Seven Tornadoes Confirmed Across Chicago Area as Communities Continue Storm Recovery

Recovery operations continued across the Chicago metropolitan area after the National Weather Service confirmed that seven tornadoes touched down during the powerful storms of Monday, July 27, 2026. The severe weather brought tornadoes, destructive straight-line winds, large hail, torrential rain, flash flooding and widespread power outages to communities across northeastern Illinois and northwest Indiana.

The confirmed tornadoes affected parts of Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, Downers Grove, Romeoville, Orland Park, southern Cook County and the Illinois-Indiana border near Lansing and Munster. Five of the tornadoes were rated EF0, while two were rated EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.

Although the tornadoes caused significant damage in several communities, the National Weather Service said that most of the destruction across the wider Chicago area was caused by powerful straight-line winds rather than tornadoes. Some of the hardest-hit areas experienced estimated wind gusts of more than 80 to 90 mph, bringing down trees and power lines and causing structural damage.

Seven Tornadoes Confirmed by National Weather Service

The National Weather Service’s Chicago office confirmed the following tornado tracks from the July 27 severe weather event:

EF0 tornado in Glen Ellyn
EF0 tornado in Wheaton
EF0 tornado in Downers Grove
EF0 tornado in Romeoville
EF0 tornado in Orland Park
EF1 tornado from Country Club Hills to Glenwood
EF1 tornado from Lynwood, Illinois, to Munster, Indiana

Early media reports identified the two EF1 tornadoes as the Hazel Crest and Lansing tornadoes because those communities experienced notable damage. However, the National Weather Service’s official track descriptions provide a broader geographical picture.

The first EF1 tornado travelled from Country Club Hills toward Glenwood, affecting portions of Hazel Crest, Markham, Harvey, East Hazel Crest and Homewood. The second EF1 tornado moved from Lynwood, Illinois, toward Munster, Indiana, also affecting Lansing.

The EF1 tornado affecting the Lansing area produced estimated peak winds of around 110 mph, placing it near the upper limit of the EF1 category. The storm crossed the Illinois-Indiana border before apparently lifting near Munster.

Wheaton Tornado Touched Down Near College Campus

One of the confirmed EF0 tornadoes developed in Wheaton, beginning just south of Wheaton College. According to the preliminary storm assessment, the tornado remained on the ground for no more than approximately two minutes.

The Wheaton tornado had a maximum width of around 100 yards and estimated peak winds of 75 mph. Although it was relatively brief and weak compared with stronger tornadoes, even an EF0 tornado can bring down trees, damage roofs and create serious hazards from flying debris.

The National Weather Service classifies an EF0 tornado as one producing estimated winds between 65 and 85 mph. An EF1 tornado has estimated winds between 86 and 110 mph. Tornado ratings are assigned after survey teams examine damaged trees, houses, commercial buildings and other structures.

The damage is then compared with established indicators to estimate the wind speed responsible for the destruction. Therefore, a tornado’s rating is generally based on the damage it caused rather than solely on a direct wind measurement.

Homewood and Southern Cook County Among Hardest Hit

Homewood was among the communities that experienced some of the most serious tornado damage. The EF1 tornado moving from Country Club Hills to Glenwood crossed or affected several southern Cook County communities, including Hazel Crest, Harvey, East Hazel Crest and Homewood.

Residents reported damaged trees, blocked streets, downed electrical lines and property damage. Many households remained without electricity after the storm, forcing some residents to rely on portable generators while cleanup work continued.

Neighbors were seen helping one another clear branches, remove debris and check damaged properties. The recovery effort demonstrated the scale of the disruption, particularly in communities where fallen trees blocked roads or brought down utility infrastructure.

Residents using generators were advised to operate them outdoors and away from windows and doors, as generators can produce dangerous carbon monoxide. Downed electrical lines also remained a major safety risk during cleanup activities.

