2 Illinois Areas Hit by Hurricane-Force Winds Monday

Illinois endured a day of severe storms that could have been so much worse. While there was no widespread tornado outbreak like what was feared, there were at least 2 Illinois areas that were impacted by greater than hurricane-force winds on Monday.

Winds are considered to be hurricane-force if they are 75 mph or higher

According to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center storm reports, there were two Illinois locations that had winds of 80 mph confirmed during Monday's storms. A wind speed of 70-80 mph was recorded in Logan and Macon counties in Illinois. It's important to mention that there's a big difference between hurricane-force wind gusts and the sustained winds of a hurricane.

There was also at least one tornado confirmed in Clinton, Illinois where a large tree and street signs were blown down.

All things considered, Illinois was very fortunate that thunderstorm development didn't end up being more intense than it was. Storms during the early morning hours reduced some of the potential energy buildup during the late afternoon hours. If that hadn't happened, many more tornadoes likely would have formed. Even without a tornado outbreak on Monday, Illinois still leads the nation for reported tornadoes in 2026 with nearly double the amount of Mississippi and Texas. The fact that we're still relatively early in Spring should concern everyone in the state.