Live updates: Aftermath of destructive Midwest tornadoes as severe storm threat shifts east today
Recovery is underway in Lake Village, Indiana, and Kankakee, Illinois, after destructive tornadoes leveled homes and triggered a rare emergency Tuesday night. We are tracking the storm system as it moves east today, bringing a threat of damaging winds and isolated tornadoes to Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Mid-Atlantic down to the Gulf Coast.
The Lake Township Fire Department confirms two people were killed and several others were injured by the intense tornado that ripped through Lake Village, Indiana on Tuesday night.
Authorities say search and rescue operations are underway this morning after homes were leveled by the twister. Public Information Officer Lori Postma says teams completed an initial search of all damaged areas by 4:00 a.m. CT, and Indiana Task Force 1 will now conduct a secondary search this morning.
An emergency shelter has been setup at North Newton High School as emergency teams comb through the debris.
National Weather Service meteorologists are working to verify a massive 6-inch hailstone recovered during Tuesday night’s violent supercell.
If officially confirmed, this monster stone would shatter the current Illinois state record of 4.75 inches, set in Minooka back in 2015.
To put that size into perspective, a 6-inch hailstone is roughly the size of a honeydew melon or a large grapefruit, capable of falling at speeds exceeding 100 mph.
The NWS survey team will assess the stone’s dimensions to ensure it meets the rigorous criteria for the state record books.
The National Weather Service is deploying survey teams this morning to officially rate the intensity of the tornadoes that tore through Kankakee, Newton, and Jasper counties in Illinois and Indiana.
Storm reports showing the path of the destructive supercell thunderstorm that charged through Illinois and Indiana.
In addition to assessing structural damage in hard-hit areas like Lake Village, experts will also evaluate the historically large 5.2-inch hail reported near Kankakee to determine if it sets a new state record for Illinois.
The American Red Cross has mobilized in the wake of Tuesday's destructive tornadoes, opening an emergency shelter at North Newton High School to provide food, water, and support to displaced families.
Teams are also working alongside local officials in Kankakee, Illinois to ensure that residents in hard-hit communities like Aroma Park have access to essential recovery resources and medical supplies.
The sheer scale of the destruction in Newton County is becoming clear this morning as utility crews report hundreds of downed power lines and at least 70 snapped utility poles following the violent tornado.
These severe infrastructure hits have left thousands in the dark and created "death traps" on local roadways, complicating the ongoing search and rescue efforts in the hardest-hit areas.
Radar showing a line of severe thunderstorms roaring across parts of the Ohio Valley right now.
A line of severe thunderstorms is currently charging through the Ohio Valley this morning, marking the first of two expected waves of severe weather today.
Residents across Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky are experiencing frequent lightning, torrential downpours, and wind gusts up to 60 mph as the storms track eastward.
FOX Weather Meteorologist Ari Sarsalari breaks down the dangerous severe storm that ripped through the Kankakee, Illinois area, spawning numerous tornadoes that caused significant damage in impact areas, triggering the first Tornado Emergency of the year.
A Tornado Warning has been issued for Cumberland, Effingham and Jasper counties in Illinois through 06:30 a.m. CT.
This includes portions of the Interstate 70 and Interstate 57 corridors.
A Tornado Watch has been issued for parts of the Ohio Valley until noon ET.
The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Watch until 12:00 p.m. ET for southeastern Illinois, central and southern Indiana, the Outer Bluegrass region of Kentucky and western Ohio.
Thunderstorms are expected to increase over the next few hours, and with warm, moist, and unstable air and strong wind shear in place across much of the Ohio Valley, severe thunderstorms capable of producing a few tornadoes, damaging winds, and large hail are expected.
Drone footage captures the immediate aftermath of a destructive tornado that ripped through Kankakee, Illinois, demolishing several structures on its path through the northeastern Illinois city.
The footage reveals the staggering scope of destruction left behind after a powerful tornado that tore through Kankakee before crossing into Indiana.
From above, entire rooftops are peeled back or torn away, walls lie collapsed and debris is strewn in every direction — an area left flattened in the path of a dangerous tornado.
Following last night’s destructive tornado outbreak in the Midwest, the massive storm system responsible for it all is shifting east today, placing over 100 million people under a severe weather threat.
The Storm Prediction Center has outlined an expansive risk zone that sweeps from the Gulf Coast through the Ohio Valley and into the Mid-Atlantic.
Wednesday's severe storm threat extends from the Mid-Atlantic and Ohio Valley down to the Gulf Coast.
While damaging straight-line winds are the primary concern as the cold front marches east, the atmosphere remains volatile enough to support isolated tornadoes and large hail, particularly in parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia this afternoon.
Farther south, the threat extends deep into the Lower Mississippi Valley, where moisture from a record-warm Gulf of America is fueling a renewed round of intense thunderstorm development.
Residents from East Texas and Louisiana through Mississippi and Alabama should remain weather-aware for quick-developing cells capable of producing brief twisters and torrential rain.
As the line of storms pushes toward the Eastern Seaboard tonight, the risk of flash flooding will also increase, especially in urban corridors from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C., where heavy downpours may overwhelm drainage systems already saturated by early spring rain.
Kankakee County officials have officially filed an Emergency Declaration with the State of Illinois following the destructive tornado that tore through the region Tuesday night.
In a joint statement released by Sheriff Mike Downey, County Board Chairman Matthew Alexander-Hildebrand, and Mayor Chris Curtis, the county confirmed that the Emergency Operations Center has been fully activated to coordinate the response.
I want to remind area residents to check on their neighbors and loved ones but to avoid unnecessary travel, if at all possible.
Right now, emergency personnel are currently on the ground performing damage assessments and search and rescue operations. And fortunately, officials report there have been no reported injuries or loss of life as of Wednesday morning.
Residents are being urged to avoid all unnecessary travel as heavy debris, downed power lines, and fallen trees have made many local roads impassable and hazardous.
Dramatic video from FOX Weather Storm Tracker Brandon Copic captured the raw power of a violent tornado as it tore through the Kankakee, Illinois, area on Tuesday evening.
The intense video shows the massive twister illuminated by frequent lightning strikes and power flashes as it tore through the south side of the city.
As we shift our focus to the rising threat on the East Coast, we are continuing to process the sheer scale of the destruction left behind in the Heartland.
Last night’s coverage was marked by the first Tornado Emergency of 2026, as a violent long-track twister tore through Kankakee, Illinois, and Lake Village, Indiana.
Our team at FOX Weather provided nonstop, minute-by-minute analysis as the storms exploded:
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