Putnam County, Illinois
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 17155 · population 5,637 · 160 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 373 records for Putnam County, Illinois from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 295 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (126 records). The most damaging was the April 20, 2004 tornado ($12.5 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 11 declarations naming the county since 1979, 9 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
- 373on 295 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 06 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $34Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 12strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 11latest 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 Putnam County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 126 since 1996. 64% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 126 | 125 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $86K | 1 of 102 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 94 | 61 | 1981-2026 | 0 | 0 | $7.5M | 8 of 102 |
| Hail | 64 | 39 | 1972-2026 | 0 | 0 | $124K | 4 of 102 |
| Extreme cold | 20 | 19 | 1996-2019 | 0 | 0 | $100K | 19 of 102 |
| Drought | 15 | 15 | 2005-2013 | 0 | 0 | $9.1M | 8 of 102 |
| Floods | 14 | 12 | 1997-2020 | 0 | 0 | $84K | 53 of 102 |
| Tornadoes | 12 | 11 | 1965-2024 | 0 | 6 | $16M | 14 of 102 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 11 | 11 | 1999-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 21 of 102 |
| High wind and dust storms | 10 | 10 | 1996-2019 | 0 | 0 | $184K | 26 of 102 |
| Heat | 5 | 5 | 1997-2013 | 0 | 0 | – | 53 of 102 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2004-2006 | 0 | 0 | – | 29 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 Putnam County had?
NOAA records 12 tornadoes in Putnam County from 1965 to 2024, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 6 injuries recorded in the county. That is 14th of 102 Illinois counties and 204th of 3,080 U.S. counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. 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 Putnam County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 12, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 8 people, 0 of them in Putnam County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-04-20 16:44, as SPC files it | Hennepin to LaSalle | F3 | 15.8 mi | 8 |
| 1972-07-17 16:45, as SPC files it | Joliet | F3 | 81.5 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Illinois.
Every tornado record filed for Putnam County (12)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-02-08 | Magnolia, Putnam County | EF1 6.38 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-10-11 | Florid, Putnam County | EFU 0.02 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-07-17 | Florid, Putnam County | EF0 0.24 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-07-17 | Putnam County | EF0 1.19 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-06-05 | Putnam County | EF2 8.96 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
| 2004-04-20 | Florid, Putnam County | F2 6.8 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 5 | $12M |
| 1999-06-04 | Mc Nabb, Putnam County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1981-04-13 | Putnam County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1974-09-12 | Putnam County | F2 0.3 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1972-07-17 | Putnam County | F3 66.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1967-04-21 | Putnam County | F2 0.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 1 | $3K step |
| 1965-11-12 | Putnam County | F2 8.7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K 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 Putnam County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 29, 2011 thunderstorm wind ($6,560 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Wind gusts estimated to be 75 mph blew down some trees and power lines in Granville, IL at 1140 am CDT May 29.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 317288)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-04 | Thunderstorm WindMoronts, Putnam County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-17 | Thunderstorm WindHennepin, Putnam County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-02 | Thunderstorm WindHennepin, Putnam County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-02 | Thunderstorm WindHennepin, Putnam County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-02 | Thunderstorm WindGranville, Putnam County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-02 | Thunderstorm WindHennepin, Putnam County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | BlizzardPutnam County · forecast zone Putnam | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-10 | HailMc Nabb, Putnam County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-11-29 | Winter StormPutnam County · forecast zone Putnam | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-11 | Thunderstorm WindFlorid, Putnam County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-14 | Thunderstorm WindHennepin, Putnam County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-14 | Thunderstorm WindHennepin, Putnam 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-04-20 | TornadoFlorid, Putnam County Rated very high end F2 | F2 6.8 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 5 | $12M |
| 1967-04-21 | TornadoPutnam County | F2 0.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 1 | $3K 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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-04-20 | TornadoFlorid, Putnam County | F2 6.8 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 5 | $12M |
| 2005-07-01 | DroughtBureau County and Putnam County · forecast zone Putnam | 0 | 0 | $8.1M | |
| 2003-04-30 | Thunderstorm WindPutnam County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4.8M |
| 2003-04-30 | Thunderstorm WindStandard, Putnam County | 69 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.6M |
| 2010-06-05 | TornadoPutnam County | EF2 8.96 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
| 2005-08-01 | DroughtBureau County and Putnam County · forecast zone Putnam | 0 | 0 | $960K | |
| 2003-04-30 | Thunderstorm WindPutnam County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $802K |
| 2004-10-29 | Thunderstorm WindStandard, Putnam County | 80 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $31K |
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: November 12, 1965 (tornado, Putnam 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 Putnam 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 17 | 58 | 40 | 11 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 25 | 28 | 31 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 29 | 26 | 5 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 4 | 10 | 6 | 0 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 10 | 5 | 0 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 5 | 6 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
64% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 43 · Feb 38 · Mar 27 · Apr 36 · May 35 · Jun 44 · Jul 40 · Aug 22 · Sep 8 · Oct 10 · Nov 15 · Dec 55 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Putnam County
FEMA's register lists 11 declarations that include Putnam County: 6 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for snowstorm (4) and biological (2).
| 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 |
| 2004-04-23 | DR-1513 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 1999-01-08 | EM-3134 | Snowstorm | Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99 |
| 1982-12-13 | DR-674 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1979-04-30 | DR-583 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1979-01-16 | EM-3068 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
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 Putnam County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 14 flood or flash flood records for Putnam County from 1997 to 2020, on 12 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Putnam County ranks 1514th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.1 million on 66 claims filed in Putnam County; the most in one year was 13 in 1985. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 1982: 9 · 1983: 3 · 1985: 13 · 1990: 2 · 1991: 1 · 1993: 2 · 1995: 3 · 1996: 1 · 1997: 4 · 2002: 1 · 2005: 1 · 2008: 6 · 2009: 3 · 2013: 13 · 2017: 1 · 2020: 2; 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 Putnam County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Putnam County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Low | $346K | 8.9 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $463K | 5.4 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $622K | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $483K | 5.1 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $1K | once in about 22 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $159K | once in about 675 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | $17K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | $2.5M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Putnam 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
- Winter storms in IllinoisThe state's winter storm records, 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 Putnam CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Putnam County's FEMA declarations (CSV)11 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis