The National Weather Service in Chicago earlier this week confirmed a second tornado touched in Iroquois County on April 17, earning an EF-2 rating.

The Kankakee County outdoor tornado alerting system will be tested Wednesday, according to KanComm 911 telecommunications for Kankakee County.

Most of the tornado warnings issued Friday in the Illinois Valley were for rotating clouds and not for funnel clouds that touched down. One exception was rural Mendota.

Images from the flooding of the Fox River and Chain O' Lakes in April 2026.

There may have been a funnel cloud near Mendota on Friday night. The National Service has dispatched a survey team to confirm it.

As tornadoes hit Northern Illinois, millions are turning to livestreaming weather creators instead of traditional forecasts — raising new questions about how people stay safe

At 9:11 p.m., a severe squall line capable of producing tornadoes and extensive straight-line wind damage was located along a line extending from near Grand Ridge to near South Streator to Flanagan to near Gridley, moving east at 45 mph, the weather service said.

A tornado warning was issued at 7:45 p.m. Friday for Bureau and Putnam counties, though officials in both had no immediate confirmation of a touchdown. A rotating cloud may have set off the alert.

Much of northern Illinois has been placed under a tornado watch until 8 p.m. Friday. A Level 3 severe risk brings strong storms, hail and possible tornadoes to northern Illinois on Friday evening.

McHenry County officials are urging people along the Fox River to get their sandbags and “go” bags ready ahead of more rain in the forecast.

The Dixon Police Department is closely monitoring the weather today, preparing for possibly severe storms that could move through the Sauk Valley this afternoon and tonight

Sandbagging has begun in spots along the Fox River as its levels are expected to continue rising into next week following several inches of rain over recent days. A flood warning is in place for McHenry, Kane and Lake counties.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch until 1 a.m. Thursday for most of northern Illinois.

A tornado watch has been issued for several northern Illinois counties, including Kane, DeKalb, McHenry, Lake, Ogle, Lee, Whiteside and more.

A level 3 severe risk is now in place, with the strongest storms likely on Tuesday afternoon into the evening

Two years after peak highs, the average sales price of top Illinois farmland saw slight year-over-year declines

Farmers wouldn’t mind a little more rain, but a wet March has effectively snapped a months-long drought across North Central Illinois – indeed, across most of the state.

Storms may drop over an inch of rain across northern Illinois overnight, raising rivers and increasing flooding concerns by Friday morning.

On this episode of Talk Line, host Brandon Clark talks with Shaw Local News’ Charlene Bielema about recent tornado activity in Lee and Whiteside counties, plus an in-depth look at the jury selection process in high-profile local court cases.

The National Weather Service on Tuesday confirmed an EF-1 tornado caused damage in Sterling during storms that rolled through northern Illinois on April 2. It is the fourth tornado confirmed in connection with storms in Lee, Whiteside, and Ogle counties that evening

Rain totals varied Friday and Saturday across northern Illinois.

On Saturday, hundreds of potential buyers – mostly farmers – wound their way through the mud all day floating between auction rings to buy or sell a wide variety of tractors, wagons, planters and other ag-related items.

The National Weather Service has confirmed three tornadoes – one in Lee County and two in Ogle – caused damage during Thursday night’s storm outbreak across Northern Illinois.

About 1 to 3 inches of rain fell over the area Friday night, with a localized amounts near 4 inches across parts of central Livingston county, the National Weather Service said.

Troy Fire Protection District’s fire chief said the residents of a Shorewood home were out of town at the time lightning struck the home and they’ll be displaced because of the fire.

Is Kankakee County and eastern Illinois part of a new pathway for tornadoes?

With more thunderstorms in the forecast, most of northern Illinois is under a flood watch from through Saturday morning.

Storm damage assessments have preliminarily confirmed an EF-1 tornado caused damage in northwestern Lee County on Thursday night, according to the National Weather Service.

Thunderstorms that hit Thursday night left their mark in McHenry County, with downed electrical wires, tree damage, flooding and a collapsed home reported.

Warning sirens have sounded in parts of McHenry County amid reports of rotating clouds and severe weather.

Storms caused a swath of damage across Lee and Ogle counties Thursday, April 2.

Dixon’s police chief is asking residents to keep an eye out for downed power lines jn the wake of a Thursday night storm that produced a confirmed tornado near the city.

A tornado watch issued for much of northern Illinois Thursday afternoon has been extended until 11 p.m. And a severe thunderstorm warning is now in effect until 8 p.m. for some areas, according to the National Weather Service.

Officials believe a lightning strike Thursday morning could be responsible for a fire in a residential section of Sycamore that impacted power in the area.

The National Weather Service issued tornado watch around 2 p.m. for North Central Illinois, including La Salle and Bureau counties, until 8 p.m.

Strong to severe thunderstorms are expected to sweep across northern Illinois on Thursday afternoon and evening, bringing the potential for damaging winds, hail, and even isolated tornadoes

Winds gusts could reach 60 mph with possibility of half-dollar size hail, the National Weather Service said.

The countdown to planting begins with April’s arrival, and farmers could start soon if conditions are favorable.

The night the March 10 tornado hit Aroma Township, officials made two sweeps of the destruction.

The main window for severe weather is expected between about 3 p.m. and 9 p.m., with the greatest threat focused near and south of Interstate 80. A gradual warming trend is expected over the weekend, with temperatures rebounding into the 70s by early next week

The storms will be rapidly developing and pushing southeastward across the region, according to the National Weather Service.

A warm Saturday afternoon brought Sauk Valley residents out of their homes for sun and fresh air.

A Northern Illinois University meteorologist joined a research team this week to measure a likely record-breaking hailstone from a severe storm in Kankakee County March 10. It came in at 6.6 inches and nearly 20 ounces.

Due to the heavy rainfall preceding Sunday’s snow, the Public Works Department will delay all three planned flushing weeks to allow the ground more time to dry.

Are you heading out to the polls in northern Illinois Tuesday for the for the primary election? You might want to bundle up.

McHenry County’s blizzard warning Monday – landing exactly six weeks after Woodstock Willie’s early spring Groundhog Day prognostication – prompted school cancellations and other closures.

Since 10 p.m. Sunday, the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office has responded to five different crashes and 60 drivers in a ditch. That’s as of about 11:15 a.m. Monday.

Kankakee County officials said they have temporarily shut down Waldron Road in the Aroma Park area from 1500S Road to Old Waldron Road.

DeKalb County was hit by several inches of snow Sunday into Monday. The snowy and windy conditions created difficult travel conditions across the county.

Here is a roundup of weather-related cancellations in the Illinois Valley.