DisasterAWARE
9
Extreme

tornado Tornado Risk in Chicago, IL

Risk Level: Extreme — Score 9/10

FEMA: 9Historical: 10

Live Tornado alert status near Chicago

Checking live tornado alerts near Chicago…

refreshes every 15 minutes · DisasterAWARE live feed · all active tornado alerts in the US →

Live tornado activity around Chicago — refreshed throughout the day.

Open full-screen map →

Key Risk Factors

  • FEMA rates Chicago's county as Very High risk for this hazard
  • Estimated annual loss of $345M from this hazard type
  • Extensive history of significant events in this area
  • High recent activity — multiple events in the last 12 months
  • Average annual frequency: 1.0 events per year

Peak season: April-June

Last significant event: Tornado - Chicago, IL WFO Region, US (2024-02-27) — 10,100,000 people exposed

Highest Risk Cities for Tornados

1
Chicago, IL
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
2
Houston, TX
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
3
San Antonio, TX
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
4
Dallas, TX
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
5
Austin, TX
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
6
Fort Worth, TX
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
7
Indianapolis, IN
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
8
Oklahoma City, OK
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
9
Memphis, TN
FEMA: 9Historical: 10
10
Louisville, KY
FEMA: 9Historical: 10

How Chicago Compares

Loading chart...

Notable Tornado Events Near Chicago

DisasterAWARE's historical archive records 5 notable tornado events near Chicago, ranked below by impact. The most impactful: Tornado - Chicago, IL WFO Region, US (February 2024) — 10,100,000 people exposed; $1,371,301M capital exposed.

Tornado - Chicago, IL WFO Region, US

February 26, 2024 — WATCH

10,100,000 people exposed; $1,371,301M capital exposed

Tornado - Chicago, IL WFO Region, US

March 31, 2023 — WARNING

Impact data not available

Tornado - Chicago, IL WFO Region, US

April 29, 2022 — WARNING

Impact data not available

Tornado - Chicago, IL WFO Region, US

June 25, 2021 — WARNING

Impact data not available

Tornado - Chicago, IL WFO Region, US

May 26, 2019 — WARNING

Impact data not available

Tornado Preparedness Tips

  • 1.Identify a safe room or storm shelter in your home or building
  • 2.Practice tornado drills — get low, cover your head, stay away from windows
  • 3.Have a NOAA Weather Radio for tornado watch and warning alerts
  • 4.Secure outdoor objects that could become projectiles in high winds
  • 5.Know the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning

Related Pages

earthquake
Earthquake Risk in Chicago
Score: 7/10
wildfire
Wildfire Risk in Chicago
Score: 1/10
hurricane
Hurricane Risk in Chicago
Score: 1/10
flood
Flood Risk in Chicago
Score: 9/10
winter-storm
Winter Storm Risk in Chicago
Score: 9/10
landslide
Landslide Risk in Chicago
Score: 1/10
extreme-heat
Extreme Heat Risk in Chicago
Score: 9/10
drought
Drought Risk in Chicago
Score: 1/10
high-wind
High Wind Risk in Chicago
Score: 9/10
tsunami
Tsunami Risk in Chicago
Score: 0/10
tornado
Tornado Risk in Milwaukee, WI
Score: 9/10
tornado
Tornado Risk in Indianapolis, IN
Score: 9/10
tornado
Tornado Risk in Louisville, KY
Score: 9/10

How this data is built

Chicago, IL tornado risk combines Historical Event Intelligence with authoritative hazard modeling from the Geospatial Intelligence Layers catalog. Live tornado monitoring is available through the Event Intelligence API and the DisasterAWARE Platform.

Monitor Tornado Risk in Real Time

Get real-time tornado alerts for Chicago, IL and hundreds of other locations with DisasterAWARE's enterprise platform.

Start Free TrialTalk to Expert