The Country Club Hills-Glenwood tornado was one of the two strongest confirmed tornadoes in the outbreak, carrying an EF1 rating. An EF1 tornado can remove roofing material, overturn mobile structures, break large tree branches and cause considerable damage to weaker buildings.

Downers Grove and Romeoville Tornadoes Added to Confirmed List

The confirmed tornado count increased from five to seven after National Weather Service survey teams identified additional EF0 tornadoes in Downers Grove and Romeoville.

The Downers Grove tornado produced estimated peak winds of approximately 85 mph, placing it at the upper end of the EF0 classification. The Romeoville tornado generated estimated peak winds of approximately 80 mph.

The Downers Grove tornado had an estimated path length of about 2.1 miles and a maximum width of approximately 100 yards, while the Romeoville tornado travelled for about 2.5 miles and reached a maximum width of approximately 110 yards, according to National Weather Service information indexed from the event assessments.

Storm surveys can take several days because meteorologists must distinguish tornado damage from damage caused by straight-line winds. Tornadoes usually create a rotating or convergent pattern, while straight-line winds commonly push trees and structures in a more consistent direction.

Survey teams may also examine radar data, eyewitness videos, photographs, emergency reports and the distribution of debris before confirming that a tornado occurred.

Orland Park and Glen Ellyn Also Experienced EF0 Tornadoes

The National Weather Service confirmed an EF0 tornado in western and northwestern Orland Park. Another EF0 tornado affected Glen Ellyn, where peak winds were estimated at around 80 mph.

The five EF0 tornadoes were classified as weak on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, but their presence across several suburbs illustrated the widespread rotating nature of the storm system.

Even short-lived tornadoes can cause dangerous localised damage. Large trees can be uprooted or snapped, branches can fall onto houses and vehicles, and power lines can be brought down. Such damage can leave individual neighbourhoods dealing with major disruption even when the tornado receives the lowest rating.

Cook County Issues Disaster Proclamation

Cook County issued a disaster proclamation following the July 27 storm event, allowing county authorities to coordinate recovery operations and pursue additional resources for affected communities.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said that the storms caused significant damage and disruption across the county. She thanked municipal partners, the State of Illinois, first responders, utility companies and emergency-management personnel for their cooperation.

The proclamation supports continued coordination among local municipalities, emergency services, public-works departments and relief organisations. It may also help officials document the scale of the disaster and identify state or other assistance that could be made available for recovery.

Cook County emergency-management officials worked with more than 15 municipalities after the storms. Assistance included requests for generators, excavators and portable lighting equipment, as well as support for road clearance and debris removal.

The Cook County Department of Emergency Management and Regional Security also coordinated with ComEd, the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, local officials, first responders and public-works departments.

County officials asked affected residents to complete an online damage survey so authorities could develop a more complete assessment of losses. The collected information could help determine what assistance or recovery resources might become available.

Thousands Faced Electricity Outages

Widespread damage to trees, poles and electrical equipment left thousands of homes and businesses without power. Utility crews were deployed throughout the region, but restoration took longer in neighbourhoods with extensive infrastructure damage.

By Thursday afternoon, ComEd said electricity had been restored to nearly 95% of affected customers, although approximately 22,500 outages remained at around 2:40 PM. The company expected many remaining customers to regain power by the end of Thursday, while some households in the most severely damaged locations were likely to wait longer.

Earlier estimates suggested that around 80% of affected service would be restored by Wednesday, with difficult repairs continuing into Friday in some communities.

Power restoration after a major storm involves more than reconnecting individual homes. Utility crews must first address dangerous live wires, damaged substations and major transmission or distribution lines. They then repair local poles, transformers and individual service connections.

This process means that some neighbourhoods can regain electricity quickly, while homes at the end of damaged service lines may remain without power for a longer period.

Straight-Line Winds Caused Widespread Destruction

While the confirmed tornadoes attracted significant attention, the National Weather Service emphasised that the majority of the storm damage in and around Chicago was caused by strong or destructive straight-line winds.

