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Tornado in Ford County, Illinois
43 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.
NCEI records 43 tornado events in Ford County, Illinois, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 25 years.
June is the busiest month, with 12 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 17 events against 11 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.2% of the 3,647 tornado events recorded in Illinois; its 8.9 per 100 square miles compares with 6.6 statewide.
By rating: 20 at (E)F0, 15 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 4 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Illinois
| Measure | Ford County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 43 | 3,647 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 8.9 | 6.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 31.8 | 2.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 236 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
1Mar
2Apr
9May
10Jun
12Jul
2Aug
3Sep
1Oct
0Nov
1Dec
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 43 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 | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Dec 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Feb 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jan 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2020 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 24 Aug 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1980 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1980 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1970 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Nov 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Sep 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 4 Mar 1961 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1956 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Ford County had?
43 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 Ford 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 Ford County?
The tornado of 7 Jun 1980, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Ford County compare with Illinois for tornado?
8.9 events per 100 square miles against 6.6 statewide; the county holds 43 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.