Winnebago County weather alerts
There are no active weather alerts for Winnebago County, IL right now.
Since 2016 the National Weather Service has issued about 1,008 alerts that included Winnebago County, roughly 101 a year. The most common is the flood advisory (148 from 2016 to 2025). The last tornado warning was issued on July 3, 2026. 24 tornadoes have touched down in the county since 1950.
Updated from the National Weather Service · lists refresh hourly; the live map loads current alerts directly from the NWS
No warnings, watches or advisories include Winnebago County at the moment. This page updates automatically when the National Weather Service issues one. Check neighboring Rock County, Ogle County, Stephenson County, Green County.
Winnebago County alert history
Alert events that included Winnebago County or its forecast zones, from the NWS warning archive.
| Alert type | 2016–2025 | 2026 | Last issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood Advisory | 148 | 6 | September 20, 2026 |
| Severe Thunderstorm Warning | 118 | 14 | August 21, 2026 |
| Flood Warning | 104 | 12 | June 12, 2026 |
| Dense Fog Advisory | 100 | 7 | September 10, 2026 |
| Winter Weather Advisory | 90 | 2 | March 16, 2026 |
| Severe Thunderstorm Watch | 69 | 10 | August 21, 2026 |
| Wind Advisory | 62 | 5 | June 17, 2026 |
| Flood Watch | 46 | 7 | September 19, 2026 |
| Cold Weather Advisory | 36 | 3 | January 26, 2026 |
| Frost Advisory | 30 | 3 | May 7, 2026 |
| Flash Flood Warning | 27 | 4 | June 11, 2026 |
| Freeze Warning | 24 | 2 | October 17, 2026 |
| Winter Storm Warning | 23 | 1 | March 16, 2026 |
| Tornado Watch | 22 | 4 | June 11, 2026 |
| Winter Storm Watch | 20 | 1 | March 16, 2026 |
| Heat Advisory | 18 | 5 | September 4, 2026 |
| Tornado Warning | 13 | 6 | July 3, 2026 |
| Freeze Watch | 10 | 2 | October 17, 2026 |
| High Wind Warning | 9 | 1 | March 13, 2026 |
| Red Flag Warning | 7 | 1 | February 18, 2026 |
| Extreme Cold Warning | 6 | 1 | January 23, 2026 |
| Extreme Heat Watch | 5 | 0 | July 23, 2025 |
| Extreme Heat Warning | 5 | 2 | July 27, 2026 |
| High Wind Watch | 5 | 0 | March 15, 2025 |
| Fire Weather Watch | 5 | 1 | February 18, 2026 |
| Ice Storm Warning | 2 | 0 | February 22, 2023 |
| Extreme Cold Watch | 2 | 1 | January 23, 2026 |
| Snow Squall Warning | 2 | 0 | February 19, 2022 |
| Blizzard Warning | 0 | 1 | March 16, 2026 |
Tornado history in Winnebago County
24 tornadoes have been recorded in Winnebago County since 1950, killing 2 people and injuring 46. That ranks 60 of 102 counties in Illinois. The most recent was on July 15, 2024 (rated EF0).
Strongest tornadoes in Winnebago County
| Date | Rating | County | Path length | Width | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 8, 1958 | F2 | Stephenson County | 81 mi | 10 yd | 1 | 0 |
| November 22, 2010 | EF2 | Winnebago County | 18.1 mi | 200 yd | 0 | 6 |
| August 17, 1979 | F2 | Winnebago County | 0.5 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 0 |
| August 30, 1958 | F2 | Winnebago County | 0.1 mi | 10 yd | 0 | 0 |
| March 31, 2023 | EF1 | Ogle County | 27.5 mi | 600 yd | 1 | 40 |
Most recent tornadoes
| Date | Rating | County | Path length | Width | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 15, 2024 | EF0 | Winnebago County | 0.2 mi | 25 yd | 0 | 0 |
| July 15, 2024 | EF0 | Winnebago County | 1.2 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 |
| March 31, 2023 | EF1 | Winnebago County | 8.6 mi | 300 yd | 0 | 0 |
| March 31, 2023 | EF1 | Winnebago County | 5.8 mi | 300 yd | 0 | 0 |
| March 31, 2023 | EF1 | Ogle County | 27.5 mi | 600 yd | 1 | 40 |
About Winnebago County
- Population: 283,790 (2024 estimate)
- State: Illinois
- NOAA Weather Radio SAME code: 017201 (how to use it)
- Cities: Rockford