IL

Storm restoration across Jasper County

Jasper County sits in south-central Illinois within a corridor that sees regular severe weather from late winter through fall, with 18 confirmed tornadoes on record since 1950 including an F4 that struck Newton in June 1990, injuring six people and destroying multiple structures. Derechos and straight-line wind events - including the July 2024 regional derecho - drive roof and tree damage across the county's rural landscape, and large hail accompanies the supercell thunderstorms that track northeast through the region each spring. The Embarras River and its tributaries create recurring flash and riverine flood risk, most recently during the August 2022 heavy rain event that prompted water rescues across the county. Winter ice storms add a secondary damage season, with the county's record low of -28 degrees Fahrenheit in January 1994 reflecting the full severity of its continental climate.