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Racine, WI Tornado History — 58 Tornadoes Since 1950

Wisconsin · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Racine, WI had?

Racine has had 58 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 3 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Racine?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Racine was an EF0 on October 12, 2022.

When is tornado season in Racine?

August is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Racine, with 11 on record. April through June account for 18 of the 58 tornadoes on record near Racine.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
58
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
3
5.2% of total
Peak Month
August
11 on record
Per Year Avg
0.8
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Racine

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 17 total, averaging 0.8 per year over this window.

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

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

Preliminary tornado reports near Racine since December 29, 2025

These are 5 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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° June 11, 2026
5 NW Kenosha, Kenosha County, WI
National Weather Service Storm Survey confirms a tornado rated EF-1 near Somers. Brief tornado began on the south side of 18th street west of 72nd Ave. Two barn outbuil (MKX)
Preliminary EF1° April 18, 2026
4 E Wind Lake, Racine County, WI
NWS Damage Survey reported EF-1 Tornado... estimated peak winds of 100 mph. Began on west side of US-45 in northern Racine Co and tracked northeast to County Line Rd on (MKX)
Preliminary April 15, 2026
4 SSW Sturtevant, Kenosha County, WI
Corrects previous tornado report from 4 SSW Sturtevant. EF1 tornado in the Somers area beginning near the intersection of 7th St. and 100th Ave. and ending approximatel (MKX)
Preliminary April 15, 2026
2 SE Rochester, Racine County, WI
Corrects previous tornado report from 2 SE Rochester. EF0 tornado developed near the intersection of Plank Rd. and County Highway J and traveled 3.9 miles ending near P (MKX)
Preliminary April 15, 2026
4 SSW Sturtevant, Kenosha County, WI
EF1 tornado in the Somers area beginning near the intersection of 7th St. and 100th Ave. and ending approximately 4 miles to the southeast near the north end of 47th Av (MKX)

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

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 6
1960s 8
1970s 13
1980s 7
1990s 3
2000s 9
2010s 9
2020s 3

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 14
EF1 28
EF2 13
EF3 2
EF4 1

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 2
Feb 0
Mar 2
Apr 5
May 3
Jun 10
Jul 10
Aug 11
Sep 6
Oct 7
Nov 2
Dec 0

Casualties on Record Near Racine

1 fatality has been recorded within 25 miles of Racine since 1950, across 1 event. 231 injuries have been reported across all events. 1958 was the deadliest year on record near Racine.

The deadliest single event was an F2 on October 8, 1958, which caused 1 fatality along a 81.0-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Racine

Deadliest Tornado
F2 on October 8, 1958 — 1 fatality, 81.0 mi path, 10 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
EF3 on January 7, 2008 — $13.8M in reported property damage.
Widest Tornado
F3 on June 5, 1977 — 400 yards wide.
Longest Path
F2 on October 8, 1958 — 81.0 mile track.
Most Recent
EF0 on October 12, 2022.

What the record shows near Racine

The 1970s were the busiest decade near Racine, with 13 of the 58 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 3 so far. The Racine record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Racine, 42 reached EF0 or EF1 and 16 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Racine is rated EF4, of which 1 is logged.

Across the last 20 years Racine has averaged 0.8 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 17 in total. 2010 was the busiest of them with 7, and 12 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Racine, WI had?
Since 1950, 58 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Racine. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Racine?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Racine was an F2 on October 8, 1958, which caused 1 fatality.
When is tornado season in Racine?
August is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Racine, with 11 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 Racine been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of Racine, there has been 0 EF5 and 1 EF4 tornado 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 Racine?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Racine was an EF0 on October 12, 2022.
How do I get tornado warnings for Racine?
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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