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Tornado in Fulton County, Illinois
50 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.
Fulton County, Illinois, has 50 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 23 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 12 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 16 events against 20 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.4% of the 3,647 tornado events recorded in Illinois; its 5.8 per 100 square miles compares with 6.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 20 at (E)F0, 17 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 4 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 | Fulton County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 50 | 3,647 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.8 | 6.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 15.1 | 2.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 236 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
5Apr
9May
11Jun
12Jul
3Aug
4Sep
1Oct
1Nov
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 50 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 | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2023 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | 4 | County |
| 28 Mar 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $85K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Dec 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $350K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Dec 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $15K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $670K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $450K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 13 May 1995 | Tornado | F4 | $6.0M | — | — | 45 | County |
| 9 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Nov 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Mar 1990 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 1981 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 1976 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 23 Jul 1975 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 1975 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | 2 | 69 | County |
| 24 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1975 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Oct 1973 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Feb 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 31 Mar 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 1966 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Fulton County had?
50 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 Fulton 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 Fulton County?
The tornado of 23 Jul 1975, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M; 2 deaths recorded.
How does Fulton County compare with Illinois for tornado?
5.8 events per 100 square miles against 6.6 statewide; the county holds 50 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.