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Tornado in Champaign County, Illinois
83 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.
Champaign County, Illinois, has 83 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 38 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 24 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 23 events against 35 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.3% of the 3,647 tornado events recorded in Illinois; its 8.3 per 100 square miles compares with 6.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 42 at (E)F0, 19 at (E)F1, 10 at (E)F2, 7 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 4 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Illinois
| Measure | Champaign County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 83 | 3,647 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 8.3 | 6.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 4.0 | 2.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 236 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
2Mar
5Apr
14May
20Jun
24Jul
4Aug
5Sep
1Oct
1Nov
5Dec
1
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 83 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 | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Feb 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Feb 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $12K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $37K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | $80K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2016 | Tornado | EF2 | $800K | $100K | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | $85K | $3K | — | — | County |
| 17 Nov 2013 | Tornado | EF2 | $800K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Nov 2013 | Tornado | EF3 | $60M | — | — | 6 | County |
| 1 May 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Nov 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Oct 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 18 Aug 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F3 | $9.0M | — | — | 12 | County |
| 19 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F3 | — | — | 1 | 13 | County |
| 26 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 20 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1987 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Nov 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1976 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | — | 11 | County |
| 19 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 10 Dec 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 1970 | Tornado | — | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jan 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 5 | County |
| 22 Apr 1963 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 5 | County |
| 2 Jul 1962 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 1961 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 1961 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 23 Jun 1958 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 1955 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Aug 1955 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Aug 1955 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 1953 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | 5 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Champaign County had?
83 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 Champaign County?
11 Jun 2026 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Champaign County?
The tornado of 17 Nov 2013, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $60M.
How does Champaign County compare with Illinois for tornado?
8.3 events per 100 square miles against 6.6 statewide; the county holds 83 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.