Communities in southern Cook County and eastern Will County were particularly badly affected. These included Chicago Heights, Ford Heights, Sauk Village, Steger, Crete, Monee, University Park, Frankfort and Beecher.

Some of these locations experienced estimated wind gusts of 80 to more than 90 mph, resulting in substantial tree damage and several cases of serious structural damage.

Straight-line winds can be as destructive as a weak tornado. They may spread across a wider area and damage thousands of trees, roofs, electrical lines and vehicles at the same time.

The National Weather Service initially continued examining damage around Chicago Heights to determine whether it had been caused by another tornado or by intense straight-line winds. The official storm summary nevertheless identified Chicago Heights and nearby southern suburbs as part of the corridor that experienced some of the most powerful non-tornadic winds.

Large Hail and Flash Flooding Accompanied Storms

The storm system produced more than tornadoes and destructive winds. Some severe thunderstorms generated hailstones measuring up to three inches in diameter, while extraordinarily humid atmospheric conditions contributed to torrential rainfall and flash flooding.

Rainfall reports showed totals of approximately 3.95 inches near Bridgeview, 3.58 inches near Lincolnwood and nearly 3.5 inches in parts of Chicago. More than three inches was also reported in communities including Oak Lawn, Evergreen Park and Chicago Ridge.

Such rainfall over a short period can overwhelm drains, flood roads and raise water levels rapidly in storm sewers and low-lying areas. Residents were advised to avoid flooded roads because water depth and road conditions can be difficult to judge.

Extreme Heat and Humidity Fuelled Severe Storms

The National Weather Service said that extreme atmospheric instability developed because of intense heat and oppressive humidity on July 27. A weather disturbance interacted with that unstable air mass, allowing thunderstorms to form from eastern Wisconsin into northeastern Illinois.

An unusually high level of wind shear—changes in wind speed or direction at different heights in the atmosphere—helped some storms develop rotating structures.

Intense supercell thunderstorms then moved southeastward through the region during the late morning and afternoon. They produced tornadoes, large hail and destructive wind damage before another line of storms brought additional damaging winds later in the day.

Chicago Area Approaches Annual Tornado Record

The seven newly confirmed tornadoes added to what had already been an exceptionally active severe-weather year for the Chicago region.

According to a National Weather Service count reported by CBS Chicago, the region had recorded 62 tornadoes in 2026 after the July 27 storm event—only one below the full-year record of 63 established in 2024.

The unusually high number does not mean every tornado was powerful. Many were brief EF0 or EF1 tornadoes. However, the frequency highlights the need for residents to take every tornado warning seriously.

People should move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building when a warning is issued. They should remain away from windows and protect their heads from debris.

Recovery Effort Continues

For residents across the affected suburbs, the storm’s impact continued well after the rain and wind had ended. Crews faced the difficult work of removing trees, reopening roads, repairing power lines and inspecting damaged homes and businesses.

The confirmed tornado total remained at seven in the National Weather Service’s official July 27 event summary, although officials described the information as subject to continued post-event analysis.

The Cook County disaster proclamation is intended to strengthen cooperation between county agencies, municipalities, utility companies and relief organisations as the recovery progresses.

The July 27 storms demonstrated that a single severe-weather event can produce several hazards simultaneously. Tornadoes, 80-to-90-mph straight-line winds, large hail, intense rainfall, flooding and prolonged power outages all affected the Chicago region during the same storm system.

As communities continue cleaning up, authorities are encouraging residents to document property damage, avoid downed power lines, use generators safely and follow official guidance regarding available assistance.

Seven tornadoes have been confirmed, but the wider impact of the storm extended far beyond the tornado paths, leaving numerous communities facing damaged property, interrupted electricity and a lengthy recovery process.

Tag: Cook County storm damage

At Least Seven Tornadoes Confirmed in Chicago Area After Monday’s Severe Storms