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Dolton, IL Tornado History — 139 Tornadoes Since 1950

Illinois · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Dolton, IL had?

Dolton has had 139 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 7 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Dolton?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Dolton was an EF0 on March 19, 2025.

When is tornado season in Dolton?

June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Dolton, with 32 on record. April through June account for 58 of the 139 tornadoes on record near Dolton.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
139
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
7
5.0% of total
Peak Month
June
32 on record
Per Year Avg
1.8
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Dolton

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 74 total, averaging 3.7 per year over this window.

2026 0+8 prelim
2025 10
2024 20
2023 5
2022 2
2021 5
2020 2
2019 3
2018 3
2017 1
2016 1
2015 4
2014 5
2013 2
2012 0
2011 2
2010 2
2009 0
2008 7
2007 0

Striped bars mark preliminary reports not yet confirmed by NWS survey — excluded from the confirmed counts.

Preliminary tornado reports near Dolton since December 29, 2025

These are 8 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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.

Preliminary EF1° August 11, 2026
1 ESE Homewood, Cook County, IL
An EF-1 tornado began west of Halsted between 183rd and 187th... crossing Halsted and causing structural damage to a strip mall and several buildings in an apartment co (LOT)
Preliminary EF2° August 11, 2026
5 SSW Frankfort, Will County, IL
NWS survey confirms an EF-2 tornado with peak winds near 115 mph... peak width of 300 yards... and path length of 25.8 miles. (LOT)
Preliminary July 27, 2026
1 ENE Hazel Crest, Cook County, IL
Likely portion of tornado path in/near Markham. Concentrated area of tree damage along westbound I-80/I-294 at the Dixie Highway exit directly east and west of the exit (LOT)
Preliminary EF0° July 27, 2026
3 NW Orland Park, Cook County, IL
An NWS damage survey confirmed an EF-0 tornado with peak winds of 85 mph... path length of 2.9 miles... and max width of 250 yards impacted Orland Park. (LOT)
Preliminary July 27, 2026
2 E Glenwood, Cook County, IL
Corrects previous tornado report from 2 E Glenwood. An NWS storm survey confirmed an EF-1 tornado with peak winds of 110 mph... peak width of 225 yards... and path leng (LOT)
Preliminary EF2° June 12, 2026
1 S Willow Springs, Cook County, IL
*** 6 INJ *** NWS survey confirms a preliminary EF-2 tornado. Peak winds of 120 mph... width of 350 yards... and length of 8.4 miles. (LOT)
Preliminary EF0° June 12, 2026
2 SSW Cedar Lake, Lake County, IN
NWS survey confirms a preliminary EF-0 tornado. Peak winds of 80 mph... width of 150 yards... and length of 4.1 miles. (LOT)
Preliminary EF0° June 10, 2026
1 E Palos Heights, Cook County, IL
NWS survey confirmed a preliminary EF-0 tornado. Path length of 2.5 miles... max width of 175 yards... and peak winds of 80 mph. (LOT)

Within 25 miles of Dolton. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 8
1960s 15
1970s 15
1980s 15
1990s 6
2000s 13
2010s 23
2020s 44

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.

EF0 60
EF1 49
EF2 22
EF3 5
EF4 2
Unrated 1

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 0
Feb 1
Mar 20
Apr 11
May 15
Jun 32
Jul 28
Aug 14
Sep 6
Oct 5
Nov 6
Dec 1

Casualties on Record Near Dolton

39 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Dolton since 1950, across 5 events. 834 injuries have been reported across all events. 1967 was the deadliest year on record near Dolton.

The deadliest single event was an F4 on April 21, 1967, which caused 33 fatalities along a 15.0-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Dolton

Deadliest Tornado
F4 on April 21, 1967 — 33 fatalities, 15.0 mi path, 200 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F3 on March 27, 1991 — est. ~$27.5M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
F4 on June 13, 1976 — 1,760 yards wide.
Longest Path
F2 on November 12, 1965 — 35.9 mile track.
Most Recent
EF0 on March 19, 2025.

What the record shows near Dolton

The 2020s are the busiest decade on record so far near Dolton, with 44 of the 139 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles. The Dolton record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Dolton, 109 reached EF0 or EF1 and 29 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Dolton is rated EF4, of which 2 are logged. A further 1 near Dolton is unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.

Across the last 20 years Dolton has averaged 3.7 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 74 in total. 2024 was the busiest of them with 20, and 4 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Dolton, IL had?
Since 1950, 139 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Dolton. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Dolton?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Dolton was an F4 on April 21, 1967, which caused 33 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Dolton?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Dolton, with 32 tornadoes on record. Tornadoes can occur any time of year, but spring months (April–June) generally see the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
Has Dolton been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of Dolton, there have been 0 EF5 and 2 EF4 tornadoes recorded since 1950. EF4 and EF5 tornadoes are the most destructive ratings on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with winds above 166 mph.
When was the most recent tornado near Dolton?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Dolton was an EF0 on March 19, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Dolton?
Vortex delivers real-time tornado warnings, severe thunderstorm alerts, and SPC outlook updates for any US location via push notification and phone call. Alerts are sourced directly from the National Weather Service and updated within seconds of issuance.

Official Resources

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