Illinois has already blown past its previous tornado record for the year — and the state’s own climatologist says it’s not part of any long-term trend, just a stretch of very bad luck. Dr. Trent Ford, the Illinois State Climatologist, joined Galesburg’s Morning News to explain what’s behind the state’s record-breaking 2026, why Galesburg just had its wettest summer since 1993, and why he thinks this winter could feel a lot milder than usual.
They talked about:
- Why Illinois has already smashed its all-time tornado record, with more than 207 so far this year
- Why Galesburg just had its fourth wettest August on record
- How all that rain is helping — and hurting — local farmers
- What a strong El Niño pattern could mean for our winter
- Whether Illinois is becoming the new “tornado alley”
- Ford’s advice for cutting through unreliable weather forecasts on social media
Related story: Illinois’ wild 2026 weather year, and what it means for Galesburg
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