Why is Illinois suddenly being hit with so many tornadoes?
This state, which has seen more than 200 twisters this year, could beat Texas’s all-time record of 244 tornadoes in 12 months
Illinois is experiencing an unprecedented year with over 200 tornadoes, potentially breaking Texas's all-time record of 244 twisters in a single year. On Tuesday, six tornadoes struck the Chicago area during a powerful derecho, a long-lasting wind storm. This makes Illinois the most active tornado state in the U.S. in 2026, beating the previous record set by Texas.
The surge in tornadoes can be attributed to warmer and more humid air over Illinois due to climate change, interacting with a jet stream causing severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. Enhanced monitoring and understanding of these storms have also contributed to detecting more tornadoes. However, meteorologists are uncertain whether this surge is part of a long-term trend or a temporary phenomenon.
Written by urgent.news from Scientific American's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
