Illinois leads nation in tornado, hail and wind reports so far in 2026

The state of Illinois reigns supreme for tornado and other severe weather reports so far this year, but that's not the way the map should look like in mid April.

The state of Illinois is the new severe weather champion of the nation, data from NOAA's Storm Prediction Center (SPC) reveals. The numbers reflect an unusual weather pattern so far this spring.

Illinois has had 80 tornado reports through April 19. That's almost twice as many as the runner-up, Mississippi, has with 43. A tornado outbreak last Friday has generated 27 confirmed tornadoes in Illinois alone, and storm surveys are ongoing. The outbreak spanned an area from Oklahoma to Wisconsin, dropping at least 48 tornadoes and sparking two house fires near Chicago.

But it's not just tornadoes. Illinois is also at the top of the charts for hail and wind reports. There have been 147 hail reports for Illinois so far this year, with 143 in neighboring Iowa. High wind reports, which include automated wind gust records, have topped out at 245 in Illinois, with Alabama in second place at 209.

This trend bucks the historical average. According to data from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet (IEM), Texas would lead the country for hail reports up to mid-April, and either Mississippi or Alabama would be at the top of the list for tornado reports. Those historical averages are based on data since 2003.

“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 has been centered more over the Midwest than the southern Plains.”

These initial severe weather reports will likely grow, adds Duffus.

"Each individual NWS office is likely still working through and confirming reports of tornadoes, hail and damaging winds, with these numbers still subject to change," Duffus said.

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