Rochelle, IL Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
Hot Rankings
The chance of earthquake damage in Rochelle is lower than Illinois average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Rochelle is much lower than Illinois average and is lower than the national average.
Earthquake Index, #1004
| Rochelle, IL | 0.03 |
| Illinois | 0.24 |
| U.S. | 1.81 |
The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.
Volcano Index, #1
| Rochelle, IL | 0.0000 |
| Illinois | 0.0000 |
| U.S. | 0.0023 |
The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.
Tornado Index, #1515
| Rochelle, IL | 124.76 |
| Illinois | 220.15 |
| U.S. | 136.45 |
The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.
Other Weather Extremes Events
A total of 3,826 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Rochelle, IL were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:
| Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count |
| Avalanche: | 0 | Blizzard: | 9 | Cold: | 69 | Dense Fog: | 93 | Drought: | 50 |
| Dust Storm: | 0 | Flood: | 267 | Hail: | 877 | Heat: | 87 | Heavy Snow: | 61 |
| High Surf: | 0 | Hurricane: | 0 | Ice Storm: | 27 | Landslide: | 0 | Strong Wind: | 99 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 1,751 | Tropical Storm: | 0 | Wildfire: | 1 | Winter Storm: | 128 | Winter Weather: | 83 |
| Other: | 224 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
No volcano is found in or near Rochelle, IL.
Historical Earthquake Events
A total of 1 historical earthquake event that had a recorded magnitude of 3.5 or above found in or near Rochelle, IL.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Depth (km) | Latitude | Longitude |
| 29.3 | 1972-09-15 | 3.7 | 5 | 41.59 | -89.42 |
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 48 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Rochelle, IL.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County |
| 15.9 | 1975-06-18 | 2 | 42°03'N / 88°51'W | 42°02'N / 88°45'W | 4.70 Miles | 27 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | De Kalb |
| 19.3 | 1972-04-06 | 2 | 41°54'N / 89°31'W | 41°43'N / 89°18'W | 16.60 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 6 | 250K | 0 | Lee |
| 23.9 | 1956-08-30 | 2 | 41°48'N / 89°30'W | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Lee | |||
| 24.9 | 1979-08-05 | 3 | 42°01'N / 89°35'W | 41°57'N / 89°30'W | 5.70 Miles | 67 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Ogle |
| 25.0 | 1958-08-15 | 2 | 41°46'N / 89°28'W | 41°30'N / 88°04'W | 74.50 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Lee |
| 25.7 | 1972-04-06 | 2 | 42°03'N / 89°36'W | 41°54'N / 89°31'W | 10.90 Miles | 50 Yards | 1 | 3 | 250K | 0 | Ogle |
| 26.3 | 1967-04-21 | 4 | 42°13'N / 88°55'W | 42°17'N / 88°42'W | 11.50 Miles | 1200 Yards | 24 | 410 | 250K | 0 | Boone |
| 27.4 | 1958-08-30 | 2 | 42°19'N / 89°03'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Winnebago | |||
| 27.6 | 1967-04-21 | 2 | 41°37'N / 89°29'W | 41°38'N / 89°22'W | 5.60 Miles | 77 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Lee |
| 28.1 | 1979-08-17 | 2 | 42°16'N / 89°21'W | 0.50 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Winnebago | |
| 29.8 | 1962-05-07 | 2 | 41°48'N / 89°39'W | 41°43'N / 89°33'W | 7.20 Miles | 10 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Whiteside |
| 29.8 | 1962-05-07 | 2 | 41°48'N / 89°39'W | 41°43'N / 89°33'W | 7.20 Miles | 10 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Whiteside |
| 29.9 | 1951-12-06 | 3 | 41°20'N / 89°11'W | 41°39'N / 89°07'W | 21.90 Miles | 150 Yards | 1 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Bureau |
| 30.4 | 1980-07-16 | 2 | 42°07'N / 88°32'W | 1.40 Miles | 440 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Kane | |
| 33.1 | 1978-06-25 | 2 | 41°32'N / 88°41'W | 0.90 Mile | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | La Salle | |
| 34.0 | 2010-11-22 | 2 | 42°19'N / 88°58'W | 42°26'N / 88°39'W | 18.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 6 | 5.0M | 0K | Winnebago |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: Based on an eyewitness report, a tornado touched in the backyard of a home just west of Interstate 39, on the eastern edge of a subdivision. The tornado then blew over a school bus near the intersection of Argyle and Harlem Roads. There were six people on the bus, the driver and five children. All six people were taken to the hospital but none of the injuries were serious. The tornado then knocked down eleven electrical high tension towers just southwest of the same intersection. The tornado continued northeast into western Boone county, and moved across largely open rural fields towards the town of Caledonia. Significant damage occured to at least six buildings in Caledonia, with approximately 20 additional buildings sustaining minor damage. Several large trees were snapped or uprooted and a grain bin was partially collapsed. The tornado then continued northeast from Caledonia, downing several power poles, and causing damage ranging from blown off roofs to completely destroying at least three farm outbuildings. One of these buildings, located 2 miles northwest of Capron, had also been damaged during the January 2008 tornado. The tornado path, consisting mainly of sporadic tree damage at this point, then continued to a location roughly one mile west of Lawrence, where the tornado appears to have dissipated at 325 pm. