After quiet May, Illinois leads the nation in tornado reports this year
The state of Illinois reigns supreme for tornado reports so far in 2026, but that's not the way the map should look like going into June.
An Oklahoma couple and their pets ran to the cellar just seconds before a tornado hit their home in Ponca City on April 17.
Even though only one tornado was reported in Illinois in May, the state maintains a strong lead amongst the rest of the U.S. for tornado reports so far this year, data from NOAA's Storm Prediction Center (SPC) shows. The numbers reflect an unusual weather pattern so far this spring.
Illinois has recorded 121 tornado reports through May 31, mostly from tornado outbreaks in March and April. The runner-up, Mississippi, has had 82 preliminary tornado reports.
An unusual year so far versus historical average
This trend bucks the historical average. Typically, by the end of May, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas — classic "Tornado Alley" — would be at the top of the charts for tornado reports. Illinois would usually only have 44 reports, or 76 fewer than this year.
Other states reporting more tornadoes than the historical average this year include Iowa and Michigan. The highest tornado reports compared to normal include Mississippi, 34 reports ahead of average, and Wisconsin, 21 reports ahead.
Meanwhile, states like Kansas, Tennessee, and Texas are running considerably behind their historical averages so far in 2026.
Illinois wasn't the only state that had a quiet tornado month in May. Only two tornado reports were recorded in Oklahoma during the month, making it the least active May there since 2012, when only one tornado was reported.
Compared to 2025, Texas, Missouri and Alabama have had half as many tornadoes so far in 2026. Despite Alabama's low numbers, Mississippi has had about the same number as last year.
“The jet stream plays a large role in organizing severe weather in the spring," AccuWeather Meteorologist Alexander Duffus explains. "This year, its average position through March and April was centered more over the Midwest than the southern Plains.”
Texas is at the top of the charts for hail, with 391 reports. High wind reports, which include automated wind gust records, have topped out at 466 in Missouri, with Texas in second place at 369.
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