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Tornado in Warren County, Illinois
36 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 36 tornado events in Warren County, Illinois, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 21 years.
April is the busiest month, with 11 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 14 events against 16 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1% of the 3,647 tornado events recorded in Illinois; its 6.6 per 100 square miles compares with 6.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 17 at (E)F0, 11 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 3 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Illinois
| Measure | Warren County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 36 | 3,647 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.6 | 6.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 21.8 | 2.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 236 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
2Apr
11May
9Jun
5Jul
6Aug
1Sep
1Oct
0Nov
0Dec
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 36 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 | EF1 | $100K | $100K | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Dec 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF2 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.5M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 8 May 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $200 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 1968 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1963 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Sep 1959 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | 1 | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Warren County had?
36 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 Warren 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 Warren County?
The tornado of 16 Jul 2015, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.5M.
How does Warren County compare with Illinois for tornado?
6.6 events per 100 square miles against 6.6 statewide; the county holds 36 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.