Tornadoes · United States · Illinois · 2025

EF0 tornado, Belvidere, Illinois, June 3, 2025

This EF0 tornado ran 0.3 miles across Boone County on June 3, 2025, touching down at 9:05 PM CDT and reaching 75 yards wide. It killed nobody.

The rating scale

Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Enhanced Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.

  1. EF065 to 85 mphthis tornado

    Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

  2. EF186 to 110 mph

    Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

  3. EF2111 to 135 mph

    Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.

  4. EF3136 to 165 mph

    Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.

  5. EF4166 to 200 mph

    Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

  6. EF5over 200 mph

    Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.

  7. Unrated

    The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.

The record

Rating
EF0
Date
June 3, 2025
Touchdown
9:05 PM CDT (02:05 UTC)
Lifted
9:06 PM CDT (02:06 UTC)
On the ground
1 minutes
Path length
0.3 miles (0.5 km)
Path width
75 yards (69 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
County
Boone County
Touchdown point
42.268, -88.914
Lift-off point
42.270, -88.909
Record number
2506032005-01

The damage survey

2 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS LOT, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF0. The highest wind the damage implies is 85 mph.

  • Concentrated area of tree damage at this property. Multiple trees uprooted and large limbs snapped off of trees. Some evidence of convergent treefall. An approximately 3 inch diameter tree branch was also impaled into the ground.
  • Large unhealthy tree snapped a few feet up from the ground.

Survey points are preliminary and are the raw material the published rating was built from. Source: NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit.

What the Weather Service recorded

Two rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms moved across far northern and northeastern Illinois on the 3rd, the first during the early afternoon and the second during the evening. The storms produced marginally-damaging wind gusts in addition to widespread heavy rain and one brief EF0 tornado in Boone County.

A brief EF0 tornado with peak estimated winds of 85 mph touched down northwest of Belvidere. Photos shared by the Boone County EMA show that a concentrated area of tree damage occurred at and across the street from a property along Distillery Road south of US Rt. 20. Multiple trees were uprooted or snapped, and several large tree limbs and branches were downed as well, including some that fell onto powerlines.

From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.

The warnings

No tornado warning for this county appears in the archive as in force at the moment the tornado touched down.

The county was under a severe thunderstorm watch, issued at 00:15 UTC and running to 02:35 UTC.

Issued (UTC)ExpiredProductOffice
17:50 UTC18:30 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningLOT
00:15 UTC02:35 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WatchLOT

Every warning and watch covering the touchdown point that day, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service products. Lead time is measured from the issue of the warning in force to the touchdown time in the database, both of which were recorded to the minute by different people.

The forecast that day

The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a Slight Risk, with a 0.05 chance of a tornado within 25 miles. The outlook in force was issued at 00:48 UTC.

SPC's Day 1 convective outlook as it stood when the tornado began, read at the touchdown point. The same archive is on the radar archive.

The air that afternoon

The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.

Davenport, (KDVN), 00:00Z

2.1 hours before the tornado, 150 km from the path. June 4, 2025.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Davenport, at 00:00Z on 2025-06-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 222 joules per kilogram, CIN -20, lifted condensation level 903 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Davenport, at 00:00Z on 2025-06-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 99 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 41 knots.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
222 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-20 J/kg
Surface CAPE
1411 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
903 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
41 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
19 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
99 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
261 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.2
Supercell composite
5.8
0-3 km lapse rate
6.4 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Davenport, (KDVN), 12:00Z

9.9 hours after it, 150 km from the path. June 4, 2025.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Davenport, at 12:00Z on 2025-06-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 0 joules per kilogram, CIN -8887, lifted condensation level 573 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Davenport, at 12:00Z on 2025-06-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -16 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 39 knots.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-8887 J/kg
Surface CAPE
7 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
573 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
39 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
5 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-16 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
121 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
3.9 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

