Oak Lawn, IL Tornado History — 182 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Oak Lawn, IL had?
Oak Lawn has had 182 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 9 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Oak Lawn?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Oak Lawn was an EF0 on March 19, 2025.
When is tornado season in Oak Lawn?
July is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Oak Lawn, with 39 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 Oak Lawn
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 91 total, averaging 4.5 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Oak Lawn 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 Oak Lawn. 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 Oak Lawn
71 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Oak Lawn since 1950, across 8 events. 1,279 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 Oak Lawn
About Tornadoes in Oak Lawn
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.
Oak Lawn, Illinois, sits within a region that has experienced significant tornado activity over the past 75 years. According to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center, 156 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of the city since 1950. The majority of these events have been relatively weak, with 72 rated EF0 and 57 rated EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which measures tornado intensity based on damage. However, the area has also seen 22 EF2 tornadoes, 3 EF3 tornadoes, and 2 EF4 tornadoes, demonstrating that stronger systems capable of considerable destruction do occur.
Tornado frequency in the Oak Lawn area has varied considerably by decade. The 1960s and 1970s each recorded 18 tornadoes, while the 1990s saw only 8 events. More recently, the 2020s have experienced a notable surge with 52 tornadoes recorded through early 2025, though this includes the most recent event on March 19, 2025, a brief EF0 tornado with a 0.3-mile path. July stands out as the peak month for tornado activity, with 34 events on record, reflecting the typical seasonal pattern of summer convective storms in the region.
The deadliest tornado in the area's recorded history was an F4 event on April 21, 1967, which claimed 33 lives and caused $27,500,000 in property damage along a 15-mile path. Nearly a decade later, on June 13, 1976, another F4 tornado carved a shorter 3.3-mile path but achieved the widest width on record at 1,760 yards, resulting in 2 fatalities. The costliest tornado occurred on March 27, 1991, when an F3 system caused $27,500,000 in damage along a 15-mile track, though fortunately no fatalities were recorded. More recently, an EF3 tornado on June 21, 2021, traveled the longest distance on record at 17.6 miles with a maximum width of 600 yards, though it produced no reported fatalities or property damage in the database.
The Enhanced Fujita scale, used since 2007 to replace the original Fujita scale, rates tornadoes from EF0 to EF5 based on estimated wind speeds inferred from damage indicators. While most tornadoes in any given area are weak and short-lived, the historical record for Oak Lawn demonstrates that residents should maintain awareness of severe weather potential, particularly during the spring and summer months when atmospheric conditions most favor tornadic development.