Champaign, IL Tornado History — 158 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Champaign, IL had?
Champaign has had 158 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 10 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Champaign?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Champaign was an EF1 on December 28, 2025.
When is tornado season in Champaign?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Champaign, with 44 on record. April through June account for 109 of the 158 tornadoes on record near Champaign.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near Champaign
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 45 total, averaging 2.3 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Champaign since December 29, 2025
These are 10 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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.
(ILX)
EF1... peak wind speed 110 mph... path length 13.5 miles. This tornado largely paralleled I-74 to the north. Some outbuildings were significantly damaged near the start (ILX)
EF1... peak wind speed 100 mph... path length 3 miles. This tornado touched down about a third of a mile south of the Champaign and Ford County line... along Champaign (ILX)
Corrects previous tornado report from 3 NNE Urbana. EF1... peak wind speed 100 mph... path length 3.2 miles. This tornado touched down northeast of Frasca Field along C (ILX)
NWS storm survey confirms a preliminary EF-0 tornado. Peak winds of 80 mph... width of 100 yards... and length of 11.0 miles. (LOT)
A brief EF-0 tornado significantly damaged an outbuilding at a farmstead along N 1150E Road just north of E 100N Road near Paxton. (LOT)
EF1... max wind 93 mph... path length 15.5 miles... path width 500 yards. The tornado spun up west of Galesville... damaging trees and causing roof and structural damag (ILX)
EF0... max wind speed 85 mph... path length 0.88 mi. The tornado touched down just south of Rt 10 and damaged a power pole and quickly moved east-northeast. It did mino (ILX)
The tornado touched down about 2 miles southwest of Tuscola where it snapped off several large trees along N County Rd 800 E. It moved northeast into Tuscola where it c (ILX)
Corrects previous tornado report from 2 WSW Tuscola... adjusting the time back one hour. The tornado touched down about 2 miles southwest of Tuscola where it snapped of (ILX)
Within 25 miles of Champaign. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.
What storm spotters reported near Champaign
8 local storm reports have been filed within 25 miles of Champaign and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on May 13, 2025 and the most recent on December 28, 2025. They are already counted in the Champaign totals above; quoted below is the narrative each reporting office filed at the time.
Based on eyewitness accounts and an assessment of damage photos provided to the NWS by the Ford County EMA and local broadcast media... it has been confirmed that a bri (LOT)
[Landspout] Media relayed a video of a landspout tornado viewed from SE edge of Fairmount looking SE towards Jamaica... though the specific location is unknown at this (ILX)
Delayed report. Received pictures and video of a tornado briefly touching down just north of Homer... IL in a field. EF-U. (ILX)
[Delayed Report] - Video relayed by broadcast media shows a tornado touchdown in a field to the east of Route 54. Time estimated by radar. (ILX)
Power lines down in Rantoul...near the Family Sports Complex. (ILX)
The weak EF-0 tornado touched down about 4 miles southwest of Collison where it did tree damage. It moved east and was video taped by spotters as it passed about 2 mile (ILX)
Emergency management reported tornado touchdown north of IL-9 and 1600 East Road west of Paxton. (LOT)
Multiple photos and videos of a landspout tornado near and northeast of the FedEx Facility from broadcast media and social media. No damage was reported. Location estim (ILX)
Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
Tornadoes by Decade
Tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita Rating
F0–F5 ratings (pre-2007) are grouped with their EF equivalents. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in February 2007.
Tornadoes by Month
Casualties on Record Near Champaign
10 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Champaign since 1950, across 5 events. 193 injuries have been reported across all events. 1968 was the deadliest year on record near Champaign.
The deadliest single event was an F1 on May 15, 1968, which caused 4 fatalities along a 25.4-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Champaign
What the record shows near Champaign
The 2000s were the busiest decade near Champaign, with 40 of the 158 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 21 so far. The Champaign record runs from the 1950s to today.
Of the tornadoes rated near Champaign, 122 reached EF0 or EF1 and 28 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Champaign is rated EF4, of which 1 is logged. A further 8 near Champaign are unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.
Across the last 20 years Champaign has averaged 2.3 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 45 in total. 2025 was the busiest of them with 13, and 9 of those years passed with none at all.