Jo Daviess County, Illinois
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 17085 · population 22,021 · 601 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 686 records for Jo Daviess County, Illinois from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 457 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (228 records). The deadliest single record is the July 27, 2011 flash flood: 3 deaths and $9.2 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 16 declarations naming the county since 1965, 14 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm” on March 17, 2011.
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
- 686on 457 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 35 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $44Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 19strongest EF2
- 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 Jo Daviess County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 228 since 1957. 53% 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 | 228 | 137 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 5 | $2.4M | 58 of 102 |
| Winter storms | 163 | 162 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $27K | 23 of 102 |
| Hail | 113 | 58 | 1965-2026 | 0 | 0 | $446K | 80 of 102 |
| Floods | 65 | 49 | 1997-2026 | 3 | 0 | $23M | 45 of 102 |
| Extreme cold | 24 | 23 | 1996-2019 | 0 | 0 | $399K | 38 of 102 |
| Heavy rain | 22 | 9 | 2004-2011 | 0 | 0 | $8K | 27 of 102 |
| Tornadoes | 19 | 15 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 0 | $4.8M | 99 of 102 |
| High wind and dust storms | 17 | 17 | 1996-2021 | 0 | 0 | $221K | 50 of 102 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 14 | 14 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 of 102 |
| Drought | 13 | 13 | 2005-2012 | 0 | 0 | $13M | 61 of 102 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 1997-2013 | 0 | 0 | – | 98 of 102 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 2003-2022 | 0 | 0 | $42K | 31 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 Jo Daviess County had?
NOAA records 19 tornadoes in Jo Daviess County from 1956 to 2026, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 0 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 21 tornadoes whose track touched Jo Daviess County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 19: 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.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-06-19 15:42, as SPC files it | East DubuqueCrossed IA, IL, WI | F3 | 14 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Illinois.
Every tornado record filed for Jo Daviess County (19)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-17 | Guilford, Jo Daviess County | EF1 3.7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-07-15 | North Hanover, Jo Daviess County | EF1 17.66 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-07-15 | Woodbine, Jo Daviess County | EF1 8.07 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-07-15 | Apple Canyon Lake, Jo Daviess County | EF2 9.08 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-03-31 | Blanding, Jo Daviess County | EFU 1.02 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-05-23 | Warren, Jo Daviess County | EFU 0.53 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-08-16 | Rodden, Jo Daviess County | EF1 0.54 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2013-06-12 | Hanover, Jo Daviess County | EF0 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-07-27 | Stockton, Jo Daviess County | EF0 0.51 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-07-27 | Galena, Jo Daviess County | EF0 0.05 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-06-01 | Scales Mound, Jo Daviess County | EF0 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-06-01 | Blanding, Jo Daviess County | EF0 0.01 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-05-16 | Menominee, Jo Daviess County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-09-20 | Stockton, Jo Daviess County | F0 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1974-06-20 | Jo Daviess County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1970-09-09 | Jo Daviess County | F2 7.7 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1967-06-11 | Jo Daviess County | F2 4.3 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1966-07-09 | Jo Daviess County | F1 1.9 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1956-05-16 | Jo Daviess County | F1 3.3 mi x 80 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 Jo Daviess County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 21, 2017 flash flood ($9.0 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
Widespread flash flooding occurred throughout the county from 3 to over 9 inches of rain. Almost 1000 structures were flooded. Two water treatment sewage plants sustained damage with thousands of acres of crops lost. Preliminary damage estimates are between 7 and 8 million dollars.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 716674)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindGalena, Jo Daviess County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindGalena, Jo Daviess County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindStockton, Jo Daviess County | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-23 | Thunderstorm WindStockton, Jo Daviess County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-23 | Thunderstorm WindStockton, Jo Daviess County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-17 | Thunderstorm WindWarren, Jo Daviess County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-17 | TornadoGuilford, Jo Daviess County | EF1 3.7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-17 | Thunderstorm WindGalena, Jo Daviess County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-17 | HailStockton, Jo Daviess County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-17 | HailElizabeth, Jo Daviess County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-17 | HailNora, Jo Daviess County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-17 | Thunderstorm WindStockton, Jo Daviess County | 70 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-07-27 | Flash FloodEast Dubuque, Jo Daviess County Torrential rains of 7 to 15 inches caused some flash flooding across Jo Davies County during the evening of July 27 and morning of July 28. Numerous streets were reported flooded in East Dubuque causing sink holes to form as well as buckling of the road rending them impassible. A 70 year old woman died in the flood ... | 3 | 0 | $9.2M | |
