CHICAGO, IL — Illinois is in the middle of one of its most active spring storm seasons in recent memory, according to new 2026 data from State Farm. The company says storms that started unusually early in March have helped push the state to the top of the nation in tornado activity.
By June 19, Illinois State Farm customers had filed nearly 50,000 severe-weather claims tied to home and auto damage. That pace puts the state on track for its highest catastrophe claim volume in 10 years.
Tornado Reports Keep Climbing
The State Farm numbers line up with public weather records showing how busy the season has been. Through June 25, the NOAA Storm Prediction Center had received 210 preliminary tornado reports in Illinois, with outbreaks in March, April and June driving much of the activity.
One major day came on April 17, when 28 tornadoes were documented across Central Illinois. That set a record for the most tornadoes observed in a single day within the National Weather Service’s Lincoln forecast area.
Wind And Hail Damage
Tornadoes get the most attention, but State Farm says wind and hail are often behind the broadest property losses. In 2025, Illinois ranked third nationally in hail-related claims paid by State Farm, with $558 million, behind only Texas and Missouri.
The state also ranked second in 2024 with more than $899 million in hail claims, third in 2023 with $906 million, and fourth in 2022 with $263 million. Statewide weather records also show damaging wind as Illinois’ most common severe weather hazard.
Spring Storm Losses
The 2026 season has already brought several expensive rounds of storms. In March, severe weather led to more than 50,000 State Farm claims across the Midwest, and on March 10 northern Illinois saw exceptionally large hail, including multiple stones measured at 6 inches or larger in Kankakee.
Those hailstones are being considered for a possible new state record. During that event, Illinois was among the areas with the highest claim counts.
How State Farm Is Responding
State Farm says its catastrophe claims teams have been deployed across Illinois and the Central U.S. since the start of the spring storm season. The company says its claims force, local agents, mobile support and digital tools are meant to help customers start recovery quickly.
State Farm says Illinois has seen several straight years of active severe weather, with storms increasingly bringing tornadoes, straight-line winds, large hail and flash flooding in the same event. The insurer says it uses that data to improve preparation and get claims support in place before major storms arrive.
Grab a cup – Coffee Green Bay has your Wisconsin news ready.
Leave a Reply