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So far in 2026, the top US state for tornadoes isn\u2019t Kansas or Oklahoma, but the unlikely state of Illinois. <\/p>\n
From the start of the year to June 21, Illinois was rocked by at least 196 confirmed tornadoes \u2014 which is 110 more than any other state, the Weather Channel reported<\/a>, referencing data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.<\/p>\n That\u2019s an astonishing number of Tornadoes compared to neighboring states like Indiana, which has weathered 70, and Wisconsin, which has withstood 45. In fact, according to NBC 5 Chicago<\/a>, Illinois has experienced more tornadoes this year than any other US state going back to 2015.<\/p>\n Though the US\u2019 infamous \u201cTornado Alley\u201d typically encompasses Great Plains states like Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Northern Texas, experts and weather trackers say the region is slowly shifting. In some cases, those Great Plains states are seeing fewer tornadoes, while Midwest and Southeast states experience much more.<\/p>\n As meteorologist Hannah Sheehy wrote<\/a> in an April explainer, tornado activity in the US has slowly shifted eastward between 1985 to 2019, to encompass areas like southern Illinois and Indiana, as well as western regions of Kentucky and Tennessee.<\/p>\n