Storms spawn tornadoes in Kane County, northern Illinois

Intense thunderstorms swept through northern Illinois Tuesday night, bringing with it winds recorded as high as 50 mph and spinning off tornadoes across the region, according to the National Weather Service.

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Trees, signs and fences were damaged on the Waubonsee Community College campus in Sugar Grove on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024 following a reported tornado the night before. (Sandy Bressner)

The National Weather service confirmed 11 tornadoes touched down across several counties including four in Kane County — Hinckley to Big Rock, EF-0; Sugar Grove to Batavia, EF-1; Elburn to Campton Hills, EF-0; and Geneva, EF-1.

Damage was reported at the main Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove with trees down and light poles knocked over as reported by Bob Waszak @nilwxreports.

Hail was hitting many communities in western Kane starting after 7 p.m.

Residents in the Batavia area posted on social media pages reports of hail and high winds.

Kane County Emergency Management Services is assessing damages in the region after the storms blew and reported downed trees and power lines in the Sugar Grove area.

ComEd reported several intermittent power outages scattered across the county Tuesday night.

Batavia Police Chief Shawn Mazza said in a text message Tuesday night there were preliminary reports of minor wind damage in the area of Main Street and Randall Road.

A construction trailer on the northwest corner of Main Street and Randall Road by the retail area was blown over, and the traffic signal at Main Street and Deerpath Road also sustained damage likely from the wind.

“At this time no information or reports of any injuries. Seems like we were very fortunate,” according to Mazza’s text.

Sugar Grove Village President Jennifer Konen reported that an electric transformer at Route 47 and Harter Road went down, but officials did not know whether it was from a lightning strike or a tree limb that went down.

“Our officers are driving the neighborhoods and in the area and there is no areas with large damage,” Konen said. “We do have some streetlights and power outages.”