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Tornado in Will County, Illinois
98 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.
Will County, Illinois, has 98 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 39 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 24 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 49 events against 22 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.7% of the 3,647 tornado events recorded in Illinois; its 11.7 per 100 square miles compares with 6.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 34 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 43 at (E)F0, 30 at (E)F1, 14 at (E)F2, 4 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 1 at (E)F5 and 6 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Illinois
| Measure | Will County | Illinois | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 98 | 3,647 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 11.7 | 6.6 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 1.4 | 2.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 34 | 236 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
1Mar
10Apr
15May
11Jun
24Jul
18Aug
9Sep
2Oct
2Nov
5Dec
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 98 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | 2 | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | 2 | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Feb 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Oct 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jan 2019 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $70K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Nov 2013 | Tornado | EF2 | $750K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Nov 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Nov 2013 | Tornado | EF2 | $2.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 2010 | Tornado | EF2 | $500K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 4 Aug 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | $5.5M | — | — | 6 | County |
| 7 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $5.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 1997 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | 2 | County |
| 2 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 1993 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 1993 | Tornado | F2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 1991 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 1991 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 1991 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 1990 | Tornado | F5 | $250M | — | 29 | 350 | County |
| 8 May 1988 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1988 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 8 May 1988 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 5 Apr 1988 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1985 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Nov 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | 1 | 5 | County |
| 27 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1979 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 25 Jun 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 25 Jun 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1977 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1977 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 1972 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | 1 | 22 | County |
| 6 Apr 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 1972 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1969 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Nov 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $25M | — | 2 | 90 | County |
| 22 Sep 1961 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1961 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | 4 | County |
| 2 Jul 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1960 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Will County had?
98 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 Will County?
19 Mar 2025 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Will County?
The tornado of 28 Aug 1990, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $250M; 29 deaths recorded.
How does Will County compare with Illinois for tornado?
11.7 events per 100 square miles against 6.6 statewide; the county holds 98 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.