County Hazards

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Winter in Peoria County, Illinois

72 winter storms and snow events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Winter Storm, Winter Weather, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Ice Storm, Lake-Effect Snow, Sleet.

72 events · 4 deaths recorded · peak month January · county share of state 0.9%

Winter event locations in and around Peoria County. Boundaries: US Census Bureau.

NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.

Peoria County, Illinois, has 72 winter events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 26 different years.

January is the busiest month, with 25 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 47 events against 25 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.

The county holds 0.9% of the 8,149 winter events recorded in Illinois; its 11.6 per 100 square miles compares with 14.7 statewide.

NCEI attributes 4 deaths in the county to winter storms and snow.

Some winter weather and high wind events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county; zone-recorded events whose zone is named for the county are included and marked "Forecast zone" in the table.

Compared with Illinois

MeasurePeoria CountyIllinoisUS
Winter events since 1950728,149287,339
Per 100 square miles11.614.78.1
Per 10,000 residents4.06.48.7
Deaths recorded41162,509
Busiest monthJanuaryJanuaryJanuary

By year

195019882026
Winter events recorded in Peoria County per year, 1950 to 2026 (2026 is partial).

Seasonality

Jan
25
Feb
15
Mar
7
Apr
1
May
0
Jun
0
Jul
0
Aug
0
Sep
0
Oct
0
Nov
5
Dec
19
Winter events in Peoria County by month of occurrence, all years.

Recorded events

All 72 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.

DateEvent typeMagnitudeProperty damageCrop damageDeathsInjuriesGeography
15 Mar 2026Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
13 Dec 2025Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
29 Nov 2025Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
12 Feb 2025Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
14 Dec 2024Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
14 Dec 2024Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
22 Jan 2024Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
8 Jan 2024Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
22 Dec 2022Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
17 Feb 2022Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
1 Feb 2022Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
1 Jan 2022Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
1 Jan 2021Ice Storm—————Forecast zone
19 Jan 2019Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
11 Jan 2019Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
25 Nov 2018Blizzard—————Forecast zone
23 Mar 2018Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
2 Jan 2018Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
28 Dec 2015Ice Storm—$1.7M———Forecast zone
1 Feb 2015Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
5 Jan 2015Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
17 Feb 2014Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
1 Feb 2014Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
4 Jan 2014Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
21 Dec 2013Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
13 Dec 2013Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
20 Dec 2012Blizzard—————Forecast zone
1 Feb 2011Blizzard—$750K———Forecast zone
24 Dec 2010Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
12 Dec 2010Blizzard—————Forecast zone
21 Feb 2010Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
8 Feb 2010Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
5 Feb 2010Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
20 Jan 2010Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
6 Jan 2010Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
25 Dec 2009Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
29 Mar 2009Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
18 Dec 2008Ice Storm—$500K———Forecast zone
16 Dec 2008Winter Weather———1—Forecast zone
1 Dec 2008Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
30 Nov 2008Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
1 Feb 2008Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
31 Jan 2008Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
1 Dec 2007Ice Storm—————Forecast zone
24 Feb 2007Ice Storm—————Forecast zone
13 Feb 2007Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
12 Jan 2007Ice Storm—————Forecast zone
1 Dec 2006Winter Storm————4Forecast zone
30 Nov 2006Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
5 Jan 2005Ice Storm—————Forecast zone
24 Nov 2004Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
14 Feb 2003Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
25 Mar 2002Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
1 Mar 2002Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
30 Jan 2002Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
11 Dec 2000Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
17 Feb 2000Ice Storm—————Forecast zone
19 Jan 2000Winter Storm————1Forecast zone
8 Mar 1999Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
1 Jan 1999Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
8 Mar 1998Winter Storm———2—Forecast zone
14 Jan 1998Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
8 Jan 1998Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
24 Dec 1997Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
9 Dec 1997Heavy Snow———1—Forecast zone
10 Apr 1997Heavy Snow————5Forecast zone
26 Jan 1997Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
24 Jan 1997Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
15 Jan 1997Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
8 Jan 1997Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
18 Jan 1996Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
4 Jan 1996Winter Storm—————Forecast zone

Questions and answers

How many winter events has Peoria County had?

72 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of winter storms and snow became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.

When was the last recorded winter event in Peoria County?

15 Mar 2026 (Winter Weather). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.

What was the most damaging winter event recorded in Peoria County?

The ice storm of 28 Dec 2015, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.7M.

How does Peoria County compare with Illinois for winter?

11.6 events per 100 square miles against 14.7 statewide; the county holds 72 of the state's 8,149 recorded events.

Provenance

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Winter hub and the county page.