Tornadoes · United States · Illinois

Tornadoes in McLean County, Illinois

133 tornadoes have crossed McLean County since 1950, 11 of them surveyed so far this year and still preliminary, 1st of the 102 counties in Illinois with a tornado on record, an average of 1.8 a year. They have killed 0 people and injured 8. None was rated F4 or above.

The rating scale

Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The United States rated tornadoes on Ted Fujita’s F scale until 31 January 2007 and on the Enhanced Fujita scale after it. Both run from 0 to 5, and both rate the damage rather than measure the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.

  1. F0 / EF040 to 72 mph on the F scale, 65 to 85 mph on the EF scale

    Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

  2. F1 / EF173 to 112 mph on the F scale, 86 to 110 mph on the EF scale

    Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

  3. F2 / EF2113 to 157 mph on the F scale, 111 to 135 mph on the EF scale

    Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.

  4. F3 / EF3158 to 206 mph on the F scale, 136 to 165 mph on the EF scale

    Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.

  5. F4 / EF4207 to 260 mph on the F scale, 166 to 200 mph on the EF scale

    Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

  6. F5 / EF5261 to 318 mph on the F scale, over 200 mph on the EF scale

    Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.

  7. Unrated

    The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.

Now

Tornadoes
133
Deaths
0
Injuries
8
F4 and above
0
Worst on record
F3, April 19, 1996

The strongest

  1. F3, Logan, Tazewell and McLean counties, IllinoisApril 19, 1996F3, 9.4 mi (15 km)
  2. F3, McLean County, IllinoisApril 3, 1974F3, 7.4 mi (12 km)
  3. F2, McLean, DeWitt, Piatt and Champaign counties, IllinoisJune 4, 1960F2, 56.2 mi (90 km)
  4. F2, Mason, Tazewell and McLean counties, IllinoisNovember 13, 1951F2, 47.4 mi (76 km)
  5. F2, McLean and Ford counties, IllinoisAugust 24, 1982F2, 23.5 mi (38 km)
  6. F2, McLean and Livingston counties, IllinoisMay 23, 2004F2, 13.1 mi (21 km)
  7. F2, McLean and Ford counties, IllinoisSeptember 14, 1965F2, 11.5 mi (19 km)
  8. F2, McLean County, IllinoisJune 5, 1960F2, 9.6 mi (15 km)
  9. F2, Livingston and McLean counties, IllinoisSeptember 29, 1986F2, 9.0 mi (14 km)
  10. F2, McLean County, IllinoisMay 30, 1975F2, 4.3 mi (7 km)

Every year with a tornado

The 50 years of the 76 in the record with a tornado in McLean County. Each year links to every tornado in Illinois that year.

YearTornadoesDeathsInjuriesStrongest
202611EF2
20252EF1
20245EF1
20231EF1
20222EF0
20211EF0
20201Unrated
20191EF1
20185EF2
20141EF0
20112EF1
20091EF0
20082EF0
20071EF0
20065F1
20043F2
20033F0
20021F0
200044F2
19997F0
19981F0
19971F0
19961F3
19955F1
19924F0
19913F1
19901F1
19871F0
19861F2
19852F1
19831F0
19827F2
198110F2
19803F1
19771F1
19763F2
19753F2
19744F3
19734F1
19712F1
19703F2
19671F2
196522F2
196111F1
196041F2
19571F1
19561F2
19531F0
19511F2
19501F2

