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Tornado in Kankakee County, Illinois
70 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 70 tornado events in Kankakee County, Illinois, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 33 years.
June is the busiest month, with 27 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 45 events against 13 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.9% of the 3,647 tornado events recorded in Illinois; its 10.3 per 100 square miles compares with 6.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 3 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 24 at (E)F0, 27 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 5 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 8 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Illinois
| Measure | Kankakee County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 70 | 3,647 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 10.3 | 6.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 6.6 | 2.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 3 | 236 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
0Mar
12Apr
13May
9Jun
27Jul
5Aug
1Sep
1Oct
0Nov
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 70 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 | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | 1 | 9 | County |
| 10 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $128K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | $133K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $158K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $166K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $166K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Nov 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $35K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF3 | $600K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 8 Mar 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Mar 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 1991 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Mar 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | 15 | County |
| 25 Jun 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 1969 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 1963 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | 1 | 50 | County |
| 16 Jun 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1955 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 1954 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | 1 | 13 | County |
| 25 Jan 1950 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Kankakee County had?
70 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 Kankakee 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 Kankakee County?
The tornado of 2 Apr 1982, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Kankakee County compare with Illinois for tornado?
10.3 events per 100 square miles against 6.6 statewide; the county holds 70 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.