| 1999-02-11 | Thunderstorm WindElizabeth, Jo Daviess County An intensifying squall line ahead of a strong cold front sent severe thunderstorms racing across Eastern Iowa and Northwest Illinois. Widespread damage from high winds and hail was reported across Southeast Iowa into Northwest Illinois as the storms moved northeast. Several high profile vehicles were overturned by the ... | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2009-07-24 | Thunderstorm WindGalena, Jo Daviess County Wind gusts estimated to be 70 mph blew a semi truck over onto a car on Highway 20 near Mount Hope Road about 1 mile east of Galena, IL around 655 pm July 24. One person was injured. In addition, several trees were blown down in the area. | 61 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $69K |
| 2007-07-18 | Thunderstorm WindWarren, Jo Daviess County Winds estimated to be 70 mph blew down trees and power lines. Several trees fell onto some houses. One person was transported to a hospital with a minor injury and later released. Power and phone service was knocked out to about half of the town. | 61 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $36K |
| 1999-02-11 | Thunderstorm WindStockton, Jo Daviess County An intensifying squall line ahead of a strong cold front sent severe thunderstorms racing across Eastern Iowa and Northwest Illinois. Widespread damage from high winds and hail was reported across Southeast Iowa into Northwest Illinois as the storms moved northeast. Several high profile vehicles were overturned by the ... | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-07-27 | Flash FloodEast Dubuque, Jo Daviess County | 3 | 0 | $9.2M | |
| 2005-07-01 | DroughtJo Daviess County · forecast zone Jo Daviess | 0 | 0 | $9.1M | |
| 2017-07-21 | Flash FloodEast Dubuque, Jo Daviess County | 0 | 0 | $9.0M | |
| 2005-08-01 | DroughtJo Daviess County · forecast zone Jo Daviess | 0 | 0 | $3.8M | |
| 2010-04-05 | Thunderstorm WindApple Canyon Lake, Jo Daviess County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $677K |
| 2010-07-24 | Flash FloodEast Dubuque, Jo Daviess County | 0 | 0 | $677K | |
| 2005-05-03 | Frost/FreezeJo Daviess County · forecast zone Jo Daviess | 0 | 0 | $399K | |
| 2004-07-20 | HailGalena, Jo Daviess County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $375K |
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: July 9, 1966 (tornado, Jo Daviess County); June 11, 1967 (tornado, Jo Daviess 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 Jo Daviess 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 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 12 | 19 | 62 | 66 | 50 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 19 | 75 | 47 | 22 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 40 | 30 | 27 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 7 | 21 | 25 | 12 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 4 | 13 | 7 | 0 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 10 | 12 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
53% 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 59 · Feb 54 · Mar 39 · Apr 75 · May 68 · Jun 103 · Jul 125 · Aug 48 · Sep 21 · Oct 10 · Nov 21 · Dec 63 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Jo Daviess County
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include Jo Daviess County: 12 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (6) and snowstorm (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-26 | DR-4489 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3435 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011-03-17 | DR-1960 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2010-08-19 | DR-1935 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2008-03-13 | EM-3283 | Snowstorm | Record Snow and Near Record Snow |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3230 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001-05-09 | DR-1368 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1999-05-28 | DR-1278 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flash Flooding |
| 1993-07-09 | DR-997 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1990-06-22 | DR-871 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & 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 |
| 1969-08-30 | DR-276 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
| 1969-06-06 | DR-262 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1965-04-25 | DR-194 | Tornado | Tornadoes, 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 Jo Daviess County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 65 flood or flash flood records for Jo Daviess County from 1997 to 2026, on 49 days, with 3 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Jo Daviess County ranks 680th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $3.9 million on 343 claims filed in Jo Daviess County; the most in one year was 72 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 3 · 1982: 6 · 1983: 16 · 1985: 1 · 1986: 21 · 1993: 44 · 1996: 10 · 1997: 46 · 1998: 8 · 1999: 6 · 2001: 44 · 2002: 5 · 2003: 8 · 2004: 6 · 2008: 15 · 2010: 9 · 2011: 72 · 2013: 6 · 2014: 4 · 2017: 5 · 2018: 3 · 2019: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 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 Jo Daviess County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Jo Daviess County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $15.6 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 Moderate | $70K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $1.1M | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.5M | 6.8 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $2.3M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $438K | 8.7 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $665K | 5.2 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $8.0M | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $106K | about once a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Jo Daviess 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 Jo Daviess CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Jo Daviess County's FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis