Chicago Area Sees Five Tornadoes in Record-Breaking 2026 Storms
Five tornadoes touched down in the Chicago area and northwest Indiana during a Tuesday derecho, pushing the 2026 Chicago-area tornado total to 70—the most on record since records began— with twisters ranging EF-0 to EF-2 (including Oswego, Wilmington, eastern Will County near Monee-Crete-St. John, southern Cook/Will County border near Orland Park–Munster, and Mokena/Tinley Park). National Weather Service surveys confirmed all five, amid widespread wind damage across the region; one Orland Park animal hospital reported temporary closure due to storm damage. The previous annual record was 63 tornadoes in 2024.