Illinois Tornado History — 3,109 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes does Illinois get per year?
Illinois has had 3,109 tornadoes on record since 1950, including 141 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes — averaging about 40.9 per year since 1950 (about 74.6 per year over the last decade). Counts come from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center archive for Illinois. The 167 cities below report tornadoes within their own search radius, so those figures overlap each other and do not sum to the state total.
When was the most recent tornado in Illinois?
The most recent confirmed tornado in our Illinois dataset was an EF1 tornado on December 28, 2025. Confirmed records are complete through December 29, 2025; more recent preliminary reports are listed below.
When is tornado season in Illinois?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes in Illinois, with 660 on record since 1950. Tornadoes can occur any time of year, but spring through early summer (April–June) generally sees the highest activity across most US states.
Illinois at a Glance
Notable Tornadoes in Illinois
113 preliminary tornado reports in Illinois since December 29, 2025
These are 113 preliminary reports, not confirmed tornadoes. They have not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and are not counted in the confirmed totals above.
Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete. Ratings are omitted until a survey assigns one.
Confirmed records above are complete through December 29, 2025. NOAA publishes the confirmed archive annually, so tornadoes after that date appear here first and move into the totals above once finalized.
Showing the 10 most recent of 113 preliminary reports.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.