80 tornadoes confirmed from last Friday's outbreak in central US
After a multi-state severe weather outbreak last Friday, at least 80 tornado tracks have been confirmed, including 2 EF3 twisters.
Storm surveys have confirmed at least 80 tornadoes as of April 22, in what has become the biggest tornado outbreak in 2026 so far. The strongest tornadoes, two EF3s, occurred in Wisconsin.
A severe weather outbreak unleashed at least 80 tornadoes in a single day last Friday, stretching from Oklahoma to Michigan and leaving a trail of damage across the Midwest.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has confirmed 80 tornadoes from Friday's severe weather outbreak that AccuWeather streamed live on YouTube. The twister count tracks a span 650 miles across the central United States.
Storm survey teams have spent days combing through debris, mapping paths and determining the strength of each tornado after the outbreak last Friday.
The strongest tornadoes from the outbreak were both in Wisconsin, one in Ringle, just southeast of Wausau, and one in the southwest part of the state near the town of Cream. Both were rated EF3 based on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
Another damaging EF2 tornado with 130-mph winds caused significant damage in Lena, Illinois. Vexcel estimates that more than 370 buildings were damaged in the town, with 19 completely destroyed.
Rivian Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe told Bloomberg the electric automotive facility in Normal, Illinois was damaged by one of the tornadoes on Friday during the outbreak.
Near Chicago, the severe weather threat extended beyond tornadoes. Intense lightning strikes sparked house fires Friday, adding another layer of danger as storms moved through the region.
Northern Illinois had the most tornadoes of any state in the outbreak, with 39 twisters touching down, securing the state's lead for tornadoes so far this year.
The outbreak also brought damaging winds and large hail, impacting hundreds of communities across multiple states. Downed trees, structural damage and scattered power outages were reported throughout the region.
Despite the intensity and number of the storms, no lives were lost.
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