DeKalb County, Illinois
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 17037 · population 100,385 · 631 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 654 records for DeKalb County, Illinois from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 391 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (318 records). The deadliest single record is the April 9, 2015 tornado: 2 deaths, 11 injuries and $10.0 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 12 declarations naming the county since 1973, 10 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
- 654on 391 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 340 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $22Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 29strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 12latest 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 DeKalb County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 318 since 1957. 42% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 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 | 318 | 163 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 16 | $1.8M | 39 of 102 |
| Hail | 89 | 64 | 1970-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 75 of 102 |
| Winter storms | 79 | 79 | 1997-2026 | 1 | 9 | $7K | 54 of 102 |
| Floods | 47 | 35 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 3 | $8.2M | 82 of 102 |
| Extreme cold | 30 | 27 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 34 of 102 |
| Tornadoes | 29 | 23 | 1959-2026 | 2 | 12 | $12M | 79 of 102 |
| High wind and dust storms | 24 | 19 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $96K | 46 of 102 |
| Drought | 16 | 16 | 2005-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 53 of 102 |
| Heat | 9 | 9 | 2012-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 83 of 102 |
| Heavy rain | 5 | 3 | 2009-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 48 of 102 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 2001-2018 | 0 | 0 | $37K | 32 of 102 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 4 | 3 | 2000-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 45 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 DeKalb County had?
NOAA records 29 tornadoes in DeKalb County from 1959 to 2026, the strongest rated EF3, with 2 deaths and 12 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 30 tornadoes whose track touched DeKalb County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 29: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-04-09 17:39, as SPC files it | Ashton to Monroe Center | EF4 | 30.14 mi | 2 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Illinois.
Every tornado record filed for DeKalb County (29)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-11 | Lee, DeKalb County | EFU 1.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-07-15 | Maple Park, DeKalb County | EFU 1.4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-07-14 | Esmond, DeKalb County | EF0 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-02-27 | Hinckley, DeKalb County | EF0 2.59 mi x 175 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-02-27 | Waterman, DeKalb County | EFU 1.3 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-07-28 | Sandwich, DeKalb County | EF0 0.45 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-08-10 | Esmond, DeKalb County | EFU 0.6 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-08-09 | Esmond, DeKalb County | EF0 3.7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-08-09 | Sycamore, DeKalb County | EF1 1.5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-08-09 | Maple Park, DeKalb County | EF0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-08-09 | Kirkland, DeKalb County | EF1 1.8 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-08-09 | Esmond, DeKalb County | EF0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-11-10 | Somonauk, DeKalb County | EF0 9.99 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-08-10 | Fairdale, DeKalb County | EF0 6.28 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-05-23 | New Lebanon, DeKalb County | EF0 2.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-04-09 | Fairdale, DeKalb County | EF3 4.83 mi x 700 yd | 2 | 11 | $10.0M |
| 2015-04-09 | Fairdale, DeKalb County | EF1 1.8 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2013-06-12 | Shabbona, DeKalb County | EF1 2.27 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2011-05-13 | Mc Girr, DeKalb County | EF0 0.09 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-05-10 | Waterman, DeKalb County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-06-10 | Shabbona Grove, DeKalb County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-05-10 | Kirkland, DeKalb County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-06-06 | Malta, DeKalb County | F0 2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1982-05-18 | DeKalb County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1977-06-30 | DeKalb County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1975-06-18 | DeKalb County | F2 4.7 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1972-05-14 | DeKalb County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1967-04-21 | DeKalb County | F1 2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1959-07-10 | DeKalb County | F1 1 mi x 60 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 DeKalb County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 9, 2015 tornado (2 deaths, 11 injuries and $10.0 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
This is the third segment of the Rochelle-Fairdale EF-4 tornado. At its strongest, peak winds were estimated to be 200 mph. The tornado entered the county just southwest of Fairdale before directly hitting the small community. Peak winds were estimated at 165 mph in Dekalb County, rating this section of the tornado a high end EF-3. Approximately 71 homes in the community had been damaged, 17 of which had been completely destroyed with all walls collapsed or removed from the buildings. Some homes that were only nailed to the foundation were swept clean. Two fatalities and 11 injuries occurred in Fairdale. A 67-year-old woman and her neighbor, a 69-year-old woman, were both killed in their homes. The tornado began to shift north (left) at this point during its lifecycle as it left Fairdale. …
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 574338)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-29 | HeatDeKalb County · forecast zone De Kalb | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-24 | HailMalta, DeKalb County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | FloodFairdale, DeKalb County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-11 | High WindDeKalb County · forecast zone De Kalb | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | TornadoLee, DeKalb County | EFU 1.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindEsmond, DeKalb County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindRollo, DeKalb County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindHinckley, DeKalb County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindRollo, DeKalb County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-27 | High WindDeKalb County · forecast zone De Kalb | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-27 | High WindDeKalb County · forecast zone De Kalb | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-27 | High WindDeKalb County · forecast zone De Kalb | 55 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-04-09 | TornadoFairdale, DeKalb County This is the third segment of the Rochelle-Fairdale EF-4 tornado. At its strongest, peak winds were estimated to be 200 mph. The tornado entered the county just southwest of Fairdale before directly hitting the small community. Peak winds were estimated at 165 mph in Dekalb County, rating this section of the tornado a ... | EF3 4.83 mi x 700 yd | 2 | 11 | $10.0M |
