Illinois on Track for Most Twisters Ever in 2026

Illinois is outpacing the country with tornado activity this year and racing to set a record for the state, according to the Daily Herald.

Recent tornado activity in the Chicago suburbs contributed to 140 confirmed tornadoes so far in 2026, according to an Illinois State University researcher. The record was set in 2024 with 142. By this time in 2024, Illinois only had 87 tornadoes.

This year, the next closest state to Illinois’ number is Mississippi with 82 preliminary tornado reports. Illinois’ neighboring states, Missouri and Iowa, also have seen heightened activity. However, Texas and Oklahoma are well below average for their tornado activity this year.

New confirmations could emerge at any time as the National Weather Service assesses reports from June 11, when at least 21 tornadoes hit Illinois.

Records from the National Weather Service’s Chicago forecast area, which includes 23 Illinois and Indiana counties, show 47 tornadoes in the region so far in 2026. That’s compared to 25 for the entirety of 2025.

During the last four years, Illinois experienced at least 100 twisters annually, but prior to that the state’s average was around 50 to 60 tornadoes.