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Tornado in Randolph County, Illinois
45 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.
Randolph County, Illinois, has 45 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 25 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 11 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 14 events against 14 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.2% of the 3,647 tornado events recorded in Illinois; its 7.8 per 100 square miles compares with 6.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 18 at (E)F0, 15 at (E)F1, 8 at (E)F2, 4 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Illinois
| Measure | Randolph County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 45 | 3,647 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.8 | 6.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 14.9 | 2.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 236 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
10Apr
11May
7Jun
3Jul
0Aug
1Sep
0Oct
3Nov
3Dec
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 45 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Oct 2021 | Tornado | EF2 | $3.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2017 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Oct 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Mar 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Mar 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Mar 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 4 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Nov 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Nov 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Oct 2001 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Dec 1996 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $500 | $5K | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $9K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $500K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | 1 | 3 | County |
| 21 Dec 1967 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 6 Mar 1961 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 1959 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 3 May 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1958 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Dec 1957 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Dec 1957 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Dec 1957 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 1955 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Mar 1952 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Dec 1950 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Randolph County had?
45 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 Randolph County?
15 Mar 2026 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Randolph County?
The tornado of 24 Oct 2021, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $3.0M.
How does Randolph County compare with Illinois for tornado?
7.8 events per 100 square miles against 6.6 statewide; the county holds 45 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.