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Tornado in Kendall County, Illinois
31 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 31 tornado events in Kendall County, Illinois, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 16 years.
July is the busiest month, with 9 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 18 events against 6 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.9% of the 3,647 tornado events recorded in Illinois; its 9.7 per 100 square miles compares with 6.6 statewide.
By rating: 17 at (E)F0, 7 at (E)F1, 1 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 1 at (E)F5 and 3 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Illinois
| Measure | Kendall County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 31 | 3,647 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 9.7 | 6.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 2.3 | 2.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 236 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | July | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
4Apr
2May
7Jun
4Jul
9Aug
2Sep
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 31 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Feb 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Nov 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2020 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 1990 | Tornado | F5 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1977 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1977 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Sep 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1954 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Kendall County had?
31 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 Kendall County?
14 Mar 2025 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Kendall County?
The tornado of 12 Mar 1976, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Kendall County compare with Illinois for tornado?
9.7 events per 100 square miles against 6.6 statewide; the county holds 31 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.