NWS confirms 5 tornadoes in Chicago area during storms

CHICAGO — Officials from the National Weather Service have confirmed that five tornadoes touched down in the Chicago area, including one in the city of Chicago, as a round of intense evening storms swept through the region Monday.

NWS officials said in a post on X on Tuesday afternoon that three EF-1 tornadoes and two EF-0 tornadoes touched down across parts of Chicagoland.

Officials said one of those tornados, an EF-1, hit the ground on the near West Side of Chicago to the far western portions of the Loop.

The second EF-1 twister reportedly swept through an area near Channahon in Grundy and Will counties.

A third EF-1 reportedly touched down in the Bristol and Oswego areas in Kendall and Will counties.

An EF-0 tornado reportedly caused some damage in Justice and Bridgeview in Cook County.

A fifth tornado, another EF-0, also touched down near Crown Point, Indiana.

Officials did not provide specific details about where exactly the twister paths were located.

The information provided by the NWS in the damage assessments is preliminary, and officials say assessments from Monday night’s storms are ongoing and will likely be a multiday process.

According to the NWS, EF-0 tornadoes are twisters with wind speeds ranging from 65-85 mph that can cause minor damage to roofs and chimneys, but well-built structures usually remain unharmed.

EF-0 tornadoes can also topple over billboards and signs and lead to broken tree limbs.

EF-1 twisters are reported to have wind speeds ranging from 86-110 mph that can cause moderate damage to permanent structures, and can even push cars off the roads or flip them.