Tornadoes in the U.S. state of Illinois are common, with 3,214 tornadoes occurring within state boundaries since 1950. These tornadoes have collectively resulted in 235 deaths.[ improper synthesis? ]
Illinois' climate is relatively average, and is only ideal for the formation of tornadoes in certain parts of the year, especially February, March and May. Warm air from the Southern United States can reach up into the Southern Illinois, resulting in tornadic storms. Illinois' proximity to Lake Michigan also results in cold air moving toward the Ohio Valley, creating the "hot-cold" effect seen in the traditional Tornado Alley. Illinois has had large tornado outbreaks in the past, including the tornado outbreak sequence of December 18–20, 1957 and the 1967 Oak Lawn tornado outbreak.
Illinois is vulnerable to tornadoes with an average of 35 occurring annually, which puts much of the state at around 5 tornadoes per 10,000 square miles (30,000 km2) annually. [1] Peak tornado activity occurs between February and May, but storms can and have produced tornadoes in the winter.
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