Urbana, Illinois – A volatile outbreak of severe weather triggered multiple tornado touchdowns across Illinois on Wednesday, toppling trees, cutting power, and prompting emergency response efforts in communities from Springfield to Champaign.
According to multiple sources, as many as 10 tornadoes were reported in Illinois by late afternoon. While official confirmation from the National Weather Service is still pending, trained weather spotters and radar signatures tracked tornado activity in at least eight counties.
Two tornadoes were reported near Jacksonville, with additional touchdowns in Literberry and Philadelphia. Another tornado formed near Mason City, located roughly midway between Peoria and Springfield. Four more tornadoes were spotted just before 2 p.m. near Delavan, Minier, Mackinaw, and Farmer City. A separate report placed a tornado near Rantoul, north of Champaign, where trees and power lines were brought down across several neighborhoods.
Power outages remain scattered but significant throughout central Illinois, with multiple outage zones still active late Wednesday. Several roads in Urbana are blocked by downed branches and utility wires. City crews are responding, and residents are urged to report damage by emailing [email protected].
In Indiana, Putnam County is also dealing with widespread tree damage after storms moved eastward. Dashcam footage from a sheriff’s deputy captured a tree collapsing across State Road 243 moments after crews arrived to clear earlier debris.
No major injuries or structural damage have been confirmed, but tornado warnings remain in effect for areas east of Springfield and near Decatur. A tornado watch is also active until 7 p.m. for Grundy, Will, and Kankakee counties in Illinois, as well as northwest Indiana, where the Storm Prediction Center has designated an “enhanced risk” for severe weather, including damaging winds, hail, and flash flooding.
Residents should stay indoors, avoid downed wires, and report outages or gas leaks to Ameren at 800-755-5000 or online at ameren.com.
