Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Illinois, April 20, 2004

The tornado entered LaSalle County from Putnam County, approximately 3 miles northeast of the town of Standard, producing F0 intensity damage in a wooded area southwest of Peru. As the tornado continued northeast, F2 intensity damage was done to several homes in a subdivision near the intersection of East 250th and 2569th Roads. Several roofs were blown off homes along with damage to external walls. Significant tree damage was done as well. Path width was estimated at 50 yards at this location. The tornado then continued northeast, crossing the Illinois River twice as it moved toward the town of Utica, downing a steel high tension tower on the north bank of the river, immediately west of Illinois 251. The tornado moved into the southwest side of Utica where it was F0 intensity. Homes along Washington Street only had tree and minor roof damage. A church steeple was damaged on Division between Johnson and Washington. Roofs and trees were more severely damaged on the south side of Johnson Street. The tornado rapidly increased to F3 intensity on the north side of Johnson Street where one home had its roof taken off and north walls blown out. A machinery building was completely destroyed on the south side of the canal and a semi-tractor trailer was blown into the canal. A large grain bin was blown across the canal and flattened. The tornado then moved north of the canal into the heart of town where several homes were severely damaged, garages were destroyed and brick buildings collapsed. Eight people died and seven were rescued from the basement of a turn of the century sandstone building at Clark and Church Streets. The tornado was approximately 250 yards wide at this point. On the east edge of the vortex along Mill Street, in downtown, buildings suffered damage to facades, roofs and windows. East of Mill Street there was damage to trees and minor roof damage. In the northeast section of town a mobile home was overturned on Grove, just east of Mill Street. The vortex crossed the railroad tracks and apparently dissipated on a steep bluff on the northeast side of town. At the top of the hill there were some trees and limbs down and some debris deposited. See Storm Data for Northwest and Central Illinois for results of Tornado Damage Survey for Putnam and Bureau Counties, IL

Reported by NWS cooperative observer.

The tornado formed on the ridge northeast of Utica and moved across County Road 2803, west of 10th Street. A garage was destroyed and trees were damaged. The tornado became a wide multiple vortex tornado at this point. It caused damage to 2 homes, trees and outbuildings on Route 6, west of 11th Street. Part of the roof of a house was torn off. A storage building was damaged and a garage roof removed on 11th Street. A garage and grain bin were destroyed on County Road 2950. The tornado crossed I-80 at 12th Street damaging a building and flipping a semi-tractor trailer. The driver was not injured. North of I-80 a small satellite tornado formed behind the large parent tornado. It had a damage path 2 miles long and 5 to 20 yards wide. Its track was about 1/4 to 3/4 mile south of the main track. It caused no damage. The main tornado destroyed a machine shed on 13th Street and knocked down power poles. On 31st Street west of 14th big pine trees were snapped and a house suffered roof damage. A barn was destroyed on 14th north of 31st. On 32nd Street west of 15th, a two story house was hit. The top floor was mostly destroyed. A machine shed was destroyed on 16th between 32nd and 33rd. The tornado ended at 33rd and Route 23 where there was minor tree damage.

The tornado began in an open area west of town. It knocked over a camper at a house, snapped pine trees and blew over a shed. The tornado struck a detached garage, completely destroying it. Trees were also damaged.

The tornado was spotted by a storm chaser near the correctional facility south of Sheridan. It moved northeast causing only minor tree damage.

The tornado occurred briefly at a farm, damaging a grain bin and an outbuilding.

A weak tornado originated in Ford County 9 NNE of Piper City and moved into Iroquois County 10.5 NNE of Piper City. This tornado moved through open farm land. There was no damage. This data is for the portion of the tornado path in Ford County.

A weak tornado originated in Ford County 9 NNE of Piper City and moved into Iroquois County 9 W of Ashkum or 10.5 NNE of Piper City. This tornado moved through open farm land. There was no damage. This data is for the portion of the tornado path in Iroquois County.

The tornado struck an industrial complex. A wastewater treatment building was destroyed, walls were blown out and structural beams were bent, at Tabler Road, south of Route 6. There was damage to overhead doors and an air handling unit was torn from a roof of a building on the east side of Tabler Road. Further east there was damage to walls and roof of an outbuilding. Antennas was blown down at the fire station on Route 6.

The tornado began in an open field and moved north northeast along county road 11000 East, knocking down trees and limbs. The tornado intensified from County Road 2630 South to 2430 South where homes were damaged, a mobile home was destroyed and large trees were knocked down or damaged. The most intense damage occurred at a church where the roof was taken off and walls were pushed down. The tornado continued across a farm field knocking over 2 pivot irrigation systems. It ended near 1000 South where trees were damaged.

Deep standing water at intersection of Black and Essington Rds.

The tornado formed just southwest of the intersection of County Roads 5000S and 3000W. Eyewitnesses stated there were multiple funnels aloft occasionally lowering at this point. The developing vortex continued northeast to cross 3000S just west of 1000W. A brick one story house was directly hit. The roof was torn off and scattered northeast in a field across the street. Numerous large trees were snapped or uprooted around the home. An empty corrugated grain bin was pushed into a tree. The tornado continued northeast to the Cognis chemical plant where the brick wall of a building fell outward. About 200 feet of chain link fence was torn up. Several cinder block buildings were damaged or destroyed in this complex just northeast of where the fence was taken out. The vortex moved across railroad tracks to tear up part of the corrugated metal roofs at the River Valley Metro building (city bus storage) and other nearby businesses. The final damage was at a farm at the corner of Rts 45/52 and River Road. A barn was destroyed as well as several large sheds. The vortex apparently lifted after that as it moved just west of Kankakee Community College to the Kankakee River. Areas of debris could be seen in the trees north of River Road but no tree damage was noted.

Strong rotation also noted in clouds.

Trees down on the west side of the city.

The tornado swept out a path through a mainly residential section on the near west side of Joliet known as the "Cathedral Area". Initial damage was found near the intersection of Jefferson St. (U.S. route 52) and William Street. The damage path then continued northeastward to a point near the intersections of Ruby Street, Bluff Street, and the Des Plaines River. Most of the damage was of F-0 intensity, with extensive tree damage and very minor damage to structures. However there were three pockets of more substantial primary structural damage which consisted mainly of roofs being torn off residences and garages being totally demolished. In all, 10 residences were declared uninhabitable.

Deep standing water at intersection of Larkin Rd. and Rt. 30.

Several vehicles damaged.

Reported at Plainfield Central High School.

Street flooding reported in many areas in Romeoville.

This tornado began about 1 mile southwest of Grant Park in an open field where it was spotted by the fire department. It crossed Route 1 west of town damaging a fence. The tornado moved into town causing minor roof damage to a few homes. Part of the roof of the fire station was peeled off and a large tree fell in the yard behind the fire station. The tornado moved across an open field, then knocked down a large tree at 9000N and Route 1. There was also minor roof damage to a farm building northeast of the intersection.

Reported near intersection of Renwick Ave. and Weber Rd.

A weak tornado pulled shingles off two mobile homes near the corner of 319th and Yates. There was minor roof damage to a barn.

Also, funnel cloud spotted over Moraine Valley Community College.

Deep standing water at Wolf and LaPorte Rds.

Cicero and Rt. 6 in Oak Forest.

Near intersection of State Hwy 171 and New Ave. One half foot of standing water on road.