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Tornado in Cook County, Illinois
87 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.
Cook County, Illinois, has 87 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 40 different years.
July is the busiest month, with 23 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 44 events against 4 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.4% of the 3,647 tornado events recorded in Illinois; its 9.2 per 100 square miles compares with 6.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 39 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 35 at (E)F0, 29 at (E)F1, 16 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 2 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 3 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Illinois
| Measure | Cook County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 87 | 3,647 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 9.2 | 6.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 0.2 | 2.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 39 | 236 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | July | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
3Mar
4Apr
7May
11Jun
21Jul
23Aug
9Sep
7Oct
1Nov
1Dec
0
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 87 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 | EF2 | — | — | — | 6 | County |
| 10 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Feb 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Feb 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Feb 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 12 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2021 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | $4.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 1991 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | 7 | County |
| 29 Sep 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 10 | County |
| 4 Jul 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 29 May 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 22 Sep 1980 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1977 | Tornado | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1976 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | 2 | 23 | County |
| 12 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | 2 | 41 | County |
| 17 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1974 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 1972 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 14 Jul 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 30 Apr 1970 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 9 | County |
| 21 Apr 1967 | Tornado | F4 | $25M | — | 33 | 500 | County |
| 21 Apr 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 1966 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 1966 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 1966 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | 1 | 30 | County |
| 12 Nov 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $25M | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 1965 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 1962 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 10 | County |
| 4 Mar 1961 | Tornado | F2 | $25M | — | 1 | 115 | County |
| 26 Sep 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 14 | County |
| 21 Sep 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1959 | Tornado | — | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 1956 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 2 Apr 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1955 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 10 Oct 1954 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Cook County had?
87 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 Cook County?
11 Jun 2026 (Tornado, EF2). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Cook County?
The tornado of 4 Mar 1961, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M; 1 death recorded.
How does Cook County compare with Illinois for tornado?
9.2 events per 100 square miles against 6.6 statewide; the county holds 87 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.