Tornadoes in Illinois
The Storm Prediction Center records 3,181 tornadoes that touched Illinois between 1950 and 2025, and 3,108 of them began there. A tornado that crossed a state line counts in every state it touched. They killed 269 people and injured 5,236. The busiest month is May, with 675 tornadoes. Illinois ranks number 6 among states for the number of tornadoes recorded.
- 3,181tornadoes
- 269deaths
- 5,236injuries
- 573per 10,000 sq mi of land
- 102counties touched
Tornadoes per 10,000 square miles lets you compare states of different sizes. It counts every tornado that touched the state.
How strong were Illinois's tornadoes?
| Rating | Tornadoes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| F0 / EF0 | 1,376 | 43% |
| F1 / EF1 | 1,065 | 33% |
| F2 / EF2 | 454 | 14% |
| F3 / EF3 | 122 | 4% |
| F4 / EF4 | 35 | 1% |
| F5 / EF5 | 2 | <1% |
| Unknown rating | 127 | 4% |
Illinois tornadoes over time
The 2020s only run to 2025, so that bar is for a shorter period. The record starts in 1950.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 192 |
| 1960s | 212 |
| 1970s | 370 |
| 1980s | 226 |
| 1990s | 499 |
| 2000s | 583 |
| 2010s | 538 |
| 2020s | 561 |
The record has changed over the decades as detection and reporting improved, so more weak tornadoes show up in recent years than in the 1950s. The year with the most in Illinois was 2024, with 142.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| Jan | 42 |
| Feb | 81 |
| Mar | 243 |
| Apr | 623 |
| May | 675 |
| Jun | 625 |
| Jul | 298 |
| Aug | 230 |
| Sep | 97 |
| Oct | 65 |
| Nov | 100 |
| Dec | 102 |
Deadliest tornadoes that touched Illinois
- Orland Park, Illinois tornado21 April 1967, F4, 33 deaths, 500 injuries, 15 miles long
- Joliet, Illinois tornado28 August 1990, F5, 29 deaths, 350 injuries, 16.4 miles long
- Woodstock, Illinois tornado21 April 1967, F4, 24 deaths, 450 injuries, 25.5 miles long
- St. Louis, Missouri tornado10 February 1959, F4, 21 deaths, 345 injuries, 23.9 miles long
- Carbondale, Illinois tornado18 December 1957, F4, 11 deaths, 200 injuries, 28.3 miles long
- Marion, Illinois tornado29 May 1982, F4, 10 deaths, 181 injuries, 17 miles long
Strongest tornadoes that touched Illinois
- Joliet, Illinois tornado28 August 1990, F5, 29 deaths, 350 injuries, 16.4 miles long
- St. Johns, Illinois tornado18 December 1957, F5, 1 death, 6 injuries, 5.4 miles long
- Orland Park, Illinois tornado21 April 1967, F4, 33 deaths, 500 injuries, 15 miles long
- Woodstock, Illinois tornado21 April 1967, F4, 24 deaths, 450 injuries, 25.5 miles long
- St. Louis, Missouri tornado10 February 1959, F4, 21 deaths, 345 injuries, 23.9 miles long
- Carbondale, Illinois tornado18 December 1957, F4, 11 deaths, 200 injuries, 28.3 miles long
Most recent tornadoes in Illinois
- Illinois tornado28 December 2025, EF0, 0.2 miles long
- Illinois tornado28 December 2025, Unknown rating, 4.9 miles long
- Illinois tornado28 December 2025, EF0, 3.4 miles long
- Illinois tornado28 December 2025, EF1, 9.5 miles long
- Illinois tornado28 December 2025, EF0, 2.6 miles long
Notable Illinois tornadoes with their own pages
- Orland Park, Illinois tornado21 April 1967, F4, 33 deaths, 500 injuries, 15 miles long
- Joliet, Illinois tornado28 August 1990, F5, 29 deaths, 350 injuries, 16.4 miles long
- Woodstock, Illinois tornado21 April 1967, F4, 24 deaths, 450 injuries, 25.5 miles long
- St. Louis, Missouri tornado10 February 1959, F4, 21 deaths, 345 injuries, 23.9 miles long
- Carbondale, Illinois tornado18 December 1957, F4, 11 deaths, 200 injuries, 28.3 miles long
- Marion, Illinois tornado29 May 1982, F4, 10 deaths, 181 injuries, 17 miles long
- Carrier Mills, Illinois tornado29 February 2012, EF4, 8 deaths, 108 injuries, 26.1 miles long
- Mark, Illinois tornado20 April 2004, F3, 8 deaths, 12 injuries, 15.8 miles long
- Belleville, Illinois tornado24 February 1956, F4, 6 deaths, 36 injuries, 77.6 miles long
- Crystal Lake, Illinois tornado11 April 1965, F4, 6 deaths, 75 injuries, 9.1 miles long
- Ste. Marie, Illinois tornado31 March 2023, EF3, 6 deaths, 16 injuries, 40.9 miles long
- Windsor, Illinois tornado21 August 1977, F3, 6 deaths, 56 injuries, 26.9 miles long
Many of these tornadoes killed or injured people. The numbers are the official record's, and they may be revised.
Illinois counties
Every county that a tornado has touched is listed, most tornadoes first. 102 of them have at least 3 tornadoes and their own page.