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.

They include:

• An EF-1 tornado near Palmyra-Woosung in northwest Lee County from 6:11-6:18 p.m. 
• An EF-1 tornado near Pine Creek Township in southwest Ogle County that lasted from 6:24-6:25 p.m.
• An EF-0 tornado in Holcomb in northeast Ogle County from 6:44-6:47 p.m.

Clusters of strong to severe thunderstorms moved across northern Illinois during the afternoon and evening hours on Thursday, delivering swaths of locally damaging winds, a few instances of quarter-sized hail, and locally heavy rainfall, according to NWS reports.

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Tree and barn damage is seen on Mound Hill Road near Polo Friday, April 3, 2026. Thursday evening storms caused a swath of damage across the area. (Alex T. Paschal)

Damage reports in Lee and Ogle counties included a destroyed barn and downed power poles and power lines on Mound Hill Road near Pilgrim Road in Lee County; structural damage along state Route 26, south of Woosung; downed trees and damaged outbuildings near West Edgewood Road and South Ridge Road in Ogle County; and a grain elevator down on railroad tracks south of Davis Junction.

Strong to potentially dangerous storms were expected to impact a broad stretch of northern Illinois on Thursday, including DeKalb, Sterling, Dixon, Rock Falls, and Princeton, with forecasters warning of fast-moving storms capable of producing tornadoes and damaging winds. The National Weather Service placed much of the area under an Enhanced Risk (Level 3 of 5) for severe weather.

Dixon Police Chief Ryan Bivins on Thursday night was asking residents to keep an eye out for downed power lines. Bivins said in a Facebook post that a tornado was spotted north and west of town. Bivins said no major damage was reported in Dixon city limits.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office also was asking motorists to avoid areas north of Dixon because of reports of several downed power lines.

The National Weather Service on Friday afternoon said it had preliminarily confirmed the EF-1 tornado that caused damage in northwestern Lee County and that its survey damage team was continuing to investigate damage in Ogle County.