Twisted metal and chunks of concrete crushing vehicles are all that is left of the Amazon Hub in Edwardsville, Ill., on December 11, 2021. Illinois has led the country in number of tornadoes both in 2026 and 2025. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Illinois continues to lead the nation in preliminary tornado reports in 2026, surpassing its annual record in June. By the end of July, the state had already broken that new record again.
On June 17, there were 164 tornado reports in Illinois. By July 31, there were 221 tornado reports, according to data from NOAA's Storm Prediction Center. The increase in tornado count is largely due to tornado outbreaks in March, April and June.
By July's end, Indiana had the second-highest state tornado count in 2026, with 89 tornadoes, less than half of Illinois' total. Mississippi, Missouri and Iowa round out the top 5.
In addition to Illinois, Indiana has also tied its number of confirmed tornadoes, the National Weather Service noted in June. A total of 79 tornadoes have been surveyed in Indiana this year, breaking the record set in 2011.
