Tornadoes, thunderstorms rumble through Ohio Valley in dangerous early-season severe weather threat
Confirmed large and dangerous tornadoes were spotted in East Central Illinois and Indiana on Thursday as severe weather impacts the Ohio Valley.
Severe storms blast Ohio Valley Thursday as cold front heads east
Severe thunderstorms produced several tornadoes, hail and powerful wind gusts that took down trees and damaged property across portions of southern Illinois and Indiana Thursday afternoon and into the evening. The cold front that drove the severe weather threat is shifting south and east Friday. Parts of South Carolina and Georgia eyeing thunderstorms that are expected to develop Saturday.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Severe thunderstorms produced several tornadoes, hail and powerful wind gusts that downed trees and damaged property throughout portions of Ohio Valley Thursday afternoon and into the evening.
Officials are assessing damage after NOAA's Storm Prediction Center warned early Thursday that strong tornadoes (EF-2+) were possible across parts of southern Illinois and Indiana.
OHIO VALLEY UNDER SEVERE STORM THREAT AS ACTIVE WEEK OF WEATHER IN THE MIDWEST UNFOLDS
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Image 1 of 3Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado causes damage in Carlisle, IN. (@WMstormchaserDB / X)
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Image 2 of 3Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado causes damage in Carlisle, IN. (@WMstormchaserDB / X)
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Image 3 of 3Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado causes damage in Carlisle, IN. (@WMstormchaserDB / X)
Confirmed tornadoes were spotted in East Central Illinois and Indiana, including one seen just outside Bloomington, Indiana, on Thursday night.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TORNADO WATCH, TORNADO WARNING AND TORNADO EMERGENCY?
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a Tornado Warning Thursday night for several counties on both sides of the Illinois-Indiana state line, including Clark and Crawford counties in Illinois and Green and Sullivan counties in Indiana.
A Tornado Watch was issued for Indianapolis as well as several counties in Kentucky.
A rotating wall cloud with a possible funnel looms just northeast of Carlisle, Indiana Thursday.
(@timb0317 via Storyful / FOX Weather)
The NWS said it received multiple accounts of structural damage and people trapped inside a mobile home linked to an earlier storm that brought hail and strong wind gusts.
A rotating wall cloud with a possible funnel was spotted just northeast of Carlisle, Indiana.
Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado causes damage in Carlisle, IN.
(FOX Weather)
Thunderstorms were able to organize into a line during both the afternoon and evening, in what was the highest severe storm threat in 2026 thus far.
The cold front that drove the severe weather threat is shifting south and east Friday.
Parts of South Carolina and Georgia are eyeing thunderstorms that are expected to develop Saturday.