Stephenson County, Illinois
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1956 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
23
Tornado reports
135
Hail reports
57
Floods since 1996
756
All events
2
Deaths
$20.8M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Stephenson County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 23 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.
Torrential rains of 3 to 8 inches caused some flash flooding across parts of Stephenson County during the evening of July 27 and morning of July 28. There were reports of cattle scattered through county by flood waters with some washed downstream. The flood waters were several fe…
Heavy rainfall of 3 to over 12 inches over significant areas from 20 to 22 July in southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois moved downstream causing the Rock River to rise well above major flood stage levels just downstream of Freeport down to the Mississippi at Moline. Freeport …
Numerous trees & power lines down
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Power lines blown down in front yard.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Rural road is partially washed out by flood waters. Reported to be already receding.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Large limb came down and is blocking the southbound lane of Highway 26.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Large tree limbs were downed over powerlines. Picture sent via social media. Time estimated by radar.
Hail Hail
Report received from Mping.
Hail Hail
Report received from Mping.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Relayed by Chicago NWS Office, with a photo of baseball size hail.
Hail Hail
Report received from Mping.
Hail Hail
Report received from Mping.
Hail Hail
Report received from Mping.
Hail Hail
Tornado EF2 Tornado
A high-end EF2, possible multi-vortex, tornado with estimated peak winds around 130 mph started along Highway 20, southwest of Lena IL, and tracked through Lena before lifting just southwest of Orangeville. The tornado caused significant damage to trees along its path, including …
Tornado EF1 Tornado
A tornado formed briefly in the occlusion of an rear flank downdraft northwest of Pearl City. It heavily damaged and destroyed several farm outbuildings, lifted a large farm wagon into an outbuilding, damaging the roof and side. The tornado also snapped several tree trunks and tr…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Widespread wind damage in and east of Pearl City consistent with 80 to 95 mph. Damage was to trees, numerous snapped half way up and some uprooted, as well as some structural damage including a coffee trailer rolled. This damage appeared to be caused by the rear flank downdraft o…
Blizzard Blizzard
Trained spotter snowfall reports ranged from 6.0 inches 1 mile north northeast of Davis to 10 inches in Freeport. There were widespread automated weather observation reports of visibilities between 1/2sm to 1sm along with frequent wind gusts between 45 to 55 MPH.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
The time of the event was estimated using radar.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Trained spotter reports ranged from 7.0 inches in Pearl City to 12.0 inches in Freeport.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A report of several small branches generally between 1 to 2 inches in diameter down in Freeport was received.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Several 6 to 7 inch diameter tree limbs were knocked down with some blocking a street in southern Freeport for a time. Time estimated by radar.
Hail Hail
Quarter size hail reported.
Hail Hail
Report initially from mPING. This report was corroborated with photographic evidence of a jagged hailstone around 3 to 3.5 inches in diameter.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A public report that a large tree was reported down in Dakota, IL. The of the event was estimated using radar.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Trained spotters reported 6 to 10 inches of snow, with widespread snow covered roads.
Tornado EFU Tornado
A trained spotter video confirmed a short-lived tornado southwest of Dakota, or northeast of Freeport. There was no observed damage to assign a rating.
Tornado EFU Tornado
A tornado developed northwest of Stockton in Jo Daviess County, and moved E/SE along an intermittent 15 mile path, before lifting near Lena in Stephenson County. In Jo Daviess County, the tornado snapped a wooden power pole near the base, snapped tree trunks, and impacted a farms…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A public report of a tree down. Time of the event was estimated using radar.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A public photo received via social media showed a large tree limb down that nearly fell on a garage.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A public report of a measured 93 MPH wind gust.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A public report of multiple downed trees. The time of the event was estimated using radar.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A public report of a large tree that was snapped, with multiple large branches downed by the winds.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
A public report of street flooding in Freeport.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Law Enforcement reports tree limbs blown down.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Law Enforcement reports tree limbs down.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The AWOS at the Freeport Municipal Airport measured a gust of 58 MPH.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 25 | 2 |
| 2025 | 7 | 0 |
| 2024 | 27 | 3 |
| 2023 | 16 | 1 |
| 2022 | 19 | 1 |
| 2021 | 10 | 0 |
| 2020 | 14 | 1 |
| 2019 | 18 | 0 |
| 2018 | 17 | 0 |
| 2017 | 21 | 2 |
| 2016 | 9 | 0 |
| 2015 | 12 | 0 |
| 2014 | 31 | 0 |
| 2013 | 20 | 0 |
| 2012 | 26 | 0 |
| 2011 | 46 | 0 |
| 2010 | 29 | 1 |
| 2009 | 29 | 1 |
| 2008 | 67 | 0 |
| 2007 | 24 | 0 |
| 2006 | 29 | 0 |
| 2005 | 18 | 0 |
| 2004 | 17 | 0 |
| 2003 | 28 | 3 |
| 2002 | 20 | 0 |
| 2001 | 18 | 0 |
| 2000 | 33 | 0 |
| 1999 | 20 | 2 |
| 1998 | 17 | 3 |
| 1997 | 16 | 0 |
| 1996 | 12 | 0 |
| 1995 | 2 | 0 |
| 1992 | 3 | 0 |
| 1991 | 1 | 0 |
| 1990 | 5 | 0 |
| 1988 | 3 | 0 |
| 1987 | 5 | 0 |
| 1986 | 1 | 0 |
| 1985 | 1 | 0 |
| 1984 | 3 | 0 |
| 1983 | 1 | 0 |
| 1982 | 1 | 0 |
| 1981 | 3 | 0 |
| 1980 | 3 | 0 |
| 1978 | 1 | 0 |
| 1975 | 6 | 0 |
| 1974 | 8 | 0 |
| 1973 | 1 | 0 |
| 1972 | 3 | 0 |
| 1971 | 4 | 1 |
| 1968 | 2 | 0 |
| 1967 | 1 | 0 |
| 1959 | 1 | 1 |
| 1958 | 1 | 1 |
| 1956 | 1 | 0 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Stephenson County, measured to its path.
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