Severe weather outbreak turns deadly with EF3 tornado, record-setting hail

The outbreak killed at least three people and produced hail in Illinois that is being investigated as a possible new state record.

The biggest severe weather outbreak so far in 2026 has left at least three people dead and a trail of damage across the central United States. One of the strongest storms may have also set a new state record in Illinois.

Tornadoes tear through Illinois, Indiana

Multiple tornadoes have been confirmed following Tuesday night’s severe weather outbreak, including an EF3 that tracked 36.6 miles from west of Aroma Park, Illinois, to near DeMotte, Indiana.

An older couple was killed when the tornado struck their home in Lake Village, Indiana, according to Newton County officials. The couple, identified as Edward L. Kozlowski, 89, and his wife Arlene Kozlowski, 84, were in Lake Village, one of the towns hit the hardest by the tornado. On Thursday, the Kankakee County Sheriff confirmed a third tornado-related fatality in Aroma Park.

In Illinois, Kankakee County officials filed an emergency declaration with the state after a tornado was seen in the area. Sheriff Mike Downey said the 911 dispatch center was overwhelmed during the storm.

“I want to remind area residents to check on their neighbors and loved ones but to avoid unnecessary travel,” Downey said in the wake of the storms. “Storm damage, debris and downed power lines/trees have created hazardous conditions on our roadways.”

Drone footage recorded Wednesday showed widespread destruction in Lake Village one day after the tornado tore through the community. Newton County officials said a local Family Dollar store was among the buildings destroyed, and at least 10 people were injured.

The EF3 tornado was part of a supercell that produced a family of tornadoes across parts of Illinois and northwestern Indiana, including at least one additional tornado rated EF1.

Daylight reveals scope of the outbreak

Severe weather extended across more than a dozen states from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday night.

“There were nearly 200 filtered reports of severe weather spanning more than 2,500 miles from Texas to Michigan," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said. At least 10 tornadoes were spotted in Illinois, Indiana and Texas.

A tornado warning was issued for Oklahoma City early Tuesday evening during one of the first major severe weather setups of the year for the Plains. However, a tornado has yet to be confirmed.

Behind the storms, the weather changed quickly. Following temperatures in the 70s and 80s on Tuesday, temperatures across northern Illinois fell into the 30s by Wednesday afternoon, with snow reported, including in Chicago.

On Wednesday, storms pushed farther east with damaging winds across parts of the mid-Atlantic and the Southeast. Two tornadoes were also reported, including an EF1 in south-central Arkansas and another tornado still being investigated in central Louisiana.

Potentially record-shattering hail in Illinois

While tornado damage drew early attention, the outbreak also produced hail that is now being investigated for record status in Illinois.

“This is ginormous hail,” AccuWeather Storm Chaser and Meteorologist Tony Laubach said while in the area in the wake of the hailstorm. The biggest stone he measured was 5.25 inches.

Storm chasers and spotters across the region reported hailstones larger than 5 inches, including a 6.4-inch hailstone in Kankakee, Illinois, that is being investigated as a possible new state record. The current Illinois record is 4.75 inches in diameter, set in Minooka in June 2015. It could take weeks or months for a record to be confirmed.

Storms charge east before waning

Severe weather continued into Thursday morning for a third day with strong winds, more tornado reports in the Southeast and severe thunderstorms lighting up the sky in the Northeast.

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