Goodings Grove, IL Tornado History — 200 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Goodings Grove, IL had?
Goodings Grove has had 200 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 11 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Goodings Grove?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Goodings Grove was an EF0 on March 19, 2025.
When is tornado season in Goodings Grove?
July is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Goodings Grove, with 44 on record. Spring through early summer (April–June) generally sees the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near Goodings Grove
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 102 total, averaging 5.1 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Goodings Grove since December 29, 2025
These are 9 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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.
Within 25 miles of Goodings Grove. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.
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 Goodings Grove
71 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Goodings Grove since 1950, across 8 events. 1,280 injuries have been reported across all events. 1967 was the deadliest year on record.
The deadliest single event was a F4 on April 21, 1967, which caused 33 fatalities along a 15.0-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Goodings Grove
About Tornadoes in Goodings Grove
This overview was written April 23, 2026. The tornado counts and notable-event figures elsewhere on this page reflect the latest data and may differ from this summary.
Goodings Grove, Illinois sits in a region with substantial tornado activity. According to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center, 181 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of the city since 1950, making this area one of the more tornado-prone locations in the state. The 2020s have seen a dramatic increase in reported events, with 57 tornadoes documented so far this decade—more than double any previous decade on record. This surge likely reflects improvements in detection technology and reporting practices rather than a fundamental shift in atmospheric conditions.
The majority of tornadoes in the area have been relatively weak, with 85 rated EF0 and 63 rated EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which measures tornado intensity based on damage. However, the region has also experienced significant violent tornadoes, including one EF5 event, three EF4 tornadoes, and six EF3 tornadoes. The deadliest tornado on record was an F4 that struck on April 21, 1967, claiming 33 lives and causing $27.5 million in property damage along a 15-mile path. The widest tornado, an F4 on June 13, 1976, reached an extraordinary maximum width of 1,760 yards and resulted in two fatalities.
Tornado activity in the Goodings Grove area peaks during the summer months, with July accounting for 39 recorded events—more than any other month. This pattern aligns with the typical seasonal cycle in the Midwest, where warm, humid air masses from the Gulf of Mexico collide with cooler, drier air, creating the atmospheric instability necessary for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. Spring months also see considerable activity, as demonstrated by the April 1967 disaster and an F3 tornado on April 23, 1961, that carved a remarkable 51.7-mile path.
The most recent tornado occurred on March 19, 2025, when an EF0 touched down briefly with a 0.3-mile path and caused no injuries or property damage. While the costliest tornado on record was an F3 on March 27, 1991, which caused $27.5 million in damage without fatalities, the historical record demonstrates that this area has experienced the full spectrum of tornado intensity over the past 75 years.