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Wind in Putnam County, Illinois
104 damaging wind events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Thunderstorm Wind, High Wind, Strong Wind.
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.
Putnam County, Illinois, has 104 wind events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 31 different years.
July is the busiest month, with 24 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 70 events against 33 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.4% of the 24,881 wind events recorded in Illinois; its 65.0 per 100 square miles compares with 44.8 statewide.
77 wind reports with a measured or estimated speed reached the 58 mph severe threshold, and 12 reached hurricane force (74 mph).
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
| Measure | Putnam County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 104 | 24,881 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 65.0 | 44.8 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 186.8 | 19.6 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 54 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | July | June | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
4Mar
8Apr
13May
14Jun
18Jul
24Aug
12Sep
3Oct
6Nov
2Dec
0
Magnitude distribution
NWS wind thresholds
- under 58 mph
- below severe threshold
- 58–73 mph
- severe
- 74–95 mph
- hurricane-force
- 96 mph and over
- extreme
Wind speed converted from the knots NCEI records; estimated and measured gusts are combined. Events without a speed are not binned.
Recorded events
All 104 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 May 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Aug 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 74 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Nov 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 100 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2019 | High Wind | 44 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Sep 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Mar 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Mar 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Mar 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Mar 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Mar 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Feb 2016 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Jul 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 2008 | High Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 21 Jul 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 66 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 66 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $500 | $1K | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $2K | $1K | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Oct 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Oct 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 92 mph | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $3.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | 80 mph | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Feb 2003 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Jul 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2001 | Strong Wind | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Feb 2001 | High Wind | 53 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Oct 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | 92 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Nov 1998 | High Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Jun 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $20 | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Sep 1997 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Apr 1997 | High Wind | 60 mph | $100K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Apr 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Oct 1996 | High Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Oct 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1992 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 1989 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 1987 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 1981 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has Putnam County had?
104 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of damaging wind became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded wind event in Putnam County?
4 May 2026 (Thunderstorm Wind, 70 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Putnam County?
The thunderstorm wind of 30 Apr 2003, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $3.0M.
How does Putnam County compare with Illinois for wind?
65.0 events per 100 square miles against 44.8 statewide; the county holds 104 of the state's 24,881 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 Wind hub and the county page.