Tornados reportedly touched down across Illinois Friday night hours after National Weather Service officials issued a tornado watch for Chicago and much of northeastern Illinois in effect until 10 p.m. Friday.
The afternoon warning included Chicago’s suburbs, Rockford, DeKalb, Peru and Kankakee, among other Illinois cities. It also affects northwestern Indiana and southwestern Wisconsin — including Madison, Milwaukee and Kenosha.
Officials also issued a warning for severe thunderstorms affecting Chicago, Joliet and Naperville Friday night. The destructive storm’s wind will contain gusts up to 90 mph, the weather service wrote. The warning expires at 9 p.m.
“Take shelter in a sturdy building. Flying debris may be deadly to those caught without shelter,” said an NWS emergency alert blasted to smartphones across the state.
NWS officials also issued a warning for Illinois and northwestern Indiana’s Lake Michigan coastline, citing strong winds, steep waves and possible waterspouts. Chicago was also under a flood watch, set to expire at midnight.
As storms rolled east across Illinois Friday night, many north central Illinois counties faced similar severe weather warnings. Several tornadoes were reported across the state, NWS meteorologist Zachary Yack said.
“There’s been quite a few,” he said.
The weather service received reports of tornadoes in Montgomery, as well as DeKalb County, Ford County and Iroquois County, he said.
Twitter videos from storm chasers across the state purported to show tornadoes and turbulent weather near cities including Poplar Grove and Peoria. Several videos showed signs of tornado damage in Sherman, including destroyed homes, uprooted trees and flipped cars.
Officials said earlier in the day they were expecting Chicago to face southwest winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph Friday. Harsher gusts up to 70 mph and a few tornadoes are possible throughout the sprawling tornado watch area, along with scattered hail as large as pingpong balls, the weather service said.
On Saturday, west winds of 25 to 35 mph are expected, with gusts up to 50 mph.
Weather officials warned the gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects and tree limbs could be blown down. They also cautioned of possible power outages.
National Weather Service officials had earlier issued a wind advisory in effect from 3 p.m. Friday to 2 p.m. Saturday for portions of central, east-central and north-central Illinois and northwest Indiana.
Winds up to 80 mph were possible with thunderstorms and golf ball-size hail Friday afternoon and evening.
An early spring storm was tracking across the Midwest into the Great Lakes region Friday, and officials said a significant severe threat existed across the area for Friday afternoon through midevening. All severe weather hazards were possible including damaging winds and strong tornadoes, officials said.
The Office of Emergency Management and Communications said in a statement the office was monitoring the weather Friday expecting potential tornadoes, winds up to 75 mph and hail.
OEMC said two rounds of storms beginning Friday afternoon from 2 to 6 p.m. and Friday evening from 6 to 11 were being watched. A tornado threat exists across the entire area and will increase into the evening, the statement said.
OEMC warned that due to the fast speed of the two systems, there may be little time to act, cautioning people to be prepared to take cover.
Officials warned large hail, gusty winds and possible flash flooding could be a factor.
Due to the approaching storm systems, delays of at least 15 minutes was reported at both Chicago airports. As of 1:30 p.m., 79 flights were canceled at O’Hare International Airport and 125 cancellations were reported at Midway.
Afternoon conditions at Midway were overcast at 67 degrees, and at O’Hare mostly cloudy at 65 degrees.
