3,560
Recorded events
102
Counties affected
236
Direct deaths
$3.1B
Property damage
Illinois tornado history: 3,560 recorded events across 102 counties between 1950 and 2026.
Decade by decade
Illinois tornado history by decade
The 2020s are the busiest decade on record with 738 reported tornado events across Illinois. Earlier decades are thinner because systematic reporting for this hazard expanded over time, not because the weather was calmer.
County ranking
Counties with the most tornado events in Illinois
| Rank | County | Events | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | McLean County | 121 | 0 | $20.3M | 1950–2025 |
| #2 | Will County | 98 | 34 | $350.3M | 1960–2025 |
| #3 | Sangamon County | 90 | 3 | $25.6M | 1954–2025 |
| #4 | Cook County | 85 | 39 | $118.3M | 1954–2025 |
| #5 | Champaign County | 81 | 2 | $103.9M | 1953–2025 |
| #6 | Macon County | 78 | 1 | $22.9M | 1956–2025 |
| #7 | Tazewell County | 73 | 3 | $983.6M | 1955–2026 |
| #8 | Logan County | 73 | 1 | $40.5M | 1951–2025 |
| #9 | Henry County | 71 | 0 | $24.8M | 1956–2026 |
| #10 | Kankakee County | 69 | 3 | $34.3M | 1950–2026 |
| #11 | Madison County | 67 | 6 | $70.4M | 1950–2026 |
| #12 | Vermilion County | 64 | 1 | $46.7M | 1953–2025 |
| #13 | LaSalle County | 64 | 10 | $9.5M | 1955–2026 |
| #14 | Iroquois County | 61 | 0 | $9.2M | 1954–2026 |
| #15 | Christian County | 60 | 0 | $125.1M | 1955–2026 |
| #16 | St. Clair County | 56 | 12 | $12.1M | 1952–2026 |
| #17 | Livingston County | 55 | 1 | $10.3M | 1950–2026 |
| #18 | Montgomery County | 55 | 3 | $2.0M | 1950–2026 |
| #19 | Woodford County | 50 | 0 | $27.5M | 1954–2024 |
| #20 | Macoupin County | 48 | 1 | $1.2M | 1950–2026 |
| #21 | Fulton County | 48 | 2 | $39.8M | 1966–2024 |
| #22 | Bureau County | 46 | 1 | $5.2M | 1951–2026 |
| #23 | DuPage County | 46 | 0 | $12.5M | 1955–2025 |
| #24 | Mercer County | 45 | 0 | $5.3M | 1952–2026 |
| #25 | Randolph County | 45 | 1 | $9.9M | 1950–2026 |
Significant events
Deadliest tornado events in Illinois
| Date | County | Scale | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 21, 1967 | Cook County | F4 | 33 | 500 |
| Aug 28, 1990 | Will County | F5 | 29 | 350 |
| Apr 21, 1967 | Boone County | F4 | 24 | 410 |
| Dec 18, 1957 | Jackson County | F4 | 11 | 180 |
| May 29, 1982 | Williamson County | F4 | 10 | 181 |
| Apr 20, 2004 | LaSalle County | F3 | 8 | 7 |
| Feb 29, 2012 | Saline County | EF4 | 8 | 95 |
| Apr 11, 1965 | McHenry County | F4 | 6 | 75 |
| Feb 25, 1956 | St. Clair County | F4 | 6 | 20 |
| Aug 21, 1977 | Shelby County | F3 | 6 | 56 |