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Harvey, IL Tornado History — 160 Tornadoes Since 1950

Illinois · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Harvey, IL had?

Harvey has had 160 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 8 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Harvey?

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

When is tornado season in Harvey?

June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Harvey, with 41 on record. April through June account for 71 of the 160 tornadoes on record near Harvey.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
160
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
8
5.0% of total
Peak Month
June
41 on record
Per Year Avg
2.1
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Harvey

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 87 total, averaging 4.3 per year over this window.

2026 0+8 prelim
2025 11
2024 23
2023 5
2022 3
2021 6
2020 2
2019 3
2018 4
2017 1
2016 1
2015 4
2014 11
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 Harvey 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 Harvey. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 9
1960s 16
1970s 16
1980s 16
1990s 7
2000s 16
2010s 30
2020s 50

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 70
EF1 57
EF2 24
EF3 5
EF4 2
EF5 1
Unrated 1

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 0
Feb 1
Mar 21
Apr 14
May 16
Jun 41
Jul 33
Aug 16
Sep 6
Oct 5
Nov 6
Dec 1

Casualties on Record Near Harvey

68 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Harvey since 1950, across 6 events. 1,184 injuries have been reported across all events. 1967 was the deadliest year on record near Harvey.

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

Notable Tornadoes Near Harvey

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 August 15, 1958 — 74.5 mile track.
Most Recent
EF0 on March 19, 2025.

What the record shows near Harvey

The 2020s are the busiest decade on record so far near Harvey, with 50 of the 160 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles. The Harvey record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Harvey, 127 reached EF0 or EF1 and 32 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Harvey is rated EF5, of which 1 is logged. A further 1 near Harvey is unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.

Across the last 20 years Harvey has averaged 4.3 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 87 in total. 2024 was the busiest of them with 23, and 4 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Harvey, IL had?
Since 1950, 160 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Harvey. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Harvey?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Harvey was an F4 on April 21, 1967, which caused 33 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Harvey?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Harvey, with 41 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 Harvey been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of Harvey, there have been 1 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 Harvey?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Harvey was an EF0 on March 19, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Harvey?
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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