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Tornado in Lee County, Illinois
39 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.
Lee County, Illinois, has 39 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 25 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 12 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 18 events against 8 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.1% of the 3,647 tornado events recorded in Illinois; its 5.4 per 100 square miles compares with 6.6 statewide.
By rating: 15 at (E)F0, 13 at (E)F1, 6 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 5 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Illinois
| Measure | Lee County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 39 | 3,647 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.4 | 6.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 11.5 | 2.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 236 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
3Apr
7May
8Jun
12Jul
2Aug
4Sep
1Oct
1Nov
0Dec
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 39 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 |
| 2 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Feb 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.0M | — | — | 7 | County |
| 22 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1988 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 1988 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 14 May 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1974 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 1972 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 6 | County |
| 21 Apr 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Sep 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 1958 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 1956 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Lee County had?
39 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 Lee 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 Lee County?
The tornado of 9 Apr 2015, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.0M.
How does Lee County compare with Illinois for tornado?
5.4 events per 100 square miles against 6.6 statewide; the county holds 39 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.