface, low pressure was centered over northeast Illinois, with a cold front arching across the middle Mississippi Valley.
• Strong Wind in Illinois, October 26 to 27, 20101 death · $33,000 · 4 eventsDue to a very deep area of low pressure tracking across the Upper Midwest, strong winds occurred across central Illinois on October 26th. Winds were initially from the south during the early morning hours, but then switched to the west after passage of a strong cold front.
• Strong Wind in Illinois, June 17, 20241 death · 1 injured · 1 eventOn the morning of the 17th, two 16-year-olds, one boy and one girl, were on a raft near Montrose Beach when strong winds allegedly caused their raft to flip over. A bystander pulled the girl to shore but officials were unable to recover the boy before he drowned.
• Strong Wind in Illinois, April 19, 20191 death · 1 eventStrong winds caused rough conditions on Bangs Lake, an inland lake in Wauconda, IL. Two boys took a paddle boat onto the lake in the evening and then went into the water. A 10 year old boy was rescued by nearby fisherman.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in Illinois, June 8 to 9, 2011$1.2 million · 1.75 in hail · 44 eventsThunderstorms developed over northern Illinois during the late evening of June 8th and continued into the morning hours of June 9th. Many areas sustained wind damage and heavy rain caused flooding in some areas.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in Illinois, May 29, 2011$555,000 · 1 in hail · 17 eventsStrong to severe thunderstorms moved across many areas of northern Illinois from late morning through late afternoon on May 29th producing damaging winds, large hail and heavy rain, which caused flash flooding in some areas.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in Illinois, March 3 to 5, 2023$259,000 · 61 kt wind · 26 eventsA strong storm system led to significant impacts. Heavy rainfall amounts of 3 to 4.5 inches produced sporadic flash flooding with a few road closures. Creeks and small rivers such as the Skillet Fork rose above flood stage.
• Tornado and Flash Flooding in Illinois, January 10 to 31, 2020$92,000 · EF1 · 22 eventsAn unseasonably strong storm system impacted the region January 10-11. Heavy rainfall, flooding, isolated damaging winds, a brief tornado, and gusty non-thunderstorm winds impacted southern Illinois during this time.
• Damaging Winds and Strong Wind in Illinois, November 11, 2015$228,000 · 52 kt wind · 19 eventsA deepening area of low pressure tracking from Colorado into the western Great Lakes pulled a strong cold front into central Illinois during the evening of November 11th.
• Strong Wind in Illinois, December 27 to 28, 20085 injured · $50,000 · 1 eventStrong winds gusting as high as 45 mph blew down numerous tree limbs and power lines. A tree was blown down at 83rd and Yates in Chicago. The tree fell onto an SUV and injured five people inside the SUV. Another tree was completely uprooted at Scott and Astor Roads.
• Strong Wind in Illinois, March 13, 20065 injured · $35,000 · 2 eventsStrong winds blew across northeast Illinois during the morning of March 13th. A roof under construction collapsed in Antioch in Lake County, injuring four construction workers, one seriously. An awning was blown off a restaurant in Gurnee and struck a car.
• Strong Wind in Illinois, May 24, 2007$151,000 · 9 eventsStrong winds persisted from the late morning into the afternoon of May 24th. Wind gusts were between 40 and 50 mph. A 70 foot tall tree was blown down and fell onto a truck in West Chicago. Power lines were blown down along the McHenry/Kane County line just south of Huntley.
• Strong Wind in Illinois, May 11, 2008$70,000 · 19 eventsA strong low pressure system tracked east-northeast across central Illinois during the morning. Strong west winds developed in the wake of a strong cold front that raced eastward across the Lower Ohio and Mid Mississippi Valleys. Peak wind gusts were generally around 50 mph.
• Hail and Strong Wind in Illinois, June 17, 2026$150,000 · 1.25 in hail · 3 eventsAn anomalously strong low pressure system caused very strong pressure gradient winds on June 17th. Despite strong thunderstorms in the area that day, the non-convective winds produced the only wind damage of the day.
• High Wind and Strong Wind in Illinois, May 11, 2008$101,000 · 53 kt wind · 7 eventsStrong low pressure moved across central Illinois during the daytime hours on Mothers Day. The strong pressure gradient with this storm produced widespread winds of 40 to 50 mph. A few wind gusts up to 61 mph were reported. The winds blew down numerous tree limbs and a few trees.
• Strong Wind in Illinois, November 15 to 16, 20053 injured · $40,000 · 2 eventsAnother strong area of low pressure moved across northern Illinois during the evening of Tuesday November 15th, 2005 and during the early morning of Wednesday November 16th, 2005. A semi truck rolled over on Interstate 57, just south of Kankakee.
• Strong Wind in Illinois, May 11, 2008$120,000 · 3 eventsStrong winds occurred over most of northern Illinois during the late morning and early afternoon hours of May 11th. Winds gusted between 40 and 50 mph. In Iroquois County, a roof of a school was damaged in Sheldon. Tree limbs were blown down in Watseka, Onarga and Woodland.

Strong Wind everywhereEvery kind of event in Illinois

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.