Chicago leads nation in homes susceptible to severe weather damage

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CHICAGO – The Chicago metro area, often referred to as the Windy City, is home to the greatest number of homes at risk for hail, damaging winds and tornadoes, according to a storm risk report produced by CoreLogic.

The financial analyst company said they came to their conclusions based on 133 days of severe weather in 2024, which was primarily dominated by damaging hail.

According to the California-based company, nearly 3 million homes in Northern Illinois face the risk of hail damage, with an additional 3 million homes at risk from tornadoes or straight-line winds.

The estimated reconstruction cost of all the vulnerable properties around Chicago sits at just over $4 billion, significantly ahead of metro areas such as Dallas and Houston.

"Severe convective storms spotlight the significant and evolving challenges that arise at the intersection of hazard and property. It is a problem which both insurers and homeowners will have to grapple with," Jon Schneyer, a research & content director at CoreLogic, said in a statement. "The big swings we’re seeing in intense storms are impacting different parts of the country where development is highest. This means everyone should take steps to increase their home's resilience.

Anatomy of a tornado

(FOX Weather)

ABSENCE OF EF-5 TORNADOES MAY BE BECAUSE OF DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS, NOT CHANGES IN WEATHER PATTERNS

While the Chicago metro ranked at the top of the charts for severe weather damage, the Land of Lincoln is not usually the hardest hit.

According to CoreLogic, Texas was the most impacted state in 2024, with 180,000 homes damaged by severe hail.

Communities such as Oklahoma City experienced significant wind damage, but the overall population and exposure is not at large as what exists in and around Chicago.

"Preventative actions, regular maintenance and awareness are essential to storm preparedness," Schneyer stated.

APRIL KICKS OFF AMERICA’S MOST ACTIVE TIME OF YEAR FOR TORNADOES

April often kicks off the beginning of the peak tornado season in the United States, due to warm moist air from the Gulf meeting a cooler airmass from the Rockies and Canada.

The instability often fuels rotating supercells in what some refer to as "Tornado Alley," which includes parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and Arkansas.

Large severe weather outbreaks around the Chicago-land area usually don’t arrive until May, June and July, when the jet stream pattern lifts further north.

The United States averages over 1,200 tornadoes every year with nearly 90% determined to be at EF1 strength or weaker.

According to the National Weather Service in Chicago, there have been more than half a dozen EF4/F4 or EF5/F5 tornado strikes around the metro since reliable records started to be kept in the 1950s.

The deadliest event occurred in 1967, when an F4 was blamed for the deaths of 33 people and caused millions of dollars in damage.

Enhanced Fujita Scale

(FOX Weather)