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Strong to severe thunderstorms moved across parts of northern Illinois during the afternoon hours of November 22nd. These storms produced two tornadoes, hail, heavy rain and some flooding. | |||||||||||
| 34.3 | 1958-10-08 | 2 | 42°25'N / 89°28'W | 42°25'N / 88°43'W | 38.10 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Stephenson |
| 36.6 | 2008-01-07 | 3 | 42°23'N / 88°49'W | 42°25'N / 88°42'W | 7.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 4 | 2.0M | 0K | Boone |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A tornado touched down at 330 pm CST about 1.2 miles north of Popular Grove in Boone County and ended at 348 pm about 3.2 miles north northeast of Harvard in McHenry County. The tornado crossed the Boone McHenry County line near Hunter Road, about 3 miles northeast of Capron. The first signs of damage were at Quail Trap Road just east of Popular Grove Road where trees were damaged and sections of roofing were removed from a shed. The tornado intensified to EF2 intensity at Edwards Apple Orchard on Centerville Road. A large barn was destroyed and other buildings were severely damaged. Large trees were snapped or uprooted. The tornado reached its maximum intensity of EF3 at the northeast corner of Centerville Road and Beaverton Road. A two story farm house and garage were leveled and large trees were stripped of all branches. The tornado was about 100 yards wide through this area. The tornado continued east northeast across Stimes Road and eventually crossed the Boone McHenry County line near Hunter Road. Most of the damage through this part of the tornado path was EF1, though it weakened to EF0 near the county line. There was damage to trees, power lines, barns and sheds. A few farm houses had shingles or small sections of roof damaged. Four injuries were reported. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Severe thunderstorms developed ahead of a strong cold front across northern Illinois during the afternoon hours of January 7th. The storms moved southeast across east central Illinois during the early to mid evening hours. | |||||||||||
| 37.4 | 1967-04-21 | 4 | 42°17'N / 88°42'W | 42°21'N / 88°26'W | 14.00 Miles | 1200 Yards | 0 | 40 | 25.0M | 0 | Mchenry |
| 38.1 | 1958-08-06 | 2 | 41°44'N / 88°22'W | 2.00 Miles | 70 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Kane | |
| 38.3 | 2004-04-20 | 2 | 41°21'N / 89°00'W | 41°24'N / 88°51'W | 9.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | La Salle |
| Brief Description: The tornado formed on the ridge northeast of Utica and moved across County Road 2803, west of 10th Street. A garage was destroyed and trees were damaged. The tornado became a wide multiple vortex tornado at this point. It caused damage to 2 homes, trees and outbuildings on Route 6, west of 11th Street. Part of the roof of a house was torn off. A storage building was damaged and a garage roof removed on 11th Street. A garage and grain bin were destroyed on County Road 2950. The tornado crossed I-80 at 12th Street damaging a building and flipping a semi-tractor trailer. The driver was not injured. North of I-80 a small satellite tornado formed behind the large parent tornado. It had a damage path 2 miles long and 5 to 20 yards wide. Its track was about 1/4 to 3/4 mile south of the main track. It caused no damage. The main tornado destroyed a machine shed on 13th Street and knocked down power poles. On 31st Street west of 14th big pine trees were snapped and a house suffered roof damage. A barn was destroyed on 14th north of 31st. On 32nd Street west of 15th, a two story house was hit. The top floor was mostly destroyed. A machine shed was destroyed on 16th between 32nd and 33rd. The tornado ended at 33rd and Route 23 where there was minor tree damage. | |||||||||||
| 39.8 | 1987-08-16 | 2 | 41°22'N / 88°51'W | 1.00 Mile | 10 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | La Salle | |
| 40.1 | 1978-08-15 | 2 | 42°11'N / 88°22'W | 2.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Mchenry | |
| 40.4 | 1967-04-21 | 2 | 42°00'N / 88°17'W | 0.30 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Kane | |
| 40.5 | 1959-09-26 | 2 | 41°19'N / 89°08'W | 41°21'N / 89°02'W | 5.10 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | La Salle |
| 40.8 | 1956-08-23 | 2 | 42°02'N / 88°17'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Kane | |||
