Video of large hail on the ground and windshields broken in Kankakee, Illinois on Tuesday, March 10, 2026 (Tony Laubach/AccuWeather). YouTube Tips ⓘ
During the afternoon and evening of March 10, 2026 several intense supercell thunderstorms moved across northern Illinois and northwestern Indiana. Supercell thunderstorms have persistent and deep rotation and are capable of producing tornadoes. Two hailstones may have broken the previous record of a 4.75″ diameter hailstone in Minooka in June 2015. Among the two hailstones awaiting validation for the record book are a 6.0″ hailstone discovered in Kankakee, and a 4.8″ hailstone discovered in Darien.
Two people were killed in Lake Village, Indiana in the block of 8000 CR 600 W when the elderly couple were hit in their house when the house was hit by the tornado. Lake Village, Indiana was struck by a tornado after tornadoes struck the Kankakee area in Illinois. Family sources identified the couple as Ed and Arleen Kozlowski.
There were two significant supercells that crossed northern Illinois around dinner time Tuesday — the more severe crossed west to east near Kankakee; the crossed west to east near Bolingbrook, Woodridge, Downers Grove, Westmont, and Darien.
One supercell was responsible for a family of tornadoes (at least four tornadoes) across Livingston County and Kankakee County in Illinois, and Newton, Jasper, and Starke counties in northwestern Indiana.
National Weather Service survey crews will be working with emergency management officials today, Wednesday, March 11, 2026 to look at damage to determine the strength of the tornadoes and to confirm the total number of tornadoes that occurred. Survey results will be posted later on as they are finalized, according to the National Weather Service.
A Tornado Watch was in effect before the tornadoes occurred — earlier on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. Based on preliminary reports, Tornado Warnings were also in effect before each tornado occurred. A rare Level 4 out of 5 threat level for tornadoes was issued by the Storm Prediction Center prior to thunderstorms developing.
The supercell thunderstorms also produced exceptionally large hail. The same storm that produced all of the tornadoes in our area also produced hail ranging in size from 3 to locally 5 inches in diameter. A hailstone with a diameter of 6.0″ was measured in Kankakee, IL. This 6.0″ hailstone may be considered for a new Illinois state record hailstone. There is a process to verify the hailstone, so this report is considered unofficial at this time.
The previous record was a hailstone measuring 4.75″ in diameter that fell in Minooka in June of 2015.
Another supercell moved across the southern and western Chicago metropolitan area and dropped hail ranging in size from 2 to locally 4 inches in diameter across Bolingbrook, Woodridge, Downers Grove, Westmont, and Darien. The largest hailstone measured in this area was 4.8″ in diameter and occurred in Darien, Illinois.
Multiple drone shots of the horrific damage left behind in Kankakee, Illinois and Lake Village, Indiana by the multiple tornadoes that struck the area (Storm Chaser Aaron Rigsby/YouTube). YouTube Tips ⓘ
Several homes were destroyed in the wake of a tornado that touched down Tuesday night in south suburban Kankakee (Drone Team/FOX 32 Chicago). YouTube Tips ⓘ
Major clean-up efforts underway in Kankakee County following Tuesday evening’s tornado, severe storm (Winnie Dortch/WGN News). YouTube Tips ⓘ
Storm damage in rural Northwest Indiana impacted animal owners, leaving farmland open. Donkeys and goats in the area were let out of their restricted areas during the storm (Jackie Kostek/CBS Chicago). YouTube Tips ⓘ
^^ MOBILE? USE VOICE MIC ^^
facebook …
Please ‘LIKE’ the ‘Arlington Cardinal Page. See all of The Cardinal Facebook fan pages at Arlingtoncardinal.com/about/facebook …
Help fund The Cardinal Arlingtoncardinal.com/sponsor
THANKS FOR READING CARDINAL NEWS
