Knox County, Illinois
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1961 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
31
Tornado reports
114
Hail reports
47
Floods since 1996
521
All events
3
Deaths
$52.9M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Knox County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 31 in all. Zoom in and the paths widen to their surveyed width.
EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated
Year by year
All storm eventsTornadoes
NOAA's storm database records tornadoes back to 1950 and hail and thunderstorm wind back to 1955, but floods only from 1996 on. Older floods are missing here. For those, the U.S. Geological Survey's stream gauge records and flood reports are the place to look.
Most significant events
The strongest tornadoes, deadliest events and biggest damage here, up to 50.
A fresh snowfall of 1 to 3 inches led to snow-covered and hazardous roadways across Knox County during the afternoon and evening of December 2nd. A man was killed when his vehicle collided with a semi truck on US Route 34 between Oneida and Wataga.
A swath of wind damage cut through Knox county. The winds produced considerable tree, power line, and crop damage. Numerous structures were also damaged along the path, primarily due to falling trees and tree limbs. A man was killed in the Victoria area by a falling tree. Seven i…
As a severe thunderstorm moved northeast across Knox County, it blew down several trees and power lines. Also, 2.4 miles south southeast of Rio on IL Route 150 at 2500 N, the thunderstorm winds caused a woman to lose control of her car. She slid sideways and struck a utility pole…
Torrential rainfall of 4.00 to 8.00 inches resulted in damage to thousands of houses and businesses in the county, including several in the cities of Galesburg and Knoxville. Every creek and stream in the county was flooded. Nearly every road in the county was impassable, and sev…
A tornado touched down 3.5 miles southwest of Williamsfield. It destroyed a steel corn crib, blew down a large tree which damaged a home. Also, several windows were blown out on the home. As the tornado travelled east it caused major tree damage for a mile. Then it blew a large t…
A tornado touched down 1 N of St. Augustine and traveled to the northeast. Twelve farm structures and 14 pieces of farm equipment were destroyed. Eighteen homes were either damaged or destroyed. Numerous trees were blown over and a 10 acre orchard with over 1200 trees was destroy…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A tree was blown onto a powerline at east Knox Rd. and Day St, resulting in a power outage.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A funeral home was damaged and a power outage was reported.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Water was flowing across parts of Carl Sandburg Drive in Galesburg with one car stalled in the flood waters.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
West Carl Sandburg Drive was closed due to water flowing across the road.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Several large tree limbs were blown down.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Blowing snow and strong wind gusts had produced blizzard conditions across Knox County during the evening of Sunday, March 15, through the afternoon of Monday, March 16. Blizzard criteria was no longer being met as of mid-afternoon on Monday, March 16, but patchy blowing snow and…
Blizzard Blizzard
Snow, blowing snow, and strong westerly wind gusts led to blizzard conditions across Knox County from the evening of Sunday, March 15th, through the afternoon of Monday, March 16th. Numerous accidents were reported across the county, including semi-trucks on I-74. This resulted i…
Tornado EF1 Tornado
A tornado touched down about 4 miles west of West Jersey southwest of the intersection of Knox Road 2250 North and Knox Road 2350 East in far northeastern Knox County at 7:22 PM CDT. The tornado initially toppled a large shipping container and caused tree damage before crossing i…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Multiple power lines were blown down, a carport was snapped, and a large shipping container was flipped against a house north of the IL-180 and IL-167 intersection.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A steel post in a concrete setting was ripped out of the ground.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A grain silo was damaged.
Drought Drought
Due to a multi-month precipitation deficit dating back to Fall of 2025, Severe Drought (D2) was in place at the start of the month. However, above normal precipitation occurred during March, with the cooperative observer in Galesburg recording 4.14 inches of precipitation which w…
Drought Drought
Drought conditions worsened and became Severe (D2) during the month. A cooperative observed in Galesburg measured just 0.03 inches of precipitation during February, which was 1.84 inches below normal. Dating back to last September, the precipitation deficit for Galesburg was over…
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -25 to -35 occurred across Knox County during the morning of January 23rd. The coldest hourly wind-chill reading observed at the Galesburg Airport (KGBG) was -35.
Heavy Snow Heavy Snow
Weather observers measured 5 to 7 inches of snow across Knox County...including 7.0 inches in Maquon and 6.0 inches in Galesburg. Due to snow-covered and slick roadways, numerous traffic accidents occurred.
Drought Drought
Due to a four-month precipitation deficit, Severe Drought (D2) was ongoing at the start of the month. While Severe Drought (D2) persisted for much of the month, above normal snowfall occurred during December and a frontal system brought 1 to 3 inches of rain to the area late in t…
Heavy Snow Heavy Snow
Numerous weather observers measured 5 to 10 inches of snow across Knox County...including 8.0 inches in Knoxville. Due to both falling snow and considerable blowing and drifting snow, travel became extremely hazardous...leading to numerous accidents on area roadways.
