Illinois tornado history

From 1950 through 2025, 3,183 tornadoes touched Illinois, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center, the 6th most of the 48 contiguous states and DC. The National Weather Service rated 37 of them F4/EF4 or stronger (2 F5/EF5); along their paths they killed 270 people and injured 5,256. The deadliest, on April 21, 1967, was rated F4 and killed 33 (Cook County). From 2016 to 2025, Illinois averaged 76 tornadoes a year. SPC has logged 244 preliminary tornado reports in Illinois in 2026 (latest September 10, 2026).

Map of every Illinois tornado path since 1950

All 3,183 paths plus 244 preliminary 2026 reports (gray dots). Zoom in to your county; click a path for its date and rating.

Most recent tornadoes in Illinois

2026 preliminary tornado reports in Illinois

Reports from SPC's daily logs. A tornado often draws several reports; NOAA publishes confirmed tornadoes, paths and ratings with its final data.

Deadliest tornadoes in Illinois

F4, EF4, F5 and EF5 tornadoes in Illinois

The 50 strongest Illinois tornadoes, ranked by rating, deaths and path length: Strongest tornadoes in Illinois history

Longest tornado paths in Illinois

For tornadoes that crossed into another state, the path length, deaths and injuries are for the whole path.

Tornadoes by county

Cities with 5 or more tornadoes within 10 miles

Abingdon Addison Aledo Algonquin Alsip Alton Anna Antioch Arcola Arlington Heights Auburn Aurora Barrington Barrington Hills Bartlett Bartonville Batavia Beach Park Beardstown Beecher Belleville Bellwood Belvidere Bensenville Benton Berkeley Berwyn Bethalto Bloomingdale Bloomington Blue Island Bolingbrook Bourbonnais Bradley Braidwood Breese Bridgeview Broadview Brookfield Buffalo Grove Burbank Burnham Burr Ridge Bushnell Byron Cahokia Heights Calumet City Calumet Park Campton Hills Canton Carbondale Carlinville Carlyle Carmi Carol Stream Carpentersville Carterville Cary Caseyville Centralia Champaign Channahon Charleston Chatham Cherry Valley Chester Chicago Chicago Heights Chicago Ridge Chillicothe Christopher Cicero Clarendon Hills Clinton Coal City Coal Valley Collinsville Colona Columbia Cortland Country Club Hills Countryside Crest Hill Crestwood Crete Creve Coeur Crystal Lake Danville Darien Davis Junction DeKalb Decatur Deer Park Deerfield Des Plaines Diamond Dixmoor Dixon Dolton Downers Grove Du Quoin Dupo Dwight East Alton East Dundee East Moline East Peoria East St. Louis Edwardsville Effingham El Paso Elburn Eldorado Elgin Elk Grove Village Elmhurst Elmwood Park Eureka Evanston Evergreen Park Fairbury Fairfield Fairview Heights Flora Flossmoor Forest Park Forsyth Fox Lake Fox River Grove Frankfort Franklin Park Freeburg Freeport Fulton Galena Galesburg Geneseo Geneva Genoa Georgetown Germantown Hills Gibson City Gilberts Gillespie Glen Carbon Glen Ellyn Glencoe Glendale Heights Glenview Glenwood Godfrey Granite City Grayslake Green Oaks Greenville Gurnee Hainesville Hamilton Hampshire Hanover Park Harrisburg Harvard Harvey Harwood Heights Havana Hawthorn Woods Hazel Crest Herrin Heyworth Hickory Hills Highland Highland Park Highwood Hillsboro Hillside Hinsdale Hoffman Estates Homer Glen Hometown Homewood Hoopeston Huntley Indian Head Park Inverness Island Lake Itasca Jacksonville Jerseyville Johnsburg Johnston City Joliet Justice Kankakee Kewanee Kildeer Knoxville La Grange La Grange Park LaSalle Lake Barrington Lake Bluff Lake Forest Lake Villa Lake Zurich Lake in the Hills Lakemoor Lakewood Lansing Lawrenceville Le Roy Lebanon Lemont Lena Libertyville Lincoln Lincolnshire Lincolnwood Lindenhurst Lisle Litchfield Lockport Lombard Long Grove Loves Park Lynwood Lyons Machesney Park Macomb Madison Mahomet Manhattan Manteno Marengo Marion Markham Marseilles Marshall Maryville Mascoutah Matteson Mattoon Maywood McHenry McLeansboro Melrose Park Mendota Metamora Metropolis Midlothian Milan Millstadt Minooka Mokena Moline Momence Monee Monmouth Montgomery Monticello Morris Morrison Morton Morton Grove Mount Carmel Mount Morris Mount Prospect Mount Vernon Mount Zion Mundelein Murphysboro Naperville Nashville New Baden New Lenox Newton Niles Normal Norridge North Aurora North Barrington North Chicago North Riverside Northbrook Northfield Northlake O'Fallon Oak Brook Oak Forest Oak Lawn Oak Park Oakbrook Terrace Oglesby Olney Olympia Fields Oregon Orland Hills Orland Park Oswego Ottawa Palatine Palos Heights Palos Hills Palos Park Pana Paris Park City Park Forest Park Ridge Pawnee Paxton Pekin Peoria Peoria Heights Peotone Peru Pinckneyville Pingree Grove Pittsfield Plainfield Plano Pontiac Pontoon Beach Poplar Grove Posen Princeton Prospect Heights Quincy Rantoul Red Bud Richton Park River Forest River Grove Riverdale Riverside Riverton Riverwoods Robbins Robinson Rochelle Rochester Rock Falls Rock Island Rockford Rockton Rolling Meadows Romeoville Roscoe Roselle Rosemont Round Lake Round Lake Beach Round Lake Heights Round Lake Park Rushville Salem Sandwich Sauk Village Savanna Savoy Schaumburg Schiller Park Shelbyville Sherman Shiloh Shorewood Silvis Skokie Sleepy Hollow Smithton South Barrington South Beloit South Chicago Heights South Elgin South Holland South Jacksonville Sparta Spring Grove Spring Valley Springfield St. Charles St. Joseph Staunton Steger Sterling Stickney Stone Park Streamwood Streator Sugar Grove Sullivan Summit Sumner Swansea Sycamore Taylorville Tilton Tinley Park Tolono Trenton Troy Tuscola University Park Urbana Vandalia Vernon Hills Villa Park Virden Volo Wadsworth Warrenville Washington Waterloo Watseka Wauconda Waukegan West Chicago West Dundee West Frankfort West Peoria Westchester Western Springs Westmont Westville Wheaton Wheeling Willow Springs Willowbrook Wilmette Wilmington Winfield Winnebago Winnetka Winthrop Harbor Wonder Lake Wood Dale Wood River Woodridge Woodstock Worth Yorkville Zion

Tornadoes in Illinois by year

More for Illinois: strongest tornadoes · damaging wind history · hail history · all states

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center (SPC) Severe Weather Database (SVRGIS) tornado file, 1950–2025, and SPC preliminary storm reports for 2026 (data through November 6, 2026). Ratings are the ones the National Weather Service assigned: Fujita (F) scale before Feb 1, 2007, Enhanced Fujita (EF) after. Paths are drawn as straight lines from the start to the end point SPC records; real paths curve. City and county boundaries: US Census Bureau.