Illinois Sets New State Record with 147 Tornadoes in 2026

Illinois reported 147 tornadoes in 2026, surpassing the previous state record of 142 set in 2024 and making it the nation’s leader in tornado reports, according to NOAA. The surge includes a recent outbreak on June 21 that produced three confirmed tornadoes in southeast Illinois – an EF‑1 near Neoga in Cumberland County and two EF‑0 tornadoes near Stewardson in Shelby County and near Bradbury in Cumberland and Coles counties. No injuries or fatalities were reported from those three storms.

The broader tornado season has already caused two deaths in a later storm system that affected both Illinois and neighboring Indiana. NOAA expects the total count could rise as additional surveys are completed.