| 41.3 | 2008-01-07 | 3 | 42°25'N / 88°42'W | 42°27'N / 88°36'W | 6.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 1 | 2.0M | 0K | Mchenry |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A tornado touched down at 330 pm CST about 1.2 miles north of Popular Grove in Boone County and ended at 348 pm about 3.2 miles north northeast of Harvard in McHenry County. The tornado crossed the Boone McHenry County line near Hunter Road, about 2.1 miles west northwest of Chemung. The tornado crossed Hunter Road into McHenry County and continued to track northeast across Ryan Road as an EF0 and caused mainly minor tree damage. It crossed White Oaks Road then it uprooted a hardwood tree and snapped off pine trees at their base along Maxon Road. This damage continued to be EF0 damage with winds estimated to 80 mph. The tornado intensified as it moved toward the town of Lawrence, where it produced the worst damage in McHenry County. Significant damage occurred in the town of Lawrence, particularly at a house that had more than half of its roof ripped off and garage blown down. The tornado then moved across the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad where it blew 12 railroad freight cars of the track. The train was moving at the time the tornado hit it, so as the main engine stopped, the remaining cars on the track continued along it and slammed into the front part of the train. This caused a few more cars to derail, including one containing hazardous materials that caused the evacuation of the town of Lawrence. The damage in Lawrence was rated as EF2 with winds up to 110 mph. As the tornado moved east of Lawrence it once again started to weaken with some tree damage and shingles off of a few houses on the northeast side of town. It then ran along Oak Grove Road for a stretch where it produced EF1 damage with a hardwood tree snapped at its base and knocked over an old, weakly structured barn. The tornado headed across farm fields and headed for Highway 14 where it damaged a metal barn and sheared a few trees. As it crossed Highway 14, it flipped a semi-trailer and injured the driver at a truck stop weigh station. It continued across Oak Grove Road where it lifted. The maximum width of the tornado in McHenry County was around 50 yards. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Severe thunderstorms developed ahead of a strong cold front across northern Illinois during the afternoon hours of January 7th. The storms moved southeast across east central Illinois during the early to mid evening hours. | |||||||||||
| 41.3 | 1954-05-27 | 2 | 41°46'N / 88°20'W | 41°51'N / 88°13'W | 7.90 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Kendall |
| 41.7 | 2004-04-20 | 3 | 41°18'N / 89°11'W | 41°20'N / 89°01'W | 9.00 Miles | 250 Yards | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | La Salle |
| Brief Description: The tornado entered LaSalle County from Putnam County, approximately 3 miles northeast of the town of Standard, producing F0 intensity damage in a wooded area southwest of Peru. As the tornado continued northeast, F2 intensity damage was done to several homes in a subdivision near the intersection of East 250th and 2569th Roads. Several roofs were blown off homes along with damage to external walls. Significant tree damage was done as well. Path width was estimated at 50 yards at this location. The tornado then continued northeast, crossing the Illinois River twice as it moved toward the town of Utica, downing a steel high tension tower on the north bank of the river, immediately west of Illinois 251. The tornado moved into the southwest side of Utica where it was F0 intensity. Homes along Washington Street only had tree and minor roof damage. A church steeple was damaged on Division between Johnson and Washington. Roofs and trees were more severely damaged on the south side of Johnson Street. The tornado rapidly increased to F3 intensity on the north side of Johnson Street where one home had its roof taken off and north walls blown out. A machinery building was completely destroyed on the south side of the canal and a semi-tractor trailer was blown into the canal. A large grain bin was blown across the canal and flattened. The tornado then moved north of the canal into the heart of town where several homes were severely damaged, garages were destroyed and brick buildings collapsed. Eight people died and seven were rescued from the basement of a turn of the century sandstone building at Clark and Church Streets. The tornado was approximately 250 yards wide at this point. On the east edge of the vortex along Mill Street, in downtown, buildings suffered damage to facades, roofs and windows. East of Mill Street there was damage to trees and minor roof damage. In the northeast section of town a mobile home was overturned on Grove, just east of Mill Street. The vortex crossed the railroad tracks and apparently dissipated on a steep bluff on the northeast side of town. At the top of the hill there were some trees and limbs down and some debris deposited. See Storm Data for Northwest and Central Illinois for results of Tornado Damage Survey for Putnam and Bureau Counties, IL M63BU, F41BU, F67BU, F81BU, M18BU, M49BU, F50BU, M47BU | |||||||||||
