Brown County, Illinois
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 17009 · population 6,230 · 306 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 261 records for Brown County, Illinois from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 225 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (68 records). The deadliest single record is the June 15, 2013 flash flood: 1 death. FEMA has issued 16 declarations naming the county since 1973, 14 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding” on May 10, 2013.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 261on 225 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 122 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $27Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 10strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 16latest 2020
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Brown County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 68 since 1973. 46% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1973 fell in June and July. The rank column places the county among Illinois's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 68 | 60 | 1973-2026 | 0 | 0 | $395K | 74 of 102 |
| Hail | 52 | 42 | 1974-2024 | 0 | 0 | $110K | 45 of 102 |
| Winter storms | 52 | 51 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 41 of 102 |
| Heat | 40 | 40 | 1999-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 21 of 102 |
| Floods | 18 | 18 | 1996-2020 | 1 | 0 | $96K | 76 of 102 |
| Tornadoes | 10 | 10 | 1955-2023 | 0 | 22 | $26M | 89 of 102 |
| Extreme cold | 8 | 8 | 2000-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 50 of 102 |
| High wind and dust storms | 8 | 8 | 1997-2019 | 0 | 0 | $4K | 56 of 102 |
| Drought | 5 | 5 | 2005-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 73 of 102 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Brown County had?
NOAA records 10 tornadoes in Brown County from 1955 to 2023, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 22 injuries recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 12 tornadoes whose track touched Brown County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 10: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Illinois.
Every tornado record filed for Brown County (10)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-10-13 | Gilbirds, Brown County | EF1 0.42 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2017-02-28 | Versailles, Brown County | EF1 0.66 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2009-06-02 | Timewell, Brown County | EF0 1.13 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-05-10 | Timewell, Brown County | F2 13 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-08-12 | Mt Sterling, Brown County | F1 0.5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $35K |
| 1966-10-14 | Brown County | F2 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 20 | $2.5M step |
| 1959-09-26 | Brown County | F1 18.8 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1959-03-26 | Brown County | F2 3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1956-04-27 | Brown County | F2 4.9 mi x 900 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1955-12-03 | Brown County | F1 12.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Brown County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the October 13, 2023 tornado (1 injury).
A very weak thunderstorm amidst a multicell cluster of showers produced a tornado that caused damage to a double-wide residence, its adjacent garage, and a carport behind the home. The home experienced some roof loss. Several trees on and around the property sustained damage. The tornado was rated an EF-1 with a path length of 0.42 miles, path width of 25 yards, and maximum wind gusts of 110mph.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1148794)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-17 | Thunderstorm WindVersailles, Brown County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-11-29 | Winter StormBrown County · forecast zone Brown | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-21 | Cold/Wind ChillBrown County · forecast zone Brown | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-05 | Winter StormBrown County · forecast zone Brown | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-10-13 | TornadoGilbirds, Brown County | EF1 0.42 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2023-03-31 | HailMt Sterling, Brown County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-07-09 | Thunderstorm WindMt Sterling, Brown County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $327K |
| 2021-07-09 | HailMt Sterling, Brown County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $109K |
| 2017-02-28 | TornadoVersailles, Brown County | EF1 0.66 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2016-07-19 | Thunderstorm WindVersailles, Brown County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2013-06-15 | Flash FloodDaisy, Brown County | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2011-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindTimewell, Brown County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-06-15 | Flash FloodDaisy, Brown County Up to five inches of rain fell in about a three hour period. Several roads were flooded including County Road 550N. A man, along with his two year old son, tried to drive his car through 2 feet of flowing water on County Road 550N, about a mile and an half west of Illinois Route 107. The vehicle was swept off the ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1966-10-14 | TornadoBrown County | F2 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 20 | $2.5M step |
| 2023-10-13 | TornadoGilbirds, Brown County A very weak thunderstorm amidst a multicell cluster of showers produced a tornado that caused damage to a double-wide residence, its adjacent garage, and a carport behind the home. The home experienced some roof loss. Several trees on and around the property sustained damage. The tornado was rated an EF-1 with a path ... | EF1 0.42 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2017-02-28 | TornadoVersailles, Brown County The tornado first touched down on the far west side of Versailles where it caused minor tree damage. The tornado traveled northeast and impacted a house which sustained roof damage. On the other side of the road, two single wide mobile home trailers were overturned. Damage at this location was rated high end EF1. ... | EF1 0.66 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-07-09 | Thunderstorm WindMt Sterling, Brown County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $327K |
| 2021-07-09 | HailMt Sterling, Brown County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $109K |
| 1999-08-12 | TornadoMt Sterling, Brown County | F1 0.5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $35K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: October 14, 1966 (tornado, Brown County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Brown County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 20 | 17 | 18 | 8 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 7 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 11 | 21 | 13 | 7 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 1 | 16 | 21 | 2 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 5 | 10 | 1 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
46% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1973 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 26 · Feb 17 · Mar 13 · Apr 22 · May 29 · Jun 37 · Jul 44 · Aug 31 · Sep 9 · Oct 7 · Nov 8 · Dec 18 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Brown County
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include Brown County: 12 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (5) and severe storm (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-26 | DR-4489 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3435 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013-05-10 | DR-4116 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2011-03-17 | DR-1960 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2006-12-29 | EM-3269 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3230 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-05-15 | DR-1469 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2002-05-21 | DR-1416 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 1999-01-08 | EM-3134 | Snowstorm | Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99 |
| 1996-05-06 | DR-1112 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1995-05-30 | DR-1053 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1993-07-09 | DR-997 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1982-12-13 | DR-674 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1979-04-30 | DR-583 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1974-06-10 | DR-438 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1973-04-26 | DR-373 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Brown County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 18 flood or flash flood records for Brown County from 1996 to 2020, on 18 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Brown County ranks 1874th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $438,000 on 32 claims filed in Brown County; the most in one year was 7 in 1982. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1982: 7 · 1985: 1 · 1993: 6 · 1995: 4 · 2002: 4 · 2008: 3 · 2009: 1 · 2013: 3 · 2015: 2 · 2016: 1; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Brown County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Brown County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $3.2 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $15K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $686K | 8.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $216K | 3.9 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $922K | 4.2 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $249K | 4.6 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $64K | once in about 488 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Very Low | $87K | 3.6 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Very Low | $206K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Brown County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in IllinoisEvery Illinois tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in IllinoisThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Illinois recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Brown CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Brown County's FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis