A portion of the collapsed roof is hoisted out of The Apollo Theatre on Sunday, April 2, 2023, in Belvidere. The National Weather Service confirmed an EF-1 tornado moved from Davis Junction to Belvidere, one of 12 confirmed tornadoes in northern Illinois and northwest Indiana. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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BELVIDERE — The National Weather Service has confirmed 12 tornadoes moved through northern Illinois and northwestern Indiana Friday night, including three in this region.
NWS said there was an EF-1 tornado in Machesney Park, an EF-1 tornado that moved from Davis Junction to Belvidere and a tornado in the Caledonia and Poplar Grove area that has not yet been rated.
On the Enhanced Fujita Scale, an EF-1 tornado has 3-second gusts of wind ranging from 86 to 110 miles per hour, according to the weather service.
“There have been teams on the ground throughout the region responding to the severe storms that came through Belvidere and all the surrounding areas,” Gov. JB Pritzker said Sunday from outside The Apollo Theatre.
Related: ‘We’re all rooting for The Apollo’: Officials optimistic the historic Belvidere structure can be saved
Pritzker issued a disaster proclamation on Saturday. That declaration is designed to help residents and businesses affected by the tornadoes get access to state and potentially federal funding and other resources.
People work on roof repairs Saturday, April 1, 2023, following an EF-1 tornado the previous night in Machesney Park. The tornado in Machesney Park was one of a dozen confirmed in northern Illinois and northwest Indiana by the National Weather Service. (Photo provided by Kate Nelson)That National Weather Service says the investigation into Friday night’s severe storms is continuing and the ratings and number of tornadoes may change in the coming days. Meanwhile, Illinois Emergency Management Agency officials are surveying the state to determine the severity and cost of the damage.
12 tornadoes identified
- EF-2 near Amboy
- EF-1 in West Brooklyn
- Baileyville (rating TBD)
- EF-1 in Machesney Park
- EF-1 from Davis Junction to Belvidere
- Caledonia/Poplar Grove (rating TBD)
- EF-1 near Wellington
- EF-1 near Stockland
- EF-1 from Lombard to Addison
- EF-2 near Oxford, Indiana
- EF-2 near Fowler, Indiana
- EF-1 near Remington, Indiana
Source: National Weather Service
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas