NWS confirms several tornadoes follow Thursday severe weather

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - The National Weather Service confirmed multiple tornadoes after several hours of severe weather hit Central Illinois on Thursday.

Two EF-0 tornadoes were confirmed in southern Effingham County. An EF-U was confirmed in Jasper County and another EF-U was confirmed in Crawford County. There was also an EF-1 in Crawford County that caused significant damage to several homes.

PHOTOS | Click to see images of Thursday's storms across Illinois

The Crawford County tornado had peak winds of 110 miles per hour, according to the National Weather Service in Lincoln.

It first touched down about three miles southeast of Hardinville before it intensified. The tornado damaged two homes and knocked a mobile home off its foundation and then wrapped it around a tree near North 1000th Street.

NWS said a woman was hospitalized with serious injuries.

The tornado continued northeast damaging more homes and farm buildings. It lifted two miles northwest of Flat Rock.

Also in Crawford County:

EF-U near Annapolis didn't cause any damage
EF-U near Chauncey didn't cause any damage

In Effingham County, both EF-0 tornadoes touched down in the southern half of the county.

NWS said one tornado passed just east of Edgewood. It had winds of 75 miles per hour and was 25 yards wide. NWS said it was on the ground for three miles. The tornado only caused damaged to some trees.

A second EF-0 in Effingham County also had winds of 75 miles per hour. It was 75 yards wide and was on the ground for four miles. It first touched down near the Clay/Effingham County line about two miles south of Eberle. The tornado caused damage to farm buildings. The storm lifted near East 200th Avenue near County Road 2200.

An EF-U southeast of Dieterich in Jasper County didn't cause any damage.

severe weather 2-19-26 — Hail left behind by a severe storm that hit parts of central Illinois on February 19, 2026. (Viewer photo)

The storms also produced large amounts of hail, including some the size of golf balls.

The same storm system Thursday afternoon was also responsible for spawning several tornadoes in Indiana.

The Illinois tornadoes are some of the first confirmed of 2026. Several tornadoes hit Illinois between Christmas and New Years, causing extensive damage to homes in Macon County.

Illinois reported around 130 tornadoes in 2025 which is one of the highest for the state on record.