NWS confirms 8 tornadoes across central Illinois from weekend storms

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - The National Weather Service in Lincoln has now confirmed eight tornadoes across central Illinois after severe storms hit the area late Friday and early Saturday morning.

The additional tornadoes were an EF-1 near Stewardson, an EF-1 near Windsor, an EF-1 near Lovington, and an EF-2 outside Hammond, and an EF-1 near Flatville and Gifford.

NWS previously confirmed three tornadoes: an EF-2 in Cumberland and Coles County, an EF-1 northwest of Mattoon, and an EF-1 in Paris. The EF-2 in Cumberland County struck a school and caused significant damage.

The EF-2 Hammond tornado in Piatt County had maximum winds of 115 miles per hour and was on the ground for more than 10 miles. It started near Highway 36 and lifted near the Champaign County line. NWS said several outbuildings were damaged. The winds also knocked down a cell tower. No injuries were reported.

The EF-1 Stewardson tornado in Shelby County was on the ground for nearly five miles and had winds of 90 miles per hour. The NWS said several buildings were damaged, including a farmhouse that had its roof peeled off. The tornado first touched down about two miles south of Stewardson, traveled northeast, and lifted near County Road North 3100 East and County Road East 300 North.

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The EF-1 Flatville-Gifford tornado had 100 mile per hour winds and was on the ground for nearly 14 miles. It had a width of 150 yards. NWS pinpointed the track just northeast of Champaign to an area a few miles north of Gifford and northeast of Rantoul.

The EF-1 Lovington tornado had 110 mile per hour winds and was on the ground for just over five miles in Moultrie County. NWS said the tornado caused damage to several outbuildings, power lines, and trees.

According to the National Weather Service, Illinois recorded 17 tornadoes on Friday and Saturday. Most of the tornadoes were in central and southern Illinois with two tornadoes just west of Chicago. Some of the tornadoes in southern Illinois started in Missouri and tracked into the state.

The weekend storms stretched across a large portion of the U.S. leaving a wake of destruction and killing at least 42 people. The storms, spread across eight states, also caused wildfires and dust storms.