IL

Storm restoration across Putnam County

Putnam County sits in north-central Illinois along the Illinois River, placing it squarely in the state's active severe weather corridor. Tornadoes and large hail are recurring spring and early-summer hazards - an EF1 tornado tracked through the McNabb area in February 2024 with 110 mph winds, and 1-inch hail was confirmed at McNabb as recently as March 2026. The Illinois River floodplain makes bottomland and low-lying areas vulnerable to significant flooding after heavy rainfall events, a pattern repeated in 2009 and 2013 when multi-inch rain totals inundated river-adjacent farmland and structures. Derechos and straight-line wind events - which Illinois experiences roughly every one to two years - pose additional roof, siding, and tree-fall risk across the county, while winter ice storms and heavy snow are a reliable annual threat that can cause structural damage and power outages throughout the region.