IL

Storm restoration across Coles County

Coles County sits in the heart of central Illinois severe weather territory and has recorded 39 tornadoes since 1950, ranking it 12th in tornado density among the 35 counties in the Lincoln NWS forecast area; notable events include a 1971 F1 that destroyed 80% of homes in Bushton, a 1998 F2 that damaged roughly 120 structures across Mattoon, and an EF-scale tornado near Oakland as recently as May 2025. Derechos and straight-line wind events are a recurring hazard, with documented gusts exceeding 70 mph at Coles County Memorial Airport and widespread structural damage from fast-moving squall lines. Large hail (up to 2 inches in diameter) accompanies major convective outbreaks each spring, and flash flooding regularly strikes the Mattoon area and low-lying road corridors when intense thunderstorms stall over the flat terrain. Central Illinois lies in the nation's primary zone for severe ice storms, and Coles County experiences significant winter threats including blizzards, heavy snow accumulations of 9 or more inches, and freezing rain glazing that damages roofs, gutters, and trees.