Chicago Tornadoes

NWS confirms locations, strength of 3 tornadoes that touched down Wednesday

Crews from the National Weather Service on Wednesday were surveying storm damage in several Chicago area counties when they confirmed the location of at least two tornado touch downs

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Following an evening of severe weather, storm damage and "multiple" tornadoes across Northeast Illinois, the National Weather Service has confirmed the location and speed of at least three of Wednesday's tornado touch downs.

"Our team in Kane County confirms a tornado in Elgin with a maximum intensity EF-1 and maximum wind speed of 100 mph," a tweet from the NWS read Thursday. "The track roughly started east of Rt. 47 and ended near the railroad tracks west of Villa Olivia Golf Course."

NBC 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Kevin Jeanes reports the NWS also confirmed an EF-0 tornado with a maximum speed of 85 mph touched down Wednesday in South Elgin, just south of the EF-1's path.

"The tornado began close to McDonald Rd and ended along Hopps Road," the NWS tweeted.

A third tornado was also confirmed in Burr Ridge and Stickney, with a "preliminary rating of EF-1" and wind speeds near 110 miles per hour.

"In addition to numerous trees snapped and uprooted, several businesses saw significant damage," the NWS reported.

Earlier Thursday, the NWS released a preliminary map that showed approximate damage and survey areas, with marked spots in South-Central Cook, Kane, Western Will and Northern DuPage counties and said crews would be "out surveying damage" to determine exactly where the tornadoes tracked.

According to the NWS, the total number of tornado touchdowns from Wednesday has yet to be finalized, adding that a final number count should be completed as the week goes on.

During the storm, the NWS and the NBC 5 Storm Team confirmed some tornado touch downs, including a "large and extremely dangerous" tornado in southern Cook County moving towards Chicago. Approximately 30 minutes later, the NWS reported a touchdown near O'Hare International Airport, where more than 300 flights were canceled.

PHOTOS: From Hodgkins to Elgin, severe weather, tornadoes cause extensive damage across suburbs

In McHenry county, a roof was blown off a home in Huntley, an alert from the NWS said. In Elgin, at least 20 to 30 homes have significant damage, according to the Elgin Fire Department. In Carol Stream, the NWS reported uprooted trees, damage to commercial buildings, car windows blown out and more.

Elsewhere, suburban residents recapped what it was like after severe weather ripped through the shopping centers where they were running errands.

"It was just everything was blowing everywhere," a witness told NBC Chicago, of the damage outside of a Menard's in Hodgkins. "And it was coming from that direction but then all of a sudden it was going all over it was blowing all over it was like no way to go to protect yourself from it."

Thursday forecast

According to NBC 5 Meteorologist Alicia Roman, Thursday is expected to be a calmer day, as morning clouds and fog will give way to a partly sunny day in the afternoon. And while a slight chance for an isolated, afternoon storm remains in the forecast, most areas are expected to remain dry, Roman says.

Temperatures Thursday are expected to be in the mid 70s to low 80s, Roman adds.

Friday and into the weekend however, more chances for rain and storms are in the forecast, the NBC 5 Storm Team says. Additionally, humidity and warmer temperatures are expected to return on Friday.

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