The biggest severe weather outbreak so far in 2026 has left at least three people dead and a trail of damage across the central United States. One of the strongest storms may have also set a new state record in Illinois.
Multiple tornadoes have been confirmed following Tuesday night’s severe weather outbreak, including an EF3 that tracked 36.6 miles from west of Aroma Park, Illinois, to near DeMotte, Indiana.
The EF3 tornado was part of a supercell that produced a family of tornadoes across parts of Illinois and northwestern Indiana, including at least one additional tornado rated EF1.
At least 10 tornadoes were spotted in Illinois, Indiana and Texas.
An older couple was killed when the tornado struck their home in Lake Village, Indiana, one of the towns hit the hardest by the tornado. On Thursday night, officials in Aroma Park, Illinois, a suburb of Kankakee, confirmed that an individual had been found deceased in the rubble of a destroyed home.
While tornado damage drew early attention, the outbreak also produced hail that is now being investigated for record status in Illinois.
Storm Chaser and Former WSIL-TV Meteorologist Tony Laubach found at least one hailstone measuring 5.25 inches.
Storm chasers and spotters across the region reported hailstones larger than 5 inches, including a 6.4-inch hailstone in Kankakee, Illinois, that is being investigated as a possible new state record.
Other Skywarn spotters and storm chasers also found big hail, as large as 6.4 inches across in Kankakee, 5.5 inches at Campus, Illinois, and 5.2 inches near Buckingham, Illinois. The current Illinois record is 4.75 inches in diameter, set in Minooka in June 2015.