@accuweather: New tornado record 🌪️ Illinois has had 243 preliminary tornado reports so far in 2026, exceeding the counts of any state for a full calendar year, dating back to 1950, according to Storm Prediction Center (SPC) data. Preliminary records have been kept since 2004; the previous record was 229 tornadoes in Texas in 2015. SPC won't issue final numbers for this year until 2027. Those numbers will take into consideration years back to 1950. The preliminary Illinois tornado count for this year includes five EF3 tornadoes on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, with the most powerful being the Kankakee-Roselawn tornado, which brought 160-mph winds, was on the ground for 35.6 miles, and killed three people on March 10. The other EF3s were the Washburn, Long Point-Streator, Effingham and Dix tornadoes. So far in 2026, there have been 1,395 preliminary reports across the United States, above the historical average of 1,162. Another state that has seen more tornadoes than usual this year is Indiana, which currently ranks first in a list of the state's preliminary tornado reports with 94. Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are also in their top 5 tornado years. This year's tornado trends buck the historical average. Typically, by the end of July, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas — known as "Tornado Alley" — would be at the top of the charts for tornado reports. This year, Texas has had only 60 preliminary tornado reports, the second-lowest year for the state since preliminary reports began in 2004.

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Friday 28 August 2026 17:30:28 GMT