Destructive tornadoes and winds rip through Illinois, causing widespread damage
Multiple tornadoes were reported in Illinois on Wednesday as severe storms damaged homes, schools and businesses, officially breaking Illinois’ yearly state tornado record.
A tornado ripped part of the roof off of an elementary school and impaled houses with lumber in Blue Mound, Illinois, leaving townspeople with weeks of cleanup.
Potent severe thunderstorms spawned multiple tornadoes, destructive winds and damaging hail in Illinois on Wednesday, sending dangerous storms barreling across parts of the Midwest.
At least five tornado reports were submitted to the National Weather Service in Illinois for Wednesday's severe weather outbreak, with multiple confirmed tornadoes officially breaking the state's annual tornado record.
In Blue Mound, Illinois, significant damage was reported, with trees falling on homes and power lines knocked down. Blue Mound police advised residents to stay off the roads while first responders assessed the damage.
An aerial view of damage to Meridian Elementary School in Blue Mound, Illinois, after a tornado touched down in the area on June 17, 2026. (Image: Brian Emfinger/Corclips)
A likely tornado caused significant damage to Meridian Elementary School in Blue Mound, school officials said.
“After assessing the situation and considering the safety of our students and staff, the decision has been made to cancel the remainder of Summer Camp for this year,” the school wrote on Facebook.
National Weather Service survey crews will visit the damage sites to confirm where tornadoes touched down and assign each a rating on the Enhanced Fujita scale.
Residents told Storm Chaser Brian Emfinger they were still cleaning up from storms last week when the latest round of severe weather rolled through.
“Where do we start? The cleanup is going to be weeks,” Marla Washburn said. “Half the school roof is in my backyard.”
South of Gosport, Indiana, multiple homes were destroyed when a tornado ripped through on Wednesday night.
Survivor Tony Matulis described listening to the destruction as he sheltered in a bathtub through the storm.
"You could just hear things getting crushed," Matulis said. "It was so intense and my ears were popped."
A powerful cone tornado tore through buildings near Effingham, Illinois, right near I-70.
In Effingham, Illinois, Extreme Meteorologist Dr. Reed Timmer was on Interstate 70 when a “very dangerous tornado” touched down near the highway.
“People are driving right into it,” he said as the tornado crossed the interstate.
Effingham Fire Department Chief Brant Yochum said crews responded to several emergencies Wednesday night after the tornado was reported around 8:10 p.m. The department said several people were injured, but no life-threatening injuries were reported.
First light Thursday revealed the power of the tornado, which left behind shredded buildings and catastrophic damage in parts of Effingham.
Storm chaser Aaron Jayjack was near Charleston, Illinois, when a supercell spawned a tornado.
Storm chaser Aaron Jayjack captured this video of a stunning supercell, which spawned a tornado, rapidly moving from Mattoon into Charleston, Illinois.
Wednesday’s storms also produced reports of tornadoes in Wisconsin and 2-inch hail in Missouri and Illinois. As storms began firing up earlier in the day, a 78-mph wind gust was reported in Linn, Iowa, and gusts reached 69 mph at Quad Cities International Airport in Moline, Illinois.
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