Drought Drought
Due to a three-month precipitation deficit, Severe Drought (D2) was ongoing at the start of the month. Below normal precipitation persisted during November, with the cooperative observer in Galesburg reporting 1.65 of precipitation which was 0.95 below normal. Temperatures were a…
Drought Drought
Moderate Drought (D1) was present at the start of the month. Continued below normal precipitation and above normal temperatures led to a worsening of the drought, with Severe Drought (D2) developing during the first week of the month and continuing through the end of the month.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A trained spotter estimated 70 mph wind gusts for 2 to 3 minutes.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A tree was blown down onto eastbound I-74 about 3 miles east of Knoxville.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Home playground equipment was destroyed.
Tornado EF1 Tornado
A tornado touched down along Knox Road 1525 East about 1.5 miles northeast of Altona at 8:41 PM CDT. It destroyed a hog farm building and tossed it into a nearby outbuilding upon touchdown, then tracked northward into the National Weather Service Quad Cities County Warning Area i…
Tornado EF1 Tornado
A tornado touched down just south of Highway 167 about a mile west of Victoria at 8:39 PM CDT. The tornado snapped 4 power poles along Highway 167, then tracked northeastward and damaged numerous trees and a few outbuildings before passing through the Galva Cemetery and crossing …
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The AWOS at Galesburg Municipal Airport measured a 69 mph gust.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Weather observers measured 1 to 3 inches of snow across Knox County...including 2.0 inches in Galesburg. Due to snow-covered roadways, several traffic accidents were reported.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Bitterly cold wind-chill values of -25 to -30 occurred across Knox County during the morning of January 21st. The coldest hourly wind-chill reading observed at the Galesburg AWOS was -29.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
A quarter inch of ice was measured in Abingdon as of 1500 CST.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Heat index readings peaked at 115-120 degrees during the afternoon of August 27th...including 119 degrees at the Galesburg Airport. No heat-related deaths were reported.
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Several tree tops were broken off.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Extensive tree and power line damage occurred across the southern half of Galesburg.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Corn Belt Energy reported extensive tree and power line damage in the Oak Run area.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Report from mPING, damage to tree limbs and power poles.
Tornado EF1 Tornado
This short tornado touched down two miles north of Williamsfield, west of North State Route 180, and moved southeast for one mile while producing significant tree damage along Route 180 and in the field to the east. Many of the trees were blocking Route 180. The tornado lifted ju…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Several large trees were snapped at the base.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Several large tree limbs were blown down across Oak Run Golf Course.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A few trees were blown down in Galva Cemetery.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Two large trees were blown down, causing damage to a home.
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Two large trees were blown down onto a home.
Hail Hail
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 14 | 1 |
| 2025 | 14 | 2 |
| 2024 | 22 | 1 |
| 2023 | 15 | 0 |
| 2022 | 13 | 0 |
| 2021 | 8 | 1 |
| 2020 | 14 | 1 |
| 2019 | 15 | 1 |
| 2018 | 9 | 0 |
| 2017 | 24 | 1 |
| 2016 | 11 | 0 |
| 2015 | 27 | 0 |
| 2014 | 14 | 0 |
| 2013 | 12 | 0 |
| 2012 | 15 | 0 |
| 2011 | 24 | 0 |
| 2010 | 22 | 2 |
| 2009 | 24 | 0 |
| 2008 | 12 | 0 |
| 2007 | 12 | 0 |
| 2006 | 21 | 0 |
| 2005 | 10 | 1 |
| 2004 | 14 | 1 |
| 2003 | 13 | 1 |
| 2002 | 10 | 0 |
| 2001 | 6 | 0 |
| 2000 | 15 | 1 |
| 1999 | 14 | 1 |
| 1998 | 15 | 1 |
| 1997 | 24 | 3 |
| 1996 | 13 | 0 |
| 1995 | 4 | 1 |
| 1994 | 1 | 0 |
| 1993 | 1 | 0 |
| 1992 | 1 | 0 |
| 1991 | 1 | 0 |
| 1990 | 1 | 0 |
| 1989 | 1 | 0 |
| 1988 | 2 | 0 |
| 1987 | 3 | 1 |
| 1986 | 1 | 0 |
| 1985 | 2 | 0 |
| 1983 | 2 | 0 |
| 1981 | 1 | 0 |
| 1977 | 1 | 0 |
| 1976 | 1 | 1 |
| 1975 | 3 | 1 |
| 1974 | 9 | 5 |
| 1973 | 4 | 0 |
| 1971 | 1 | 0 |
| 1967 | 2 | 1 |
| 1965 | 1 | 0 |
| 1961 | 2 | 2 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Knox County, measured to its path.
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