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Tornado in Bureau County, Illinois
47 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
Bureau County, Illinois, has 47 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 26 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 11 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 19 events against 16 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.3% of the 3,647 tornado events recorded in Illinois; its 5.4 per 100 square miles compares with 6.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 17 at (E)F0, 20 at (E)F1, 1 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 6 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Illinois
| Measure | Bureau County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 47 | 3,647 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.4 | 6.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 14.3 | 2.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 236 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
2Mar
4Apr
10May
11Jun
11Jul
3Aug
3Sep
0Oct
0Nov
1Dec
2
Magnitude distribution
Enhanced Fujita scale wind estimates
- EF0/F0
- 65–85 mph (EF0)
- EF1/F1
- 86–110 mph (EF1)
- EF2/F2
- 111–135 mph (EF2)
- EF3/F3
- 136–165 mph (EF3)
- EF4/F4
- 166–200 mph (EF4)
- EF5/F5
- over 200 mph (EF5)
- Unrated
- no rating recorded
Tornado rating as recorded (Fujita scale before February 2007, Enhanced Fujita after).
Recorded events
All 47 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | $15K | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $20K | $15K | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $12K | $4K | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $12K | $4K | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1995 | Tornado | F3 | $3.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Dec 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Nov 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1974 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1962 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Dec 1951 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | 1 | 1 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Bureau County had?
47 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of tornadoes became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded tornado event in Bureau County?
11 Jun 2026 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Bureau County?
The tornado of 9 May 1995, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $3.0M.
How does Bureau County compare with Illinois for tornado?
5.4 events per 100 square miles against 6.6 statewide; the county holds 47 of the state's 3,647 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.