Powerful Tornado Strikes Kankakee County, Causing Widespread Damage

Initial assessments suggest the tornado may have reached EF-2 or EF-3 strength, with winds up to 160 mph.

Mar. 12, 2026 at 6:53am

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A large and destructive tornado touched down in Kankakee County, Illinois, on Tuesday night, leaving a path of devastation in its wake. Multiple building collapses were reported, with homes losing roofs and upper floors, and trees being uprooted or snapped in half. The National Weather Service is still conducting surveys, but initial assessments suggest the tornado may have reached EF-2 or EF-3 strength, with winds up to 160 mph.

Why it matters

Tornadoes of this magnitude are rare this early in the spring season, but experts say warmer spring temperatures linked to climate change are making such events more likely. The increasing frequency of early-season tornadoes, coupled with earlier sunsets, presents a heightened risk of fatalities, as more tornadoes occur during nighttime hours when visibility is reduced.

The details

Storm chaser Freddie Bryant, who tracked the storm from Pontiac, Illinois, described a 'multiple vortex tornado' that grew into a 'big stovepipe' with an audible 'roar.' He followed the supercell storm all the way to the Michigan and Indiana state line. Residents in Aroma Park endured a terrifying ordeal, with one woman, Erin Boershig, sheltering in her neighbor's basement with her 7-month-old son. The National Weather Service continues its surveys in Kankakee County, and at least one touchdown is being assessed in Lake Village, Indiana, where an elderly couple was killed.

  • The tornado touched down in Kankakee County, Illinois, on Tuesday night.

The players

Freddie Bryant

A storm chaser who tracked the storm from Pontiac, Illinois, and described a 'multiple vortex tornado' that grew into a 'big stovepipe' with an audible 'roar.'

Erin Boershig

A resident of Aroma Park who sheltered in her neighbor's basement with her 7-month-old son during the tornado.

Dr. Trent Ford

The Illinois State Climatologist, who noted that large tornadoes are rare this early in the spring season but that warmer spring temperatures linked to climate change are making such events more likely.

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What they’re saying

“Nights like last night, those nights are really stressful, and hurt, and you go home wondering.”

— Freddie Bryant, Storm chaser

“We will never have a house that doesn't have a basement or some sort of storm shelter. Not here. I can't.”

— Erin Boershig

“Warmer spring temperatures, linked to climate change, are making such events more likely.”

— Dr. Trent Ford, Illinois State Climatologist

What’s next

The National Weather Service continues its surveys in Kankakee County to determine the full extent of the damage and the strength of the tornado.

The takeaway

This tornado highlights the growing threat of severe weather events, particularly in the spring, as climate change contributes to warmer temperatures and more unpredictable weather patterns. Communities will need to adapt by ensuring they have adequate storm shelters and emergency preparedness plans in place to protect residents from the increasing risk of such destructive storms.