| 42.4 | 1971-11-01 | 2 | 42°31'N / 89°03'W | 42°33'N / 88°59'W | 3.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Rock |
| 42.6 | 1955-04-18 | 2 | 42°10'N / 89°55'W | 42°10'N / 89°44'W | 9.00 Miles | 77 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Carroll |
| 43.2 | 1976-03-12 | 3 | 41°38'N / 88°21'W | 41°43'N / 88°14'W | 7.80 Miles | 30 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Kendall |
| 43.3 | 1990-08-28 | 5 | 41°41'N / 88°21'W | 41°38'N / 88°15'W | 5.20 Miles | 600 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Kendall |
| 44.0 | 1974-09-12 | 2 | 41°17'N / 89°04'W | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | La Salle | |||
| 44.6 | 1972-07-17 | 3 | 41°08'N / 89°21'W | 41°30'N / 88°10'W | 66.30 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Putnam |
| 45.3 | 1965-04-11 | 4 | 42°13'N / 88°23'W | 42°17'N / 88°13'W | 9.10 Miles | 400 Yards | 6 | 75 | 0K | 0 | Mchenry |
| 45.4 | 2004-04-20 | 2 | 41°15'N / 89°17'W | 41°18'N / 89°11'W | 6.80 Miles | 880 Yards | 0 | 5 | 8.0M | 0 | Putnam |
| Brief Description: Rated very high end F2 The low topped supercell that produced 2 earlier tornadoes in Stark and Marshall/Bureau counties continued to be a cyclic tornado producer. The deadliest and longest lived tornado started at 1644 CST, 0.7 miles North Northeast of Florid in Putnam County and moved northeast toward Granville. The long lived nature of the tornado was due to it riding along a warm front pushing through Putnam and La Salle counties. Satellite imagery indicated a strengthening mesocyclone at 1625 CST (2225 Z) with the formation of a new line of feeder clouds into the supercell, and KDVN 88D velocity data showed a strengthening TVS signature by 1635 CST (2235 Z). Witnesses reported a multiple vortex tornado just prior to its arrival in Granville. The tornado hit Granville at 1647-1648 CST which coincided with the failure of the main power feed into town. The town was bisected by the half mile wide tornado with 12 buildings destroyed, 45 with major damage, and 26 with minor damage (mainly residential). The Granville State National Bank lost its roof and Hopkins Elementary School lost the roof over the old gymnasium with damage in nearly all the classrooms. Significant damage also occurred to Granville Drugs, the only drug store in town. In a strange twist of irony, the town had finally recovered from a major fire 4 years earlier that decimated much of the business district. The tornado continued northeast out of Granville and crossed over into La Salle County (WFO LOT) at 1653 CST (2253 Z), 3.8 miles Northeast of Granville. The Granville/Utica tornado was the first significant test of a new statewide mutual aid response agreement. In Granville 5 people were injured by the tornado, including an eldery female who suffered a heart attack during the tornado and was eventually Life Flighted to a Peoria hospital. Injuries were low due to the 32 minutes of lead time before the tornado struck Granville. Damage in Granville is estimated to be at least $8 million with the school suffering at least $3.5 million in damage. | |||||||||||
| 45.8 | 1958-10-09 | 2 | 42°25'N / 88°43'W | 42°24'N / 88°12'W | 26.20 Miles | 33 Yards | 1 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Mchenry |
| 46.1 | 1967-04-21 | 4 | 42°09'N / 88°16'W | 42°12'N / 88°12'W | 4.30 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 3 | 2.5M | 0 | Mchenry |
| 46.1 | 1981-03-29 | 4 | 41°41'N / 89°57'W | 41°45'N / 89°53'W | 5.10 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Whiteside |
| 46.5 | 1971-08-24 | 2 | 41°46'N / 88°11'W | 1.00 Mile | 83 Yards | 0 | 2 | 250K | 0 | Du Page | |
| 46.7 | 1984-04-27 | 3 | 41°33'N / 88°20'W | 41°35'N / 88°15'W | 5.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Kendall |
| 47.1 | 1963-04-19 | 2 | 42°18'N / 88°18'W | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Mchenry | |||
| 48.3 | 1967-04-21 | 2 | 41°15'N / 89°20'W | 0.30 Mile | 30 Yards | 0 | 1 | 3K | 0 | Putnam | |
| 48.7 | 1965-11-12 | 2 | 41°12'N / 89°18'W | 41°15'N / 89°08'W | 8.70 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Putnam |
| 48.8 | 1975-06-14 | 2 | 41°13'N / 89°09'W | 1.00 Mile | 167 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | La Salle | |
| 48.9 | 1984-04-27 | 3 | 41°35'N / 88°15'W | 41°37'N / 88°11'W | 4.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 1 | 5 | 2.5M | 0 | Will |
| 49.9 | 1965-11-12 | 2 | 41°24'N / 88°28'W | 41°27'N / 88°15'W | 11.40 Miles | 120 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25.0M | 0 | Grundy |
* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.