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Tornado in Sangamon County, Illinois
93 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.
Sangamon County, Illinois, has 93 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 36 different years.
August is the busiest month, with 23 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 27 events against 32 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.6% of the 3,647 tornado events recorded in Illinois; its 10.7 per 100 square miles compares with 6.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 3 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 35 at (E)F0, 35 at (E)F1, 14 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 5 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Illinois
| Measure | Sangamon County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 93 | 3,647 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 10.7 | 6.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 4.8 | 2.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 3 | 236 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | August | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
2Mar
10Apr
13May
19Jun
16Jul
6Aug
23Sep
1Oct
0Nov
1Dec
1
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 93 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2023 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jan 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $300K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | $5K | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Dec 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $225K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $280K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Feb 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Feb 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $990K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 2009 | Tornado | EF3 | $11M | $75K | — | 17 | County |
| 19 Aug 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | $240K | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 2009 | Tornado | EF2 | $4.0M | $330K | — | 3 | County |
| 8 Mar 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $610K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 30 May 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $63K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Sep 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | 19 | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | 4 | County |
| 26 Aug 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | $45K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $130K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1988 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 1985 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 1980 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 1978 | Tornado | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1977 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1977 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1977 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1977 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1977 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1977 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1977 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1977 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1977 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1977 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1977 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1977 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1977 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1977 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1977 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Nov 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 14 Aug 1975 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1963 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | 1 | 5 | County |
| 26 May 1962 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1961 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | 2 | 50 | County |
| 13 May 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 1954 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Sangamon County had?
93 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 Sangamon County?
17 Jun 2026 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Sangamon County?
The tornado of 19 Aug 2009, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $11M and crop damage at $75K.
How does Sangamon County compare with Illinois for tornado?
10.7 events per 100 square miles against 6.6 statewide; the county holds 93 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.