Rockford (RFD), 17 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)Temp (°F)Dew point (°F)WindGust (kt)Pressure (mb)Weather
00:05 UTC180° 5 kt1007.1
00:10 UTC190° 4 kt1007.1
00:15 UTC180° 5 kt1007.1
00:20 UTC180° 4 kt1007.1
00:25 UTC150° 4 kt1007.1
00:30 UTC180° 4 kt1007.1-RA
00:35 UTC200° 5 kt1007.5-RA
00:40 UTC240° 8 kt1007.8-RA
00:45 UTC220° 5 kt1007.5
00:50 UTC200° 4 kt1007.5
00:54 UTC7669170° 4 kt1007.5
00:55 UTC170° 4 kt1007.5
01:00 UTC170° 5 kt1007.5
01:05 UTC170° 5 kt1007.5
01:10 UTC170° 7 kt1007.5
01:15 UTC170° 7 kt1007.5
01:20 UTC180° 8 kt1007.5
01:25 UTC170° 8 kt1007.5
01:30 UTC180° 8 kt1007.5
01:35 UTC180° 5 kt1007.5
01:40 UTC200° 5 kt1007.8
01:43 UTC7866250° 7 kt1007.8TS
01:45 UTC300° 11 kt1007.5
01:50 UTC310° 4 kt1007.5
01:54 UTC7366310° 8 kt1007.8-TSRA
01:55 UTC300° 10 kt1007.8-RA
01:59 UTC7266260° 18 kt331009.1+TSRA
02:00 UTC 221008.8+RA
02:05 UTC230° 13 kt1009.1RA
02:08 UTC6966250° 10 kt331009.1TSRA
02:10 UTC6966250° 10 kt211009.1TSRA
02:10 UTC250° 10 kt1009.1RA
02:15 UTC230° 7 kt1009.1-RA BR
02:20 UTC240° 5 kt1008.8-RA BR
02:23 UTC6966220° 6 kt1009.1TSRA BR
02:25 UTC190° 5 kt1009.1RA BR
02:30 UTC220° 8 kt1009.5RA BR
02:35 UTC220° 7 kt1009.5RA BR
02:37 UTC6966220° 8 kt1009.8RA BR
02:40 UTC220° 5 kt1009.8RA BR
02:45 UTC210° 5 kt1009.8RA BR
02:50 UTC200° 4 kt1009.8RA BR
02:54 UTC6866190° 4 kt1009.8RA BR
02:55 UTC180° 4 kt1009.8RA BR
03:00 UTC180° 5 kt1009.5RA BR
03:05 UTC170° 5 kt1009.8-RA
03:10 UTC170° 7 kt1009.8-RA
03:13 UTC6865180° 8 kt1009.8-RA
03:15 UTC180° 9 kt1009.8-RA
03:20 UTC170° 9 kt1009.8-RA
03:25 UTC170° 7 kt1009.8-RA
03:30 UTC6865160° 8 kt1009.8-RA
03:30 UTC160° 8 kt1009.8-RA
03:35 UTC170° 8 kt1010.2-RA
03:40 UTC170° 8 kt1010.2-RA
03:45 UTC180° 8 kt1010.2-RA
03:48 UTC6864.4180° 9 kt1010.2-RA
03:50 UTC180° 9 kt1010.2-RA
03:54 UTC6865180° 8 kt1010.2-RA
03:55 UTC180° 8 kt1010.2-RA
04:00 UTC180° 9 kt1010.5-RA

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.

The radar

The Milwaukee radar (KMKX), 83 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 02:07 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track

Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.

What was reported nearby

Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.

Time (UTC)ReportWhereCountyRemark
01:38 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Sse OregonOgle, ILCorrects previous tstm wnd dmg report from 1 SSE Oregon. A large tree was downed blocking Daysville Road south of US 64 just outside of Oregon. The tree has since been cleared. Time estimated by radar.
01:38 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Sse OregonOgle, ILA large tree was downed blocking Daysville Road south of US 64 just outside of Oregon. The tree has since been cleared. Time estimated by radar.
01:49 UTCTSTM WND GST 541 W HillcrestOgle, ILPrivate weather station KILROCHE62 reported 54 mph gust northwest of Rochelle.
01:49 UTCTSTM WND GST 582 Nw HillcrestOgle, ILPrivate weather station KILROCHE34 reported 58 mph gust northwest of Hillcrest.
01:57 UTCTSTM WND GST 56LindenwoodOgle, ILPrivate weather station reported 56 mph gust south of Monroe Center.
01:58 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 W Davis JunctionOgle, ILReport of large tree downed on IL-72, as well as another tree down on power lines, all in Davis Junction. Time estimated by radar.
02:07 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 Ne Cherry ValleyBoone, ILPhotos shared of heavy tree damage along Distillery Road. A tree trunk was snapped a few feet up from the ground and multiple large tree limbs were downed, including some that landed on power lines.

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 2025 tornado in IllinoisEvery tornado in Illinois since 1950Warnings in force in Illinois nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of June 3, 2025

18 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
June 32:24 PM CDTEF0Jackson, MO0.840
June 32:35 PM CDTEF1Jackson, MO3.750
June 33:45 PM CDTEF0Grant, OK0.230
June 33:49 PM CDTUnratedNoble, OK0.120
June 34:35 PM CDTEF0Canadian, OK0.620$3,000
June 34:37 PM CDTEF0Wright, MO0.4100$8,000
June 35:00 PM CDTEF1McClain, OK2.8125$60,000
June 35:39 PM CDTEF1Garvin, OK2.4150$10,000
June 35:58 PM CDTEF0Lee, IA0.5100
June 36:10 PM CDTUnratedArcher, TX0.150
June 36:39 PM CDTEF1Mercer, IL1.6175
June 36:42 PM CDTEF1Mercer, IL10.8250
June 36:46 PM CDTEF1Warren, IL7.850
June 36:57 PM CDTEF0Rock Island, IL1.225
June 36:57 PM CDTEF1Rock Island, IL14.4300
June 36:59 PM CDTEF1Mercer, IL3.8100
June 37:06 PM CDTEF1Rock Island, IL12.4300
June 38:28 PM CDTEF0Atoka, OK4.5100

What this means

Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.

Sources

NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.