Every tornado that crossed McLean County

133 tornadoes, newest first. The 11 at the top are this year's, from the surveying office rather than SPC's published database, and their ratings are marked as preliminary.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
April 17, 20268:37 PM CDTEF1Tazewell10.7300$100
April 17, 20268:41 PM CDTEF1Tazewell12.4300
April 17, 20268:48 PM CDTEF2Tazewell2.0300$400
April 17, 20268:54 PM CDTEF1McLean33.8150$300
April 17, 20268:56 PM CDTEF1McLean11.3900
April 17, 20268:57 PM CDTEF1McLean20.9600
April 17, 20269:15 PM CDTEF1McLean0.325
April 17, 20269:19 PM CDTEF1McLean7.950
April 17, 20269:24 PM CDTEF0McLean3.275
June 11, 20267:06 PM CDTEF0McLean11.0100
July 10, 20266:40 PM CDTUnratedMcLean0.320
December 28, 20253:24 PM CSTEF1McLean0.930
June 18, 20252:13 PM CDTUnratedMcLean0.130
June 13, 20248:46 PM CDTEF1Ford7.51,300
June 13, 20248:45 PM CDTEF1McLean0.960
June 13, 20248:31 PM CDTEF1McLean1.380
June 13, 20248:29 PM CDTEF1McLean0.660
June 13, 20248:28 PM CDTEF1McLean0.760
January 3, 20235:38 PM CSTEF1McLean0.525
September 18, 202212:28 AM CDTEF0McLean3.030
April 30, 20226:46 PM CDTUnratedMcLean0.330
June 25, 20218:26 PM CDTEF0McLean0.275
July 15, 20204:04 PM CDTUnratedMcLean0.210
June 15, 201911:36 PM CDTEF1McLean1.950$40,000
December 1, 20187:42 PM CSTEF1McLean0.575$110,000
December 1, 20187:21 PM CSTEF0McLean0.125$30,000
December 1, 20187:18 PM CSTEF2McLean2.4100$75,000
December 1, 20187:06 PM CSTEF1McLean0.250$75,000
June 21, 20183:02 PM CDTEF0McLean0.220
May 28, 201412:47 PM CDTEF0McLean0.250
May 25, 20116:09 PM CDTEF1McLean10.375$10,000
May 25, 20116:06 PM CDTEF0McLean0.925$8,000
August 19, 20094:27 PM CDTEF0McLean2.520
June 15, 20084:08 PM CDTEF0McLean0.820$50,000
June 4, 20088:24 PM CDTEF0Tazewell6.1150
March 28, 20073:19 PM CDTEF0McLean0.110
June 2, 20062:20 PM CDTF0McLean0.230
April 2, 20067:22 PM CDTF0McLean2.650
April 2, 20067:13 PM CDTF1McLean1.050
April 2, 20067:12 PM CDTF0McLean0.550
April 2, 20067:08 PM CDTF0McLean0.130
July 13, 20042:52 PM CDTF0McLean0.110
May 23, 20048:20 PM CDTF2McLean13.1240
May 18, 20046:26 PM CDTF0McLean0.110
June 13, 20036:00 PM CDTF0McLean0.110
May 14, 20036:08 PM CDTF0McLean0.110
April 4, 20033:20 PM CSTF0McLean0.110
May 8, 200212:32 AM CDTF0Woodford5.550
August 23, 20006:23 PM CDTF1McLean0.580$10,000
May 18, 20007:25 PM CDTF0McLean0.120
May 18, 20007:13 PM CDTF0McLean0.120
May 8, 200011:14 PM CDTF2McLean4.04004$170,000
June 4, 19995:38 PM CDTF0McLean3.520
June 4, 19995:35 PM CDTF0McLean0.120
June 4, 19995:13 PM CDTF0McLean2.020
June 4, 19995:10 PM CDTF0McLean0.120
June 4, 19995:04 PM CDTF0McLean3.520
June 4, 19994:56 PM CDTF0McLean0.120
June 4, 19994:50 PM CDTF0McLean0.120
April 29, 19984:58 PM CDTF0McLean3.040$40,000
April 30, 19974:05 PM CDTF0McLean14.550$100,000
April 19, 19966:58 PM CDTF3Logan9.4880$2.0 million
May 13, 19957:50 PM CDTF1McLean4.0220$500,000 to $5 million
May 13, 19957:15 PM CDTF0McLean0.110$50,000 to $500,000
May 9, 19958:13 PM CDTF1McLean3.0220$50,000 to $500,000
May 9, 19958:07 PM CDTF0McLean2.0220
May 9, 19957:10 PM CDTF1DeWitt13.0220$50,000 to $500,000
September 9, 19925:46 PM CDTF0McLean0.210
August 26, 19923:33 PM CDTF0McLean0.110
May 4, 19924:50 PM CDTF0McLean0.110
May 4, 19924:42 PM CDTF0McLean0.130
December 8, 19913:13 PM CSTF0McLean8.050$50,000 to $500,000
October 4, 19916:34 PM CDTF1McLean0.110