| 2014-01-26 | Winter StormDeKalb County · forecast zone De Kalb A powerful cold front swept across northern Illinois during the evening and early overnight hours of January 26th into the 27th. While only 2 to 4 inches of snow fell across the area, winds gusting up to 58 mph at times behind the front lead to temporary blizzard-like conditions that caused severe impacts to area ... | 1 | 7 | – | |
| 1998-08-24 | Thunderstorm WindKirkland, DeKalb County A small intense line of thunderstorms raced across north central and northeast Illinois at 55 mph. There were numerous reports of tree limbs and power lines down as well as some structural damage to buildings and some trees uprooted. The most intense damage was from northern Ogle and extreme southern Winnebago ... | 0 | 12 | – | |
| 2008-09-13 | FloodNew Lebanon, DeKalb County Flooding continued across parts of southern and central DeKalb County into the morning of September 14th. A car drove into flood waters on Rimsnider Road near Hinckley during the evening of September 13th. The car was swept away by fast flowing flood waters. A man, woman and small child (along with their pets) in the ... | 0 | 3 | $21K | |
| 2011-02-01 | BlizzardDeKalb County · forecast zone De Kalb Two weather related injuries were reported in DeKalb. One person suffered frostbite and a second person had fallen outside. | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2003-07-27 | Thunderstorm WindSandwich, DeKalb County A line of severe thunderstorms moved east across north central Illinois during the early afternoon hours of July 27th. Additional thunderstorms developed ahead of the first line across the southern portions of the Chicago Metro area producing very heavy rain and widespread flooding. As the first line of severe storms ... | 64 kt wind | 0 | 2 | – |
| 2007-06-01 | Thunderstorm WindSandwich, DeKalb County Vehicles damaged by blown over shelters, one minor injury. | 55 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $14K |
| 1997-04-05 | Thunderstorm WindSycamore, DeKalb County Wind gust to 70 mph caused a tree branch, carrying power lines, to fall atop a vehicle that sent one passenger to the hospital. | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-04-09 | TornadoFairdale, DeKalb County | EF3 4.83 mi x 700 yd | 2 | 11 | $10.0M |
| 2007-08-23 | FloodDe Kalb, DeKalb County | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2007-07-09 | Flash FloodDe Kalb, DeKalb County | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 2007-08-23 | Flash FloodDe Kalb, DeKalb County | 0 | 0 | $712K | |
| 2014-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindMalta, DeKalb County | 87 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $623K |
| 2006-09-22 | Thunderstorm WindWaterman, DeKalb County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $293K |
| 2008-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindFairdale, DeKalb County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $137K |
| 2013-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindShabbona, DeKalb County | 80 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $63K |
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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: June 18, 1975 (tornado, DeKalb 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 DeKalb 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 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 15 | 28 | 76 | 65 | 116 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 26 | 27 | 20 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 25 | 18 | 31 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 6 | 22 | 8 | 11 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 1 | 8 | 7 | 14 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 15 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
42% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 43 · Feb 48 · Mar 59 · Apr 46 · May 81 · Jun 110 · Jul 89 · Aug 100 · Sep 24 · Oct 16 · Nov 17 · Dec 21 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for DeKalb County
FEMA's register lists 12 declarations that include DeKalb County: 8 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (3) and snowstorm (3).
| 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 |
| 2008-10-03 | DR-1800 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2007-09-25 | DR-1729 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2006-12-29 | EM-3269 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3230 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1996-07-25 | DR-1129 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1979-01-16 | EM-3068 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 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 DeKalb County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 47 flood or flash flood records for DeKalb County from 1996 to 2026, on 35 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), DeKalb County ranks 596th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $4.6 million on 404 claims filed in DeKalb County; the most in one year was 89 in 1996. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 8 · 1979: 15 · 1980: 9 · 1982: 15 · 1983: 65 · 1985: 1 · 1987: 2 · 1991: 2 · 1993: 1 · 1994: 4 · 1996: 89 · 1997: 30 · 1999: 13 · 2002: 5 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 5 · 2007: 79 · 2008: 32 · 2010: 9 · 2011: 1 · 2013: 11 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 3 · 2021: 2 · 2026: 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 DeKalb County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates DeKalb County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $47.4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $12M | 5.9 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $6.9M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $24M | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.4M | 6.5 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $752K | 8.3 modeled event-days a year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $147K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.3M | once in about 720 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $600K | 3.4 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with DeKalb 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 DeKalb CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download DeKalb County's FEMA declarations (CSV)12 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis