Tornado Facts About Illinois

It sure does! Illinois houses the Windy City, but the title can be extended to the entire state. The big question:

How many tornadoes are there in Illinois in a year?

Based on recent data, Illinois has an average of 35 tornados a year. Learn more about monthly tornado averages in Illinois here.

Chicago Tornados

The deadliest tornado in Chicago occurred in 1967. 33 people were killed when an EF-4 tornado struck Oak Lawn and Palos Hills.

• As the most populous state in the Tornado Alley, Illinois’s tornados are much more disastrous and deadly.
• For about every 10,000 square miles in Illinois, there will be an average of 5 tornados reported that year.
• The deadliest tornado in U.S. history was the Tri-State Tornado of 1925 which killed 695 people in Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana; 613 of these people were in Illinois.
• In recent Illinois history, Cook County has the highest number of confirmed tornados at 38 tornados.
• The most common time range for Illinois tornados to hit is between the hours of 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
• The most common hour in the day for tornados to hit Illinois is about 5 p.m.
• The most common month for Illinois tornados is April.
• Central and Southeast Illinois are the most likely to be affected by tornados.

It’s important to note that tornados can happen in Illinois any time of the day and any time of the year. Make sure your loved ones are protected by letting our expert technicians install a custom tornado shelter like our above ground tornado shelters. Request more information today!