Midwest Tornado Outbreak Kills 3 as June Storms Break Records

June 2026 became one of the most active tornado months in recent Midwest history. Three people were killed and dozens of communities were damaged in a series of outbreak events that stretched from early June through the third week of the month, leaving a trail of destruction across Illinois, Kansas, Indiana, Iowa, and Missouri.

The Deadliest Night

The worst of the season came overnight on June 21-22, when more than three dozen tornado reports were logged across the Midwest and Plains. Two people died in Jefferson County, Illinois, about 90 miles southeast of St. Louis. Both victims were found in separate mobile homes that were destroyed two to three miles apart. The National Weather Service confirmed that the tornado near Mount Vernon reached EF-3 intensity with winds estimated above 140 mph. Five other people were taken to hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, and at least 20 homes were damaged across the county.

In Kansas, a tornado rated EF-2 by the National Weather Service touched down around 1:14 a.m. about five miles east of the town of Sedgwick in northern Sedgwick County. Peak winds reached 135 mph and the path width was about 50 yards. One person was killed when a manufactured home was blown off its foundation. In Gibson County, Indiana, about 30 homes were damaged, with some completely destroyed. A nearly century-old church, Blythe Chapel in Owensville, was leveled. In Woodward County, Oklahoma, a BNSF freight train derailed, leaving about a mile of rail cars overturned along the tracks.