A massive and hazardous tornado is currently moving towards the United States, putting two hospitals and 19 schools in its path.
The National Weather Service in Chicago issued a Tornado Warning stating that a large and extremely dangerous tornado is confirmed over Kankakee, Illinois, moving east at 25 miles per hour.
A Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) Tornado Warning is now in effect until 7pm local time for southeastern Kankakee County, including Aroma Park. Residents are advised to seek shelter immediately as baseball-sized hail is falling in the area.
In addition to the tornado warning, a severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Kankakee, Bourbonnais, and Bradley, Illinois. The storm is expected to bring hail the size of a large apple, posing a life-threatening situation.
Footage showing extensive damage in Kankakee County following the tornado has been shared online, revealing destroyed homes, fallen trees, and debris strewn across neighborhoods.
Meanwhile, parts of the Chicago area and northwest Indiana were placed under a Tornado Watch on Tuesday evening as severe storms were forecasted to hit late into the night. Although the focus was on potential strong tornadoes, large hail, and damaging winds, the warnings centered more on hail size and storm timing in the Chicago region during the evening.
Cook County, including Chicago, and DuPage County are under a severe thunderstorm warning until 6:45 p.m. CDT, with the possibility of hail as large as ping-pong balls. Reports of large hail ranging from golf-ball to tennis-ball size were received in Woodridge, Downers Grove, Darien, and Westmont.
Another severe thunderstorm warning is active until 6 p.m. CDT for northern Will County, southwest Cook County, and a small part of southern DuPage County, emphasizing the risk of large hail. A broader severe thunderstorm watch covering northern Illinois, including Chicago and northwest Indiana, is in place until midnight.
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