IL

Storm restoration across Fulton County

Fulton County sits in west-central Illinois within the NWS Lincoln forecast area, a corridor with above-average tornado frequency: 50 recorded tornadoes since 1950, including an F4 near Ipava in 1995 and an EF3 near Lewistown and Bryant on April 4, 2023 with peak winds near 160 mph. The county is also a regular target for large hail events - Doppler radar has detected hail at or near county communities on over 60 occasions - and for derechos and straight-line wind events that routinely snap power poles and down trees, as seen in the July 2024 derecho that gusted 60--70 mph in Canton and Lewistown and triggered flash flooding along IL-95 and US-24. Winter storms bring a mix of sleet, freezing rain, and ice accumulation (notably documented in Farmington and Canton), with strong easterly wind gusts that compound tree and line damage; the Illinois River corridor on the county's eastern edge adds river and flash-flood exposure during heavy rain seasons.