Tornado Rankings, 1950 to 2021
| Rank | County | Tornadoes per 100 square miles |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McLean | 10.194 |
| 2 | Sangamon | 10.169 |
| 3 | Champaign | 10.023 |
| 4 | Macon | 9.459 |
What part of Illinois gets the most tornadoes?
In recent Illinois history, Cook County has the highest number of confirmed tornados at 38 tornados.
Is there a Tornado Alley in Illinois?
States such as Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas, North Dakota, Montana, and Ohio are sometimes included in Tornado Alley.
How common are tornadoes in Illinois?
In a typical year, Illinois averages 50 tornadoes. Last year there were 50 tornadoes reported, resulting in 3 fatalities, 17 injuries, and more than $12 Million damage.
What cities in Illinois have tornadoes?
Illinois Tornado Index City Rank
- 323.89. Belleville, IL / 43,296.
- 323.34. Caseyville, IL / 4,080.
- 323.20. Fairview Heights, IL / 17,250.
- 322.85. Collinsville, IL / 25,282.
- 321.67. Mitchell, IL / 1,301.
- 321.00. Swansea, IL / 13,870.
- 320.53. Granite City, IL / 29,764.
- 318.77. Pontoon Beach, IL / 5,804.
Why do tornadoes never hit big cities?
A tornado is not magically diverted by a building or even a mountain. Tornado strikes in major metropolitan areas are only less common because the vast amount of rural landscape in the U.S. far surpasses the nation’s limited urban footprint.
Why does Illinois get so many tornadoes?
An area of rotation, 2 to 6 miles wide, now extends through much of the storm. Most strong and violent tornadoes form within this area of strong rotation. The newer National Weather Service Doppler radar can detect these areas of rotation, leading to an earlier warning time.
What parts of Illinois get tornadoes?
Tornadoes have been common across central Illinois over the years, with lesser totals reported across southeast portions of the state.
When was the last time a tornado hit Illinois?
The most recent significant tornadoes occurred on June 7, 2008 over Will and Cook Counties. The only F5 tornado to ever strike the Chicago area was on August 28 1990.
A Study of the Chicago Areas Significant Tornadoes.
| County | Significant Tornadoes (per 100 sq. miles) | Violent Tornadoes (total) |
|---|---|---|
| Lake IL | 2.23 | 3 |
| Kendall | 1.87 | 1 |
| McHenry | 1.66 | 3 |
What was the worst tornado in Illinois?
In fact, Illinois has experienced one of the worst tornadoes in U.S. history. The infamous Tri-State tornado occurred on March 18, 1925, passing through southern Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana, leaving 695 dead and 2000 injured.
Does Southern Illinois get tornadoes?
A series of winter tornadoes roared through Southern Illinois, from Murphysboro to near Mount Vernon, on Dec. 18 and 19, 1957, leaving 12 dead (10 in Murphysboro) and a damage total well into the millions. Most of the injuries and deaths are caused by flying debris carried along by the funnel.
What state has the most tornadoes?
Here are the 10 states with the highest numbers of tornadoes:
- Texas (155)
- Kansas (96)
- Florida (66)
- Oklahoma (62)
- Nebraska (57)
- Illinois (54)
- Colorado (53)
- Iowa (51)
Does Northern Illinois get tornadoes?
The National Weather Service is confirming several tornadoes hit northern Illinois over the weekend. The tornadoes were confirmed Saturday in Oak Brook in DuPage County and near the towns of Timberlane and Capron in Boone County. All three were on the lower end category of tornado damage and no injuries were reported.
Can a tornado hit downtown Chicago?
However, tornadoes can occur anywhere in the Chicago area. The downtown area and the lakefront are not immune to tornado activity. On a gray and windy day in April 1967, a swarm of tornadoes struck the area, killing 58 people.
Has a tornado ever hit the city of Chicago?
5/6/1876 1710 F3 2 35 Cook Tornado ripped apart buildings in downtown Chicago. A large multiple vortex tornado was seen moving out over Lake Michigan.
How many tornadoes did Illinois have in 2021?
The weather company’s meteorologists forecast between 200 and 275 tornadoes in April, an increase from 73 confirmed tornadoes in 2021.
Can a bomb stop a tornado?
No one has tried to disrupt the tornado because the methods to do so could likely cause even more damage than the tornado. Detonating a nuclear bomb, for example, to disrupt a tornado would be even more deadly and destructive than the tornado itself.
Can a skyscraper survive a tornado?
It is believed skyscrapers are structurally sound enough to withstand even the strongest tornadoes. However, high winds, air pressure fluctuations and flying debris will shatter their windows and may tear away exterior walls.
Should windows be opened during a tornado?
According to the experts, opening the windows will only succeed in letting the winds into the house so that internal supports can be shaken apart which will weaken the house even more. The bottom line is – don’t open your windows. It’s a waste of time! Try to outrun a tornado.
Where are tornadoes most common?
The United States leads as the country with the highest number of tornadoes. The country experiences an average of 1200 tornadoes every year. While tornadoes happen almost anywhere and anytime around the year, they commonly occur in the Southeast and Midwest of the United States in early summer and late spring.
Where is the Tornado Alley?
Tornado Alley is a nickname given to a region in the U.S. where tornadoes are common. Tornado Alley generally begins in the Southern plains and extends northward through the upper Midwest to the Canadian border. States commonly associated with Tornado Alley include Texas, Kansas and Nebraska.