States › Illinois › McLean County › Tornado
Tornado in McLean County, Illinois
122 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.
McLean County, Illinois, has 122 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 49 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 39 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 26 events against 40 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 3.3% of the 3,647 tornado events recorded in Illinois; its 10.3 per 100 square miles compares with 6.6 statewide.
By rating: 63 at (E)F0, 34 at (E)F1, 17 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 6 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Illinois
| Measure | McLean County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 122 | 3,647 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 10.3 | 6.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 7.1 | 2.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 236 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
2Feb
0Mar
6Apr
21May
24Jun
39Jul
6Aug
9Sep
4Oct
1Nov
4Dec
6
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 122 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 |
| 28 Dec 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jan 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Dec 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Dec 2018 | Tornado | EF2 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Dec 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Dec 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $110K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $4K | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2004 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 2000 | Tornado | F1 | $7K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2000 | Tornado | F2 | $175K | — | — | 4 | County |
| 4 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $35K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F3 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $518K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $106K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Dec 1991 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Oct 1991 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 1991 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1987 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Sep 1986 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Nov 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Nov 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 1981 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1980 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 1980 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 1976 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 1976 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1976 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1975 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1975 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1975 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 1973 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Nov 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1970 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1970 | Tornado | — | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1970 | Tornado | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jan 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Nov 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Sep 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 1961 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 5 Jun 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1960 | Tornado | — | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 1956 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1953 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 1950 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has McLean County had?
122 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 McLean County?
11 Jun 2026 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in McLean County?
The tornado of 13 Apr 1981, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does McLean County compare with Illinois for tornado?
10.3 events per 100 square miles against 6.6 statewide; the county holds 122 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 30 Sep 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.