April 29, 19918:00 PM CDTF1McLean0.2200
June 13, 19909:03 PM CDTF1McLean0.210
June 2, 19872:13 PM CDTF0McLean0.110
September 29, 19865:34 PM CDTF2Livingston9.050$500,000 to $5 million
November 19, 19853:40 PM CSTF1McLean0.320$5,000 to $50,000
November 19, 19852:50 PM CSTF0McLean0.110
June 29, 19832:55 PM CDTF0McLean0.220under $50
August 24, 19822:35 PM CDTF0McLean13.0300$500,000 to $5 million
August 24, 19822:35 PM CDTF0McLean11.5300$50,000 to $500,000
August 24, 19822:30 PM CDTF0McLean12.5300$500,000 to $5 million
August 24, 19822:25 PM CDTF2McLean23.5300$500,000 to $5 million
August 4, 19825:55 PM CDTF0McLean7.0100$50,000 to $500,000
May 26, 19824:27 PM CDTF0McLean0.110
May 26, 19824:27 PM CDTF0McLean0.110
June 21, 198110:16 PM CDTF0McLean0.350
June 21, 19819:33 PM CDTF0McLean0.110
June 20, 19818:34 PM CDTF0McLean0.110
June 20, 19818:34 PM CDTF0McLean0.110
June 20, 19816:45 PM CDTF1McLean1.070$5,000 to $50,000
June 20, 19816:45 PM CDTF1McLean0.110$5,000 to $50,000
April 13, 198111:20 PM CSTF1McLean0.150$5,000 to $50,000
April 13, 198111:10 PM CSTF1Woodford34.5150$5,000 to $50,000
April 13, 198110:35 PM CSTF0McLean0.110
April 13, 19818:30 PM CSTF2McLean0.110$500,000 to $5 million
May 24, 19801:30 PM CDTF0McLean0.120$500 to $5,000
May 12, 198011:15 PM CDTF1McLean1.2100$5,000 to $50,000
April 8, 19801:21 AM CSTF0McLean0.560under $50
July 18, 197712:00 PM CDTF1McLean3.0150$50,000 to $500,000
July 28, 19764:35 PM CDTF0McLean0.110$50 to $500
July 28, 19763:55 PM CDTF2McLean0.110$5,000 to $50,000
June 29, 19764:36 PM CDTF2McLean0.110$5,000 to $50,000
May 30, 19753:40 PM CDTF2McLean4.3100$5,000 to $50,000
April 30, 19753:17 PM CDTF0McLean0.110
April 18, 19755:13 PM CDTF0McLean0.277
June 20, 19747:53 PM CDTF0McLean0.110
April 3, 19742:30 PM CDTF3McLean7.4350$50,000 to $500,000
April 3, 19742:08 PM CDTF1Logan16.7177$500,000 to $5 million
April 3, 19742:07 PM CDTF0McLean0.110
June 12, 19738:00 PM CDTF1McLean5.210$5,000 to $50,000
June 2, 19733:50 PM CDTF1McLean0.110
March 31, 19734:55 PM CSTF0McLean0.110under $50
March 31, 19733:19 PM CSTF1McLean0.110$500 to $5,000
November 1, 197110:45 PM CSTF1McLean1.520$5,000 to $50,000
May 24, 19713:25 PM CDTF1McLean2.0150under $50
June 16, 19706:40 PM CDTF1McLean3.0200$50 to $500
June 16, 19706:00 PM CDTF2McLean4.340$5,000 to $50,000
April 30, 19701:30 PM CDTF1McLean0.110$50,000 to $500,000
January 24, 19676:50 PM GMT-6F2McLean2.573$5,000 to $50,000
November 12, 19655:27 PM GMT-6F2McLean0.310$5,000 to $50,000
September 14, 19655:15 PM GMT-5F2McLean11.5772$50,000 to $500,000
March 4, 19614:30 PM GMT-6F1McLean51.5101$50,000 to $500,000
June 5, 19601:17 AM GMT-5F2McLean9.610$5,000 to $50,000
June 4, 196012:37 AM GMT-5F2McLean56.2201$50,000 to $500,000
June 1, 19609:00 PM GMT-5F1McLean0.110$50 to $500
May 25, 19604:00 PM GMT-5F1McLean0.110$500 to $5,000
April 26, 19572:00 PM GMT-6F1McLean22.030$5,000 to $50,000
March 6, 19564:45 PM GMT-6F2McLean2.3200$5,000 to $50,000
July 5, 195310:00 PM GMT-5F0McLean0.110
November 13, 19511:15 PM GMT-6F2Mason47.450$5,000 to $50,000
March 27, 19504:30 PM GMT-6F2McLean3.050$500 to $5,000

Nearby

Warnings in force in McLean CountyThe forecast for McLean CountyThe live radar over McLean CountyEvery county in Illinois

What this means

Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.

Sources

NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.