State Outside Of Tornado Alley Leads 2023 Twister Count

The Sinnott Tree Service building in McCook, Ill., on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, is damaged. A tornado touched down Wednesday evening near Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, prompting passengers to take shelter and disrupting hundreds of flights. (NAM Y. HUH/AP PHOTO)

It isn’t unusual for Illinois to experience tornadoes. But this year, severe weather started early, and Illinois leads the nation in tornado reports, which is out of the ordinary.

The state has recorded 125 tornado reports so far this year as of Aug. 1, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The 10-year average is about 54 tornadoes a year in Illinois, according to the